Tag Archives: ramadan

US Military Participates in Muslim Celebrations

An official Army press release notes that senior members of the American military participated in Islamic Iftars in Iraq, sharing meals that broke the Ramadan fast with Iraqi locals and military servicemembers.  Leaders described the meals as an opportunity to display unity, understanding, and respect for Islam:

LtCol Mark Olds, the planner for one of the Iftars on Basra, said the dinners were an opportunity for US forces to show their unity with Iraq.

“We wanted to show our understanding and respect of Muslim traditions and practices by hosting an Iftar dinner for our Iraqi partners Read more

US Navy Supports Ramadan, Official Hajj

According to a Navy release, Muslim Sailors aboard the USS Harry S Truman were able to celebrate the end of Ramadan while on their cruise.  The US Navy followed standard policies on religious accommodation, and provided meals especially for the observant Sailors, as described by the Truman‘s Chaplain:

“Whatever a person’s religious background, the Navy’s policy is to accommodate that person’s religious needs,” said Cmdr. Jerome Hinson…”We are able to arrange meals for them before sunrise and after sunset. Depending on their work schedules, we accommodate their needs as much as we can.”

The Sailors themselves spoke positively about the Navy’s support of their religious Read more

Clinton to Host Iftar, US Army Celebrates Yom Kippur

According to a State Department press release, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will host an Iftar on September 7th.  The meal breaks the Islamic day-long fast that is continuous for the month of Ramadan.  The US Army has also supported Iftars in Iraq.

Meanwhile, separate official Army press releases, complete with graphic banners, announce the upcoming Jewish celebrations of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  The articles explain the meaning behind the holy days.

Religious freedom in America, and its military, at work.

Ramadan and the War in Afghanistan

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

Military Paper Announces Ramadan

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.

Merry Christmas from ChristianFighterPilot.com

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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