God and Country

US Representative Randy Forbes (R-Va) has written a letter (PDF) signed by 35 members of the House asking the Air Force restore a unit’s motto that was changed after an atheist’s complaint.  The incident to which Rep Forbes is referring was actually first reported on ChristianFighterPilot.com, with the Religion Clause and the ADF Alliance Alert subsequently citing this site.

As noted three weeks ago, the USAF Rapid Capabilities Office responded to “needling” from former Army Captain Jason Torpy, an atheist, and changed its motto from “Doing God’s work with other people’s money” to “Doing miracles with other people’s money.”

The letter, addressed to Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz, says:

It has come to our attention that the US Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) has modified the logo on its official patch to remove its reference to “God,” following a complaint from Read more…

According to articles on the event, the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC, was unique this year:

In a town where just about everything is scripted, the sight of the President, Vice-President and members of Congress singing “Amazing Grace,” during the 60th Annual National Prayer breakfast was one of several off script moments that was almost refreshing today.

According to another source, the talk of the town was the speech delivered at the breakfast — but not President Obama’s speech:  Read more…

In an interesting bit of timing, several groups have decried the decision by West Point to invite retired LtGen William Boykin, author of Never Surrender, to their National Prayer Breakfast on February 8th.  The self-described “progressive” VoteVets.org wrote to West Point Superintendent LtGen David Huntoon saying

You may not be aware of Lieutenant General Boykin’s history of extremist and hateful comments towards Islam…

These remarks are incompatible with the Army values, and a person who is incompatible with Army values should not address the cadets of the United States Military Academy.

Where have we heard similar cries before?  Ah, yes: The claim Franklin Graham was an “Islamophobe” and therefore an inappropriate speaker at a similar event at the Pentagon.  The critics won that one, and Graham’s invitation was rescinded based on his prior speech, not on what he might have said if he had been allowed to attend.  Tony Perkins was “disinvited” for his public comments that were wholly unrelated to his event, as well.  Likewise, Michael Weinstein demanded Read more…

The Air Force Times notes the US Air Force has yet to replace the introductory ethics course taught to ICBM officers that was pulled late last summer.  The Air Force withdrew the course “for review” after the MRFF complained about content mentioning Christian beliefs.  The Air Force had previously stated it could reinstate the course, replace it, or simply delete it.

On a related point, there has been no public release to Senator Cornyn’s request for the Air Force to explain its actions, either.

As noted previously, the MRFF’s Chris Rodda took issue with the Senator’s words defending the Constitution.

Admiral James G. Stavridis is the commander of US Navy European Command and is also Supreme Allied Commander, Europe.  He recently spoke to students at the National Defense University, encouraging them to “read, think, write” –  even blog:

Share your ideas in print — a scholarly journal, a military magazine, a literary journal, or even a blog post…Is there “career risk” Read more…

You have to give Jason Torpy a little credit.  Unlike Michael Weinstein, who is characterized by ellipses, alliterative vitriol, and threats of lawsuits, Torpy has demonstrated an ability to actually communicate with people and achieve at least some level of influence (that is, until he steps into more “controversial” areas.)

The one-man wonder that is the Military “Association” of Atheists and Freethinkers recently “needled” an Air Force agency into changing the motto that has graced their patch for some years.

The US Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office “expedites” acquisitions programs, many in “sensitive activities.”  The RCO had a patch that, like many units’ patches, contained embedded in-jokes, clever double-speak, and probably even hinted at national secrets.  Torpy’s beef?  The slogan at the bottom:

Opus Dei Cum Pecunia Alienum Efficemus
“Doing God’s Work with Other People’s Money”

Apparently, the phrase “Doing God’s Work” is Read more…

By now most are probably aware that a Rhode Island federal district court ordered Cranston High School to permanently remove a mural hanging in the gymnasium.  The mural contained the “School Prayer,” which has hung there since the 1960s.

The plaintiff in the lawsuit against the high school was atheist student Jessica Ahlquist.  Notably, she didn’t even notice the banner until someone pointed it out, and she later publicly stated she wasn’t offended by it, but it violated the Constitution.  This was largely the premise of the defense:  The plaintiff had no standing to sue because she wasn’t “injured” in any form, as required by law; she merely had a political disagreement.

The words at issue were apparently these:  Read more…

Update: Read President Obama’s proclamation.

Each year since 1993 the President has declared January 16th to be “Religious Freedom Day,” in order to remember the passage of Thomas Jefferson’s 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (see 2009). President Obama does not appear to have issued his proclamation for Monday yet, though the day has been a topic of discussion in varying forums across the internet.

