Tag Archives: Islam

US Army Guantánamo Guard Converted to Islam

In an era where the most vocal concern about religion in the military is “illegal Christian proselytizing,” Newsweek carries the opposite side of the story: a US Army soldier who was “proselytized” by the Islamic prisoners he oversaw.

Army specialist Terry Holdbrooks [of the 463rd Military Police Company] had been a guard at Guantánamo for about six months the night he had his life-altering conversation with detainee 590, a Moroccan also known as “the General” [in] early 2004… Read more

“Praying Pilot” Convicted of Manslaughter

A Tunisian-based airline crew was convicted in Italy of manslaughter following a crash-landing in the sea in 2005.  The news has capitalized on the story about the captain abandoning control to his co-pilot and then praying rather than executing appropriate emergency procedures.  Notably, though, the co-pilot was also convicted of the same offense and given the same sentence, though there is no allegation he did the same thing.

Even so, any concern would not be on the fact that he prayed, but on the fact that he ceased taking the proper actions to ensure the safety of his aircraft and its passengers.

Marines Sued over Religious Bumper Sticker

A retired Marine working as a civilian at Camp Lejeune has sued the Marines for their demands that he remove bumper stickers from his vehicle in order to be allowed on base.  Jesse Nieto is represented by the Thomas More Law Center.

According to press reports, Nieto’s son died in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole.  The bumper stickers were described as disparaging to the Islamic faith.

Military policies on bumper stickers are not entirely clear, though court rulings have upheld bans on those disparaging Read more

Coming Soon: AtheistFighterPilot.com

Some who have visited ChristianFighterPilot.com have made accusations of exclusivism, favoritism, and even violation of the Constitution for mixing “church and state.”  At the extreme, conspiracy theorists have accused ChristianFighterPilot.com of being bent on world domination.  After all, only Christians would have the gall to so publicly mix their military service and religious faith, right? 

Actually, Christians aren’t the only ones integrating their faith and their service, and others, too, have “exclusive” websites featuring their faiths. Read more

Soldier Shoots Koran, General Apologizes

According to CNN (with more commentary here), a US Army Major General formally apologized to an Iraqi village after a soldier used a Koran for target practice.  The General called the soldier’s actions “criminal behavior,” and a military official “kissed a Koran” and provided it as a gift to the village.

An Iraqi party claimed that the apology and reassignment were insufficient and demanded “the severest punishment.”

UPDATE: According to CNN, President Bush has personally apologized to the Iraqi Prime Minister.  CNN has updated the article in response to the White House assertion that there was no “apology.”

Religious Objection to Military Autopsy

As noted at the ADF, the AP has reported that an Army Private contacted the Military Religious Freedom Foundation after the Army autopsied his deceased infant son.  The Private indicated that he was Muslim and objected to the autopsy on religious grounds.  Reports indicate that the MRFF plans to include this, as everything else, in their ongoing lawsuit.

While the situation is regrettable, it is not isolated to this military case or this religion.  Many government offices perform autopsies over the religious objections of the family, and the courts have apparently supported their ability to do so–particularly when the cause of death is suspect, as it was in this case.  It is not, then, a case of military “anti-Islamic prejudice and bigotry,” as Michael Weinstein asserts.

It is also worth noting that the religious opposition to autopsy is equally valid in Christian, Jewish, and Islamic faiths.  There is no objection to the practice in their core doctrines, though “interpretation” in each could lead to the conclusion.

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