MRFF, MAAF Find Roots in Ohio
The Columbus Dispatch highlights a familiar connection of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers through Ohio State University.
Two of the most-prominent national organizations fighting for religious freedom in the U.S. military have roots at Ohio State University.
Retired [sic] Army Capt. Jason Torpy incorporated the nonprofit Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers while getting a master’s in business administration at Ohio State in 2006.
Air Force Reserve Capt. Casey Weinstein, whose experiences at the Air Force Academy helped lead his father to begin the [MRFF], also has an MBA from Ohio State. His wife, Reserve Capt. Amanda Weinstein, is working toward a doctorate in economics there now.
It’s interesting to see OSU as a common thread, but “prominent” is probably a strong word to describe the MRFF and MAAF. Torpy was formerly in the Army, but he isn’t retired. The paper wasn’t entirely clear in the beginning, but the two younger Weinstein’s aren’t merely the inspiration for the elder Michael Weinstein, they have been actively involved in his “charity.”
The article notes the distinct difference in tone between the two organizations, which have occasionally stepped on each other’s toes:
“I’m not going to bash you in the media,” Torpy said…“I’m not going to sue you.”
The MRFF, on the other hand, will “bash you in the media” and sue — it’s part of the Weinstein Method of which he’s so proud.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation and members of the Weinstein family have sued the Air Force Academy twice, as well as the Defense Department and other groups.
The Christian Military Fellowship was apparently sought for comment, as Weinstein has criticized the group. Their president had Weinstein pegged pretty well [emphasis added]:
“He makes his living by filing frivolous lawsuits,” said Robert Flynn, the fellowship’s president. “To me, he really isn’t seeking to help.”
As noted several times here, Flynn’s perceptions seem to be accurate. Weinstein has a habit of capitalizing (in a fundraising way) on the initial scandals associated with his client’s claims — and then doing nothing when the case has been dismissed, as they always have been. Weinstein has never filed a single appeal, despite his repeated claims he would do so. Instead, he gains media attention and the fundraising opportunities it brings, and his clients — often low ranking members of the military — he discards when they are no longer useful as his pawns.
Flynn also accurately perceives the manufactured controversy in other quarters:
As for Torpy’s group, Flynn said he agrees that all groups deserve recognition, and he thinks the military gives it. The atheists and freethinkers sometimes see problems where there aren’t any, he said.
Flynn is correct. As an institution, the military doesn’t discriminate on the basis of religion. “Atheists and freethinkers” may see non-existent problems, or they may go searching for them, as Torpy did when he lodged a vicarious protest after seeing a picture of a cross on the internet. On the whole, however, the military institution generally does an admirable job of protection the religious liberty of all of its troops.
Hmm. The military institiution does an admirable job of protecting the religious liberty of all of its troops?
Then why is the Military Religious Freedom Foundation now addressing over 27,000 client case complaints from young servicemen and women relative to command centered and coercive Christian proselytizing?
Over 96% of these young Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Sailors, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserve and Service Academy Cadets are self identified Christians who have been told they are not “Christian enough” and must be elevated to a more intense and obedient level of Christianity. The others are a smattering of non-Christian and non-religious troops who are pressured to convert.
And who is to help in this process of upgrading our military to a higher level of obedience to Christian Doctrine? The Officer’s Christian Fellowship, Campus Crusade for Christ Military Mission, Focus on the Family, The Navigators, New Life Church and other Christian organizations and churched around the country who are given 24/7 access to our troops on military reservations and facilities here and abroad.
Add to this a growing number of Dominion Christian officers and senior NCO’s who use thier rank and position to place our young troops in their clutches. One has only to read about officers such as Gen. William Boykin, Gen. Jack Catton, Gen. Michael Gould and others who have abrogated their oath to uphold and defend the US Constitution by stating plainly that they place God first, family second and country apparently a distant third.
