An Army.mil article recently described the tenets of the Islamic celebration of Ramadan. The military often goes to great lengths to help its members understand Islam due to its intense involvement in the culture in which American forces are deployed.
The Air Force Times carries the Associated Press article on “War doesn’t rest for Islam holy month” [sic]. Though some may view it as a time of rest, particularly with fasting during the daylight hours, that does not translate directly into reduced combat. In fact, the opposite may be true: Read more…
The Quantico Sentry, the base paper for US Marine Corps Base Quantico, published a “Perspectives on Faith” article last week describing the upcoming Islamic month of Ramadan, which begins on Wednesday.
As with many articles in military papers on religious topics regardless of faith, it contains content explicitly stating Islamic beliefs as fact and without qualification. The military as a whole benefits from an understanding of the various faiths not only of those that make up the military, but also of those in the cultures it experiences around the world. In that regard, articles that speak to the tenets of various faiths — even if they do so explicitly, or in a supportive way — are a valuable contribution to the military culture.
Interestingly, the byline of this article was simply the “Quantico Islamic Community,” though a note at the end identified the local Islamic lay leader and gave the military chapel as a point of contact. It would seem the article was written by a Muslim, given that it used the honorific “peace be upon him” when referring to Muhammad.
Islamic US Army soldiers in Iraq, including Spc. Linda Boyed and Spc. Fatima Benasser, two Arabic interpreters, note the challenges in exercising their faith during Ramadan while still executing their mission.
Finding time to pray in a high op tempo can be difficult, Read more…
Merry Christmas…can we say that?
Both religious and secular news sources have repeatedly reported on the perceived “war on Christmas,” in which organizations (primarily retailers) have chosen to say (or not say) Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, or some other variation on the theme. For retailers, it is a business decision, whether good or bad, in which they attempt to appease one group of consumers or another. What they do probably has an impact on their sales figures, but influences little else.
Another question revolves around what is permissible for government officials. Lawsuits and controversy have erupted over Christmas (or “holiday”) displays (like in Wisconsin). Even President Bush has been taken to task for the White House Christmas Cards that don’t mention Christmas, but do contain Old Testament Bible verses that reference the Messianic prophecy. Military Christians, then, have a confusing cornucopia of examples to look at when trying to decide what is appropriate during the Christmas season.
Is there a right answer? What can military Christians do or say? Read more…
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