The Cross in Afghanistan
A British military photographer captured a stunning and unique vista in Afghanistan, at the main British base at Camp Bastion.
Afghanistan is entering its ‘rainy season,’ and such storms may be relatively common for some time.
Of course, Michael Weinstein will likely think this supports his conspiracy theory that Christian supremacists are out to take over the world, or that the Brits are “advancing the cause” of the allies’ adversaries, as he has said about US Marines in more benign circumstances. His research assistant, Chris Rodda, has previously said crosses like the one seen above, “big enough to be visible from really far away,” are one way “the Muslims” are convinced “we’re on a crusade.” She’ll likely consider the fact the cross is lit — so it can be seen from “really far away” even at night — all the more egregious.
Regardless of hypothetical manufactured controversy, its an impressive picture, and an indicator of other ‘powers’ the allied forces have to contend with in Afghanistan.
The image was the “Image of the Day: 10 October 2011” on the British Ministry of Defence official news blog.
Caption: Lightning strikes in the distance behind Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, as troops wait for the first rainfall on Operation HERRICK 15, which officially began yesterday when 20th Armoured Brigade took over command of Task Force Helmand in Lashkar Gah from 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. [Picture: Sergeant Steve Blake RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]
Via the Mad Padre.
MRFF simply agrees with what General Schwarzkopf said and did back in the first Gulf War. He made it perfectly clear that he thought the overt display of Christian symbols in Muslim countries was extremely problematic, even going as far as to make it a policy not to display crosses, even at worship services, and to ask the chaplains to remove their crosses from their uniforms.
In the comments on one of your previous posts, you refused to answer my simple yes or no question about whether or not you thought General Schwarzkopf. This was the post for anyone who wants to read the entire comment thread:
http://christianfighterpilot.com/blog/2011/07/21/jfw-the-religious-rights-of-those-in-uniform/
Your current post here just reminded me that you never did answer my question, JD. In case you forgot what it was, here it is again:
I want to see you say flat out, right here, that you think that General Schwarzkopf’s decision not to “wave a red flag in the face of religious extremists,” as he put it, was wrong. Do you think that General Schwarzkopf’s policy regarding religious services, which was “we won’t advertise them, publicize them, or let them be filmed — we don’t want them broadcast on TV for the whole Moslem world to see,” was wrong?
Very simple, JD. Is your answer yes or no? Do you or do you not think that General Schwarzkopf’s decision was wrong?
@Chris Rodda
You mean what you’ve cherry-picked from Schwarzkopf’s book. You’ve only ever criticized Christianity, even in your comment just now, though his statements included references to other non-Islamic beliefs. You’re name-dropping for political expediency. This has all been discussed before in the links above.
Your position that Easter services in Iraq and the baptism of Marines in California ‘aid the enemy’ (while Rosh Hashanah apparently does not) is not at all consistent with Schwarzkopf’s policies. As usual, you are relying on sensationalism and celebrity, not relevant facts. Try again.
What am I cherry-picking, JD? Here is exactly what General Schwarzkopf wrote in his autobiography about what he instructed the chaplains to do. (The speech he recounted was given after an incident where his Saudi military counterpart came to him outraged over the distribution by Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse of Bibles printed in Arabic.)
“… I called together representatives of the American chaplains and made a short speech. ‘We all want the troops to have freedom of worship,’ I told them, ‘but to do that we have to use a little judgment. You chaplains who are assigned to Riyadh and other cities already know how sensitive the local people are. The very sight of a cross is offensive to them. So I’m asking those of you in the cities to take the Christian or Jewish insignia off your uniforms, or to wear them in such a way that they can’t be seen. Chaplains with combat units in the field will continue to wear their insignia. I know some of you won’t like this, but it seems to me a small price to pay.’ I added with a mock growl, ‘Besides, if you’re worth a damn as chaplains, your troops already know who you are. You don’t need your insignia.’
“Next I talked about the ceremonies themselves. ‘We will continue to conduct services just as we always have. But we don’t want to wave a red flag in the face of religious extremists. Therefore, we won’t advertise them, publicize them, or let them be filmed — we don’t want them broadcast on TV for the whole Moslem world to see. …”
What about General Schwarzkopf’s policy is not clear here, JD? And, back to my question to you, do you or do you not think General Schwarzkopf was wrong? This is a simple yes or no question. Why can’t you answer it?
Given the prominence of the Cross and notable absence of other religious symbols on this British base, one can only conclude that every member of the 20th armoured brigade at Camp Bastion is a Christian.
If not, the display of such a glaring religious symbol would surely be demoralizing to those of differing faiths or no faiths at all. It would also be offensive to those Muslims who work or train with the British at that location.
The desperate need to dominate the religious landscape with such exagerated Christian symbols indicates to me a form of religious adherence that borders on cultism.
We have seen in the past, pictures of American tanks festooned with Rosary Beads and Christian Biblical phrases painted on gun barrels. Thousands of Bibles printed at the behest of evangelical Christian chaplains with covers of military camouflage and the name of military units printed on them were confiscated and destroyed.
It seems to me that all the egregious acts committed by Muslim extremists, including the one that got us into these interminable wars and the counter displays of Christian fervor are both manifestations of religious dominance.
In the 21st Century, are we still unable to shed the bonds of religious extremism? Are we all merely pawns in a deadly game of religious chess? It would seem so. And as the need for one’s religion to dominate grows we slowly but surely devolve to the kind of medieval thinking that brought us the Inquistion, Crusades and Witch Hunts.
Take this massive cross, melt it down and make thousands of two inch crosses and give them to those who profess Christianity as their religion to hang around their necks. Crosses do not have to be seen to provide the comfort for which they are designed. In this process all faiths can join in a partnership based on Earthly goals without the demeaning subjucation of being made subordinate to the majority’s beliefs.
OK, so you can’t melt a wooden cross down. So take it to a toothpick factory and have them manufacture two inch wooden crosses.
@Chris Rodda
The very next sentence answered your question.
@Richard
That’s a farcical conclusion. The fact that Air Force bases have Burger King and Navy bases have McDonalds doesn’t mean every AF member likes BK and every Navy member wants McDs.
None of the people in those units have said they find it demoralizing, despite the fact most don’t describe themselves as religious. Besides you’re own bias, on what basis do you attribute such feelings to other people?
We’ve been over this before. You’re misremembering and confusing separate incidents. The Chaplaincy continues to distribute religious texts with military-style covers (and not just Bibles). The US military destroyed Bibles in Afghan languages, but they did not number in the “thousands.”
Your recollection of Bibles being destroyed did not happen. Or would you care to provide a source to say it did?
If you do not share those beliefs, how can you claim the credibility to explain them?
Huh? What are you saying I’m cherry-picking? Please explain.
And, once again, do you or do you not think that General Schwarzkopf was wrong? YES or NO?
Hey JD, still refusing to answer my question? What’s the problem? Afraid to publicly criticize a general? C’mon, JD, answer the question: Do you think General Schwarzkopf’s policies regarding religion in the first Gulf War were wrong? YES or NO?