This extreme Christian movement is reminiscent of the militant Christian movements of the 40’s, 50′ and 60’s such as the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Army of God and more recently, the Hutaree Christian Militias and others.
Do not be fooled or diverted. Christian Dominionism is a fast growing cancer on our armed forces that must be addressed now. Go to: militaryreligousfreedom.org to learn more about Dominionism and how it has and continues to affect our military.
JD, you are not my friend. You are not my confidant. I don’t share my feelings with you. I rarely share my thoughts with you. You don’t know me and you don’t know Mikey. You have no grounds whatsoever to comment on a relationship you know so little about.
To call me a pawn is a laughable insult revealing your complete ignorance of my motives, how I became involved, and my role in decision-making. To imply that Mikey uses clients and “discards” them is an insult to his character and the dignity he shows to his clients. Mikey didn’t push me into anything that I didn’t want to do. I have a problem with being forced to attend prayers. I want to fix that problem and I found an organization with a common interest in religious freedom. Mikey was willing to use his tools to try to help me, and he did. I am no pawn. I am a soldier who called in air support.
We didn’t win in court because my former commander lied in his testimony and the Army lawyers deceptively equivocated separate complaints as if they were the same thing, but we will win in the long run. You can’t continue to demand a captive audience of subordinates to cast your magic Jesus spells onto. We will stop the forced prayers eventually. I wasn’t the right client to go the distance. When the client is right we will finish this fight. In the meantime, I am not “discarded.” I continue to work with MRFF promoting our shared goals and common vision for a military free of religious coercion.
@Dustin C
This isn’t about you. That you were used unknowingly or even willingly does not negate Weinstein’s pattern of behavior.
On that topic, however, if your case had been as simple as you say, it would have been a “two inch Tiger Woods putt” to appeal and win — which Weinstein claimed he was going to do. Funny thing is, he never did. Now why is that?
The judge said it was you, as the Plaintiff, who failed to provide the evidence to support your accusation that was the basis for the lawsuit. You had the opportunity to provide that evidence and did not. Now saying the Defendant lied in sworn testimony — without any evidence to support your claim — seems like little more than a bitter attempt at vengeance.
JD: The military institution as a whole is more aware of the need to protect the beliefs and non-beliefs of its troops thanks to the a[–] -kicking efforts of Mikey Weinstein and the MRFF. While they are aware of the importance, they still have failed to tackle the problem because of the influence of “Christian” dominionists, especially in the top ranks.
A few years back, I contacted Mikey about some of the half-hearted efforts and foot-dragging with respect to religious respect and tolerance taking place at USAFA under the direction of LtGen Gould, BGen Clark. Mikey still stays in frequent touch with me, and we’ve even met up in person when we’ve had the chance. So I don’t feel like a pawn what was thrown away after our work together was done. Anything but. So, once again you misrepresent the truth about Mikey, MRFF and his clients. Have you no shame?
I’ve seen the abuses of the dominionists at USAFA over the last 20 years, both as a cadet and as a faculty member. Individuals like you and organizations such as the New Life Church, Focus on the Family, OCF, and others have done a significant amount of damage to USFA’s reputation, and more importantly, they have ruined lives.
MRFF can’t afford to look away for one second. If it does, things will go back to the old ways.
The military has gone out of its way to accommodate your religious beliefs, but that is not a permit for religious extremists like you yo shove their beliefs down the throats of others in an unsolicited manner, and even worse for you and your fellow militants to use rank and power to ensure those beliefs are accepted.
You and your fellow “Christians” got away with a lot until you pushed one of Mikey’s son’s to the edge. Now the momentum is on our side, and we will not stop until everyone’s personal belief’s are respected. If it WAS just a single service member (instead of multiple thousands of the oppressed as MRFF clients alone), out of the hundreds of thousands in the ranks, being harassed because of their beliefs, it would still be a tragedy. it is you and your fellow dominionists who are the unconstitutional perpetrators.
Edited by Admin.
