In what amounts to a repeat of his prior attacks on Christians, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein last week published a release saying the MRFF “fervently denounces” the Christian group OCF performing “spiritual commissioning” ceremonies for new officers. Officers’ Christian Fellowship is one of several para-church organizations that ministers to the military — and one Weinstein seems to hold much animus toward.

Oddly, Weinstein declined to provide his own typically vociferous and alliterative quote, and instead deferred to an “anonymous” letter from a purported retired Army Colonel — who is also “on the membership rolls” of OCF. Referring to OCF’s Command magazine, which covered the commissioning, the Colonel

demand[ed] a retraction and full apology from OCF…Their old-guard OCF leadership will continue to push their radical agenda. Therefore, I ask that ALL COMMISSIONING sources, including all federal Service Academies and state ROTC universities, review Officer Christian Fellowship chapter local practices on their respective campuses…

To be clear, a retired O-6 — who said he had supported OCF both as a cadet and Academy faculty member — apparently lacked the intestinal fortitude to tell OCF his thoughts and instead “filed” a public complaint through the MRFF.

Why, exactly?

Beyond his hurt feelings, it’s not clear.

The complaint says nothing of substance about the “spiritual commissioning” of new officers, which is the subject of Weinstein’s denunciation. Without citing specifics, the Colonel (US Army, Retired) appears to object that the ceremonies happened at all. He cites no actionable objection other than the existence of the religious ceremonies on their face — as depicted by the cover photo of the most recent Command magazine.

(Humorously, Weinstein had originally widely published a copy of the cover, and Chris Rodda had included it in her articles, but has since retracted it “due to copyright reasons.” Copyright infringement has previously been an issue for Mikey.)

The photo is a picture of friends and family praying for a newly commissioned US Army Lieutenant.

In other words, the Colonel is offended by members of OCF…praying for members of OCF.

There isn’t even an allegation that the government was involved somehow. There is no indication the spiritual commissionings were anything more than religious ceremonies. Even some of Weinstein’s supporters have acknowledged they appear to be religious events in which military members are personally exercising their faith — in other words, the very thing the US Constitution protects.

And yet this Colonel (US Army, Retired) wants the government to take action against these Christians.

Only slightly less moronic than being offended over constitutionally-protected free exercise is the fact the offended Colonel acts like this is a new offense. OCF has been performing spiritual commissionings for decades. Not once has someone been forcibly prayed over; not a single officer has ever complained about participating in the events. There hasn’t been a single allegation of wrongdoing as a result of the commissionings, ever, yet this wilting-flower Colonel acts as if the world is coming to an end because he just now saw this month’s magazine. OCF hasn’t even been secretive about them; there are pictures online and in an OCF Command magazine (also online) almost every year.

This is just the latest in a string of attacks Weinstein has levied against Christians, despite his stirring defense that he can’t be anti-Christian because he has Christian friends. Weinstein has repeatedly — and outright — criticized Christians for doing nothing more than participating in church services and religious rites, despite his contradictory claims he supports “religious freedom” and is only trying to defend hapless troops from coercive Christians.

Don’t believe it? Note that Weinstein said nothing about the other religious events surrounding commissioning. Every Academy has religious baccalaureate services during commissioning week, and specific religious groups continue to minister to the fellow followers of their faith as they take their oaths and become officers. See the Latter Day Saints? They were even invited by the Superintendent! How about Jewish ceremonies?  Why not complain about any of them?

Why is it only OCF gets denounced when sending off their fellow believers into the world in prayer and faith?

That’s an easy one. Mikey Weinstein has a personal vendetta against Christians. He has declared that he is “at war” with Christians because he thinks Christians want to take over the world and murder Jews. Really, he does.  And his bigoted, hate-filled worldview has its supporters.

This does little more than confirm — again — the animus of Mikey Weinstein and Chris Rodda toward Christians.  Interestingly, it seems the duo’s explicit attacks on Christians — no longer obfuscated by a façade of calls for ‘religious freedom’ — are becoming more frequent. Perhaps Weinstein’s MRFF will soon be more quickly recognized for the hate it actually espouses rather than the liberty it falsely claims.

Incidentally, remember that oath you swore to “support and defend”?  A certain Colonel, (US Army, Retired) might want to read up on that Constitution thing again.  You seem to have forgotten what it says.

You can read the letter and Chris Rodda’s unusually short intro here.

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