Jefferson’s statute continues to be a strong expression for the value of religious liberty even today. Though the statute has been discussed in many places and in great depth, there are two important points to take from the statute.  First,  Read more…

The Department of Defense put out an unusually rapid (and blunt) assessment of US Army Corporal Jesse Thorsen’s stint at the Ron Paul rally a few days ago.  In an article that covered the general restrictions of military service and political activities, the DoD said

A combat engineer assigned to the 416th Theater Engineer Company potentially violated these rules Jan. 3 when he stepped onto a stage at Ron Paul’s headquarters in Ankeny, Iowa, during the Iowa Caucus to offer a personal endorsement.

However, it also specifically noted Thorsen was not on active duty at the time, contrary to the CNN reports at the time:  Read more…

Update: US Rep Mike Hoffman (R-CO) has said troops need to be reminded of the rules involving political participation.  As noted below, there were already some official military articles on the subject.

US Army Corporal Jesse Thorsen made a name for himself Tuesday night, for better or worse.  He appeared on CNN and onstage endorsing the political candidacy of Ron Paul while he was wearing his Army fatigues.

Unlike the mystical machinations of Chris Rodda, in which she says military officers violate regulations when they express their faith on the internet, there is actually an explicit Department of Defense Directive on this type of conduct (barring an unknown mitigating factor on the Corporal’s part).  From DoDD 1344.10 (Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces, found here), an active duty military member “shall not”  Read more…

Update: Also repeated at Military.com.

Don Branum of the US Air Force Academy wrote a comprehensive article entitled “Why building Falcon Circle was ‘right thing to do’”, referencing the outdoor chapel area dedicated for use by members of USAFA claiming an “earth-centered” faith.  The article appeared to respond to Associated Press reports USAFA had spent $80,000 on the facility for but a few cadets.  (It did not appear to be related to the report by Senator Coburn, which did not use the $80K figure.)

The article covers the history — the factual history — of both the cadet chapel and pagans in the US military in general.  In so doing, it naturally compares the Falcon Circle to the Cadet Chapel.

As noted previously, it is neither reasonable nor appropriate to directly compare Read more…

Though the furor has died down in the intervening few months, an October column by R. Albert Mohler, Jr, the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, attempted to address the then-prominent controversy over Christians and Christianity in political life.  Whether you call it “dominionism” or just “fundamentalism,” Mohler took on the issue of those who are decrying the rise of “Christian nationalism.”  He asks:

What is so scary about America’s evangelical Christians?

and notes the chorus of voices warning about the rise of a Christian “theocratic state,” “Christian nationalism,” and a usurpation by Read more…

Update: Another California paper accuses the LA Times of being “too close” to Camp Pendleton in their failure to get an “obligatory” comment from the ACLU when they first reported on the Camp Horno cross.

An Associated Press article updates the protest by atheist Jason Torpy over the memorials located on Camp Horno, on the Camp Pendleton Marine post in California.  It repeats much of the recent local article, noting a decision isn’t coming until next year, though its title is telling:

Atheists, Marines debate Camp Pendleton crosses

Even if inadvertently, the AP accurately notes it is a ‘battle’ between Torpy and the US Marines, not any other group.

The article also says Torpy is happy for the rest of the memorial to remain, just not the cross.  Ironically, this seems to counter not only the concept of Read more…

US District Judge Jeffrey Miller ruled the surviving members of a family killed by an F/A-18 crash in San Diego were to receive $17.8 million from the US government.  They had sued and sought $56 million.

Don Yoon lost his 36-year-old wife, Youngmi Lee Yoon; his 15-month-old daughter, Grace; his 2-month-old daughter, Rachel; and Read more…

The 2011 edition of the annual “Wastebook” (pdf) published by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), which contains a list of “wasteful and low priority government spending,” includes the “Falcon Circle” erected by the US Air Force Academy earlier in the year.

79) Air Force Academy Builds “Stonehenge-like Worship Center” – (CO) $51,474

The worship center is “for the handful of current or future cadets whose religions fall under the broad category of ‘Earth-based,’” which includes Wiccans, druids and pagans.

Three students out of 4,300 students self-reported as currently having an “earth-based” religion…

The American people support religious freedom, but this investment challenges their faith in government to ever make smart budget choices.

Senator Coburn seems to make the point that his complaint is an issue of “smart budget choices” rather than a lack of desire to support religious freedom.  It’s also important to note that millions of dollars are spent on US military facilities to support the religious liberty of US troops.

While one could argue the “per capita” for pagans was Read more…