USAFA has its “Falcon Circle,” and just down the street Fort Carson has its unique religious “chapel” as well.

As previously noted, the Turkey Creek ranch US Army facility of Fort Carson has been used for some years to support the religious freedom of men and women in the US military of all kinds. The kind of worship?  A native American sweat lodge.

Michael Hackwith is the local spiritual leader and leads the group in its weekly rituals.

The Inipi, the traditional term for sweat lodge, is a place for worshippers to spiritually connect with the creator, he said…
 
“We use this intense heat to push us into a new endurance of prayer while forcing our body to push out toxins,” Hackwith said.
 
“It is a purification rite.”

Hackwith’s “congregation” includes, among others, an Army Specialist, a USAFA Technical Sergeant, and a Peterson AFB OSI agent.

Members of the US military come from a wide variety of faiths, and the military provides the opportunities it can for them to practice that faith.  They are free to choose their faith, and even convert from one faith to another within the military, as one of the lodge participants did.  They can congregate freely with those of like mind, across services and across ranks.

To be clear, native American spiritualism is wholly incompatible with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Still, the same religious freedom that protects the right of Christians to gather at the military chapel also permits these servicemembers to find “peace” in their sweat lodge.  Maybe someday they’ll be open to the Prince of Peace.