General Johnson “Comfortable” with Religion at USAFA
US Air Force Academy superintendent Lt Gen Michelle Johnson on the religious environment at USAFA:
Q. …Do you feel there is now an accepting environment in the academy as far as tolerating people of different faiths or of no faith, or are you concerned about inappropriate proselytization on campus?
A. I feel good about where we are…
The feedback I get is that people feel very comfortable. It’s always a balancing act because we’re balancing the freedoms of the Constitution, and balancing freedom of expression with freedom from establishment [of religion] and we do that balancing act every day. And I think in a very fair way. But obviously our local issues become very national issues very quickly, and all we can commit to do is do the right thing every day and be respectful of each other.
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Gen. Johnson’s handling of the always volatile religious situation at the USAF Academy seems to be a fair and thoughtful handling of all issues.
Religion is anything but constructive and has been the cause of the greater percentage of discord throughout history. Religion is the one thing that can thrust all sorts of people of both sexes into conflict and can be as deadly as a well armed army of brainwashed zealots. Religion attracts the most devious, self-aggrandizing and dangerous persons who use faith and fear of Hell to control the masses far better than just the normal techniques.
Religion will always be contention in the civil sector as well as the military. The secret is how to manage it without bloodshed.
The Nation Bureau of Economic Research – “Is Religion Good for You”?
“A number of researchers have found striking correlations between religion and various measures of well being. For example, religious participation is correlated with lower levels of deviant behavior and better health. And, attending religious services weekly, rather than not at all, has the same effect on individuals’ reported happiness as moving from the bottom to the top quartile of the income distribution”.
See more here: http://www.nber.org/