Category Archives: Government and Religion

Army: Spiritual Fitness Can “Lighten Load”

In its continuing efforts to reduce suicides and improve the overall mission effectiveness of Soldiers on the battlefield, Army Chief of Chaplains MajGen Douglas L. Carver recently lauded the value of “spiritual fitness” for both servicemembers and their families. 

The Army defines spiritual fitness as the development of the personal qualities needed to sustain a person in times of stress, hardship and tragedy. These qualities can come from religious, philosophical or human values…and form the basis for character, disposition, decision making and integrity.

“That’s what I think spiritual practice does, lighten the load,” [Chaplain Carver] added. “And who wouldn’t want to take a few rocks out of a rucksack?”

Coincidentally, the Department of Defense published this article on Spiritual Fitness a few weeks prior to an outcry by atheists on this very topic.  The article adequately explains the Army is not categorically calling “spiritual fitness” a “religious” endeavor, despite accusations to the contrary by atheists.

Carver recalled an interesting story from a morally conflicted Soldier:  Read more

Atheists Stretch for Something to be Offended By

During the Christmas season it is not unusual to hear the controversy over whether “Merry Christmas” is being intentionally censored or avoided.  Regardless of your political or religious persuasion, there are some ridiculous examples of scornful “Merry Christmas” retorts to what may be sincere well wishes expressed in the “wrong” words of “Happy Holidays.”  Some have rightly said that some Merry Christmas-ers are just looking for something to get twisted over.

Likewise, atheists now have their own manufactured cause célèbre.

The Global Assessment Tool (GAT) Soldier Fitness Tracker (SFT) is part of the Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness initiative.  It is designed to help Soldiers self-assess their Emotional, Social, Family, and Spiritual resiliency.  Atheists have taken umbrage at the “Spiritual” section, Read more

Happy New Year from ChristianFighterPilot.com

Have a productive and joyful 2011.

The Top 10 articles from God and Country in 2010:

  1.  Christian Fighter Pilot Takes Command of US Marine Corps
  2.  Weinstein Threatens to Sue ChristianFighterPilot.com
  3.  Chaplain Dale Goetz Killed in Combat
  4.  Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: The Military Christian’s Perspective
  5.  Academy Official Fears “Brainwashed” Christians
  6.  Weinstein Loses Bat-Signal, Declares War ‘back on’
  7.  Weinstein Defines Religions, Assigns Followers
  8.  There are No Atheists in Foxholes
  9.  Trijicon Gun Sights and “Secret Bible Codes”
10.  USAFA Pagan Circle has Christian History

Senate Confirms Feldblum — ‘Sex Trumps Religion’

Before retiring for the holidays, the US Senate confirmed Obama appointee Chai Feldblum to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Feldblum is the person quoted in the longer version of the “Christian Military Perspective on DADT,” published at the Journal of Faith and War, saying

when religious liberty and sexual liberty conflict…I’m having a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win.  (The Weekly Standard, May 15, 2006).

Feldblum was a law professor at Georgetown University and Read more

Conscientious Objector Describes Faith and War

Most media stories on military conscientious objection revolve around those who are in trouble for missing movement or suing over their denial.  (Approved CO applications hover around 50%.)  On Slate, Kathryn Schulz interviews a young man named Josh Stieber who was recently discharged as a CO.

His logic is sometimes strained and much is based on personal perception rather than fact, but that is often the case in situations like this.  Ultimately, too, it is difficult to tell Read more

Letter: DADT Repeal Creates “Propaganda” for al Qaeda, Taliban

A letter to the editor in a local Colorado Springs newspaper raised the spectre that open homosexuality in the US military might actually help America’s adversaries:

I can’t wait until the Taliban and Al Qaida use this [DADT repeal] law as a recruiting tool for hardcore Muslim insurgents in its proof just how infidel America is when its government endorses homosexuality by law.

Notwithstanding the rhetoric, he’s right.  Islamic extremists have cited America’s “moral depravity” as reason for attacking it.  Openly allowing Read more

Doug Wilson: Gay Advocates Asking the Wrong Question

Douglas Wilson, most well-known for his long-term debate and friendship with Christopher Hitchens, has a short post on the issue of homosexuality in the military.  He is yet another voice highlighting that many who supported repeal miss the point (perhaps intentionally) when they try to characterize those who oppose repeal.

The public discussion has thus far, in its sophomoric talking points way, addressed whether straight servicemen are willing to “serve alongside” their openly homosexual peers. This question would obviously include evangelical Christians. But this is not the question at all.

Anybody who has spent any time in the military knows that it is not a bastion of righteous behavior. If you join, you will serve alongside fornicators and drunks, and you will learn how to work together with them. Adding patriotic poofters to the mix is a non-issue, and barely worth discussing.

He’s absolutely correct.  There are certainly legitimate issues of sexuality in the military, but those discussions have been ongoing for decades — reference gender.  Therefore, it is not the central issue on this topic.

The issue is this. Homosexual Read more

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