@USAFA 9x
Who says this refers to you? You claim to be an officer, and anonymous, at that. When was the last time Weinstein even named an officer as a plaintiff in one of his complaints? Here’s a hint: It was before you started teaching at USAFA. In fact, the only time Weinstein has ever had anonymous plaintiffs was when there were officers involved.
Compare that with his treatment of some other less fortunate military members.
You can help mitigate that trend, if you’d like: Want to publicly come out as Mullin v Gould‘s John Doe #1?
You’re right, though: You’re not a pawn. You’re an unabashed advocate for Weinstein’s cause, which goes directly to the credibility of your claims, and not in a good way.
Name-calling, ad hominem, and baseless accusations: The mark of a person unable to articulate a logical position — not unlike the MRFF family of Weinstein, Rodda, and Baker. Classy, too.
Perhaps one day you’ll understand there’s more to liberty than simply having your way.
Hey, JD, why don’t you let us know exactly who that “pawn” assertion DOES refer to? Since MRFF remains in touch with ALL of its former clients, I can call whoever you ARE referring to and they’ll come here to respond here and verify that what you posted is a complete lie.
And where’s the comment that I know another one of MRFF’s former clients tried to post here. Did you “moderate” that one out of existence like you do with so many of the comments that people try to post here?
@JD
Did I just see my name mentioned in your last post JD? It’s nice to see that I am a memorable poster and a member of the MRFF Family. I thought after 7 years I would kick back and bounce the great-grandchildren on my knee (as the grand children are already grown) and retire from active duty in MRFF. But as fate would have it, I seem to be more active than ever. And you are at least one person I can thank for that.
You keep saying that those of us who have brought some very questionable religious activities to light should have much more proof. Well, first of all, have you heard of a preponderance of evidence? The mere fact that so many brazen acts of Christian Domination have taken place, all of which have been documented and reported from Gen. Born to Gen. Hawkins to the many others written about in the Army and Air Force Times not to mentipon the New York Times. Colorado Springs Gazette, the Colorado Springs Independent and many others. To me that’s a preponderance of evidence of wrong doing in the Armed Forces relative to command centered and coercive Christian proselytizing.
In addition there exists positive proof of overbearing and tyrannical Christian activity in the military that cannot be brought forward because of the dangers involved in identifying those young servicemen and women who have made the complaints, some 27,000 to date at MRFF. Our experience tells us that those who have committed unconscionable acts against our troops have and will continue to exert vicious and damaging retribution on those that they can identify.
Our Dominion Christian friends zero in on the most vulnerable and powerless of armed forces members and have found a gold mine in military training facilities and our service academies where recruits and cadets are already in a learning and strict obedience mode. It’s real and it’s insidious. The only think worse than political fascism is religious facsism.
@Chris Rodda
Wow, a coordinated commenting campaign. I’m flattered. Too bad you’re either misinformed, or your advocate was filtered out along with the comments about free Canadian drugs.
LOL, JD … do you even realize that you just totally contradicted yourself? How could MRFF get its former clients to comment here in a “coordinated commenting campaign” if Mikey “discards” them “when they are no longer useful as his pawns.”
I know that one of MRFF’s other former clients tried to comment here because he told us he did. He emailed his comment to me and Mikey — not something a “discarded pawn” would do, is it?
@Chris Rodda
You seem a bit confused.
I’m confused? You claim that Mikey “discards” MRFF’s clients “when they are no longer useful as his pawns.” Then you say that MRFF is organizing a “coordinated commenting campaign” by having these former clients come and comment here. How could Mikey be in touch with MRFF’s former clients to get them to come and comment here if he had “discarded” them? Think about it really, really hard and you might see how both of these things can’t be true at the same time.
@Chris Rodda
Yep, you are. You don’t even have to “think about it really, really hard.” You just have to read what something says, and not what you think it says.
Could you please explain what on earth you are talking about to poor confused me? I guess it’s just too confusing to me how someone can “discard” their clients and remain in touch with them at the same time.