An interesting article written by Chaplain (Capt) Robert Schobert of Goodfellow AFB, Texas, notes his study of the “wiki-holidays” occurring over the next few weeks.
The article includes the increasingly common appeal for care for those who may not feel very “joyful” this time of year, and focuses on the inherent inclusiveness of the military community.
Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Pagan, Democrat or Republican, you are a vital part of this diverse community. And just like me, you are blessed to be a critical element of this unique American experience of living and working alongside others that are absolutely not just like you, but wish you joy and peace this time of year just the same.
While the article seems fairly current, it has actually been reprinted a few times over the past few years in nearly identical form.
Categories: Chaplain Tags: Chaplain, christmas, goodfellow afb, Hindu, holiday, Islam, Jewish, mcguire afb, Military, pagan, robert schobert, wiki-holiday
As previously noted, the US Air Force Academy held a “religious respect” conference to work on the “religious tolerance” training program for cadets. According to the official Academy release on the event, the attendees included Christian, Jewish, atheist, pagan, and “interfaith” representatives.
While Jason Torpy did attend, Michael Weinstein pouted that he was not invited to the “propaganda” event. Weinstein, of course, is not a faith group representative as the other participants are; he also didn’t explain why he wanted to be party to a meeting with a school with whom he is “at war.”
Photos of the event, as well as the invited attendees, can be seen at the event website.
Also noted at the local Colorado Springs Gazette.
As noted by an official Air Force Academy news release, cadet members of the USAFA “Freethinkers” group invited the cadet pagan SPIRE group to meet and discuss their beliefs and experiences.
SPIRE members set aside time each week for the religiously diverse cadet population that includes Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans, atheists, agnostics and others to discuss religion, spirituality and philosophy.
While the groups are for the benefit of cadets, like groups of other ideologies, they appear to be facilitated by staff or volunteers. Tech. Sgt. Brandon Longcrier Read more…
The Colorado Springs Independent, which previously reported on both Michael Weinstein’s declaration of “war” on the Air Force Academy and his letter to the Secretary of Defense, apparently obtained access to three cadets to discuss the religious climate at USAFA.
The members of the Cadet Interfaith Council had little negative to say: speaking of religious mistreatment, a Jewish cadet says “not much of that goes on these days;” a Buddhist has “not experienced any discrimination due to his faith.” The Protestant of the three agrees.
All agree with a cadet’s statement that
Right now, I think it might be getting blown out of proportion.
(It is worth noting these cadets were likely provided by the Academy for the purpose of the interview. Given the opportunity, Weinstein could likely produce cadets supporting his point of view.)
Superintendent LtGen Michael Gould is also quoted, and the article offers an intriguing look at religious “complaints” over the past two years. Ironically, there Read more…
Categories: Government and Religion Tags: Chaplain, Church and State, Constitution, dadt, Government, Jewish, michael gould, mike gould, mikey weinstein, Military, MRFF, pagan, pam zubeck, Public Expression, Religion, religious freedom, spire, USAFA
In response to an inquiry, Michael Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation expressed his support for what has been dubbed the “Ground Zero Mosque” in New York City. Notably, he criticized those who oppose the mosque/community center because…their criticism offends “jihadists.” Interestingly, Weinstein did not reserve his invective purely for Christians:
This [opposition to the mosque] is the work of fundamentalist Christians and ultra-extreme, rightwing Jews.
Apparently, the man who believes Christians are planning to exterminate Jews believes “rightwing Jews” are now helping them. The cognitive dissonance continues below.
For those keeping track: Read more…
Categories: Government and Religion Tags: ground zero, marines, mikey weinstein, Military, mosque, MRFF, new york city, pagan, Religion, religious freedom, USAFA
Recent articles have highlighted the moral struggle faced by Christian men and women in the US military. When the US Air Force Academy established an official area for pagan congregation, it aroused a wide variety of emotions, from those who found the pagan belief system repulsive to those who felt anyone should be free to do as they please. Military Christians, too, experienced tension between the tenets of their faith and the dictates of their profession.
Following an article documenting the creation of the Academy pagan area, a commenter highlighted this very conflict (as she intended) when she asked:
That’s great news…It shows a willingness to be accepting of “other” faiths. Don’t you think it’s great news?
Is the creation of a pagan circle at the US Air Force Academy “great news?” There are two distinct perspectives at issue, that of a Christian and that of a member of the military. Ultimately, they form the perspective of a military Christian. Read more…
Statements released by Osama bin Laden have validated the fears of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s Michael Weinstein, whose organization has repeatedly claimed that associations of Christianity with the US military provide “propaganda” and “recruiting tools” to America’s adversaries, endangering US troops and the mission of the nation. Read more…
Categories: Government and Religion Tags: Afghanistan, al Zawahiri, atheism, Bible, brandon longcrier, Buddhism, Chaplain, chris rodda, crusader, ed brayton, franklin graham, Islam, mikey weinstein, MRFF, Obama, osama bin laden, pagan
The US Air Force Academy closed its investigation into the placement of the shape of a cross at a pagan site on the Academy grounds. No new information was apparently determined, nor was any action taken. To their credit, the Colorado Springs Gazette printed the most accurate description so far of the incident, saying
The cross – consisting of two railroad ties propped against a boulder…
Other organizations and individuals had inaccurately implied a ‘large cross’ was ‘made of railroad ties’ and ‘carried to the site’ to be ‘erected in the center’ of the pagan circle. The Gazette left out only the facts the two boards were not connected and were already on the site before the incident occurred.
In noting the end of its investigation, the Air Force refused to characterize the incident as a hate crime: Read more…
A few weeks ago the Colorado Springs Gazette published a short email excerpt from the designated pagan leader at the USAF Academy, TSgt Brandon Longcrier. In the quote, the Gazette highlighted Longcrier’s fear for his cadets in the face of what he described as a “hate crime” (the crossed shoe boards at the pagan circle).
Not much later, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, to whom the letter was addressed, published a series of letters it had received on the subject. The authors’ names were redacted, but in one the author clearly identified himself as the person who found the cross at the pagan site and took “the picture,” which is known to be Longcrier. In addition, it includes the quotes from the Gazette article attributed to him.
Longcrier’s message reiterates the “hate crime” and criticizes the Air Force Academy for its response. More interesting, however, is his attitude toward the cadets — particularly those of the Christian Read more…
Categories: Government and Religion Tags: brandon longcrier, Chaplain, Church and State, Constitution, Islam, mikey weinstein, Military, MRFF, pagan, Public Expression, Religion, USAFA, Wicca
A blog by a USAFA cadet reaffirms prior comments that the new pagan circle at the US Air Force Academy is in an area frequented for other purposes, and even has a unique spiritual history.
The area is collectively referred to as the “LZ,” and the clearing has been used–for years–as a station on the hill for which to conduct “training” for fourth class cadets. The author of Wonderings and Wanderings has a post on the 14th of January that says his squadron used the LZ for training–3 days before the “cross incident” occurred (which, incidentally, was also a long weekend). At the time, no one knew Read more…
A group recently called for Congress to “probe” the US Air Force Academy after allegations of religious “insensitivity”—but not likely the insensitivity of which most immediately think. After years of criticism that USAFA has favored Christianity, and in the wake of news that a cross had been found at the newly created pagan circle at the Academy, the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is calling for a probe to investigate “insensitivity to Christians” at the US Air Force Academy.
Catholic League President Bill Donohue decried the military’s characterization of the cross incident at the pagan circle–in which two railroad ties were picked up and laid against a rock–which Academy Superintendent LtGen Michael Gould seemed Read more…
Categories: Government and Religion Tags: bill donohue, catholic league, Church and State, cross, michael gould, mike gould, mikey weinstein, Military, pagan, Public Expression, Religion, USAFA
This incident has been so mis-reported that it was initially just ignored; however, when General Gould published a statement agreeing that this incident has been “sensationalized,” he gave credence to the view that this situation is being grossly mischaracterized, and that people are inappropriately using it for their personal advancement. An analysis thus follows…
Despite the positive hullabaloo over the US Air Force Academy pagan circle, Michael Weinstein’s Military Religious Freedom Foundation has now denounced the placement of a cross at the site, an act that occurred before the recent positive press reports. Though the incident took place several weeks ago, the MRFF appeared to time the press release to counter the recent spate of “good news” about religious tolerance at USAFA.
For the record, it should go without saying that Read more…
Categories: Government and Religion Tags: brandon longcrier, chapel, Chaplain, chris rodda, Church and State, conspiracy, Constitution, Government, mike gould, mikey weinstein, Military, MRFF, pagan, Religion, USAFA, Wicca
The US Air Force Academy cadet chapel is expanding to the outdoors. Along with its Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and Buddhist chapel areas, the cadet chapel will now officially include a “pagan circle” located on a hill just above the chapel grounds.
The Academy pagan group is led by USAF TSgt Brandon Longcrier, an NCO who works in the astronautics lab within the academic faculty. Longcrier was effusive in his praise of the Academy and the Chaplains in their support for his efforts, which included pagan rituals for Basic Cadet trainees over the summer.
“There really haven’t been any obstacles for the new circle,” he said. “The chaplain’s office has been 100-percent supportive.”
According to Longcrier, the pagans meet during each Monday night (chapel-sponsored SPIRE meets that night).
It would appear that those who claim the US military is officially “Christian” are losing any vestiges of evidence to support their claim.
While some seem to imply that only Christians associate their religious ideology with their military service, public examples on all sides demonstrate that is not the case.
A Pennsylvania paper recently covered a local story in which a group of pagan veterans are encouraging those with similar beliefs to, in their words, “come out of the broom closet.” Charles Arnold is the “‘national commander’ of the Pagan Veterans of the United States,” which he formed earlier this year. He says pagan veterans “number Read more…
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