President Barack Obama delivered the annual American Ramadan message this past week.
Ramadan is the month in which Muslims believe the Koran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, beginning with a simple word – iqra. It is therefore a time when Muslims reflect upon the wisdom and guidance that comes with faith, and the responsibility that human beings have to one another, and to God.
Former Air Force Captain and F-16 fighter pilot Scott O’Grady appears to have begun raising funds to run for the US Senate seat being vacated by Texas Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison.
O’Grady was made famous by his shootdown over Bosnia in 1995. He subsequently wrote a book, Return with Honor, that described how his faith was integral to his experience. His book was previously reviewed here.
Besides being a former fighter pilot, O’Grady is also a 2007 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary.
According to a US Army news release, members of the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, found time to have a Bible study after training was finished for the day.
The session, led by Chaplain (Capt.) Patrick Vandurme…lasted for about an hour, giving Soldiers a chance to listen to verses from the Bible, pray, and talk to Chap. Vandurme as needed.
Officers and enlisted lauded the opportunity to exercise their faith Read more
Former US Army Lieutenant William Calley apologized for his actions in the massacre at My Lai, Vietnam, in 1968, during remarks to a Georgia Kiwanis club.
There is not a day that goes by that I do not feel remorse for what happened that day in My Lai…I am very sorry.
Calley’s former prosecutor, William George Eckhardt, seemed to indicate that Calley has never apologized to date.
Famous for his defense that he was just following orders, Read more
Previously, a question was posed about the accuracy of an accusation against Marine Colonel “Sam” Mundy. The background and relevant video can be seen here.
So, did the Colonel, as the accusers assert, violate military regulations?
The shortest, most accurate answer: Read more
There have been two interesting cases of soldiers refusing to deploy. Both were court-martialed and convicted, both share the same lawyer, and both are from Fort Hood–but the details of how they handled themselves (and the punishments they received) are in stark contrast.
The first, Sgt. David Travis Bishop, 26, was found guilty by special court martial and sentenced to a year in jail and a bad conduct discharge, as well as a reduction in grade and fine. Bishop reportedly began studying his Bible after a tour in Iraq and Read more
A shortage of Jewish Chaplains in the US military, as well as the fact that a small number of Jewish military members tend to be spread out among a large number of bases, can make religious association of Jewish troops difficult. This often leads to reliance on other soldiers or the contributions of “lay leaders”–often retired military members in the local community.
In the Atlanta, Georgia, area, retired US Navy Master Chief Jim Bradford is one such lay leader. He recently coordinated the visit of Rabbi Menachem Katz, Aleph Institute director of outreach programs, to minister to the local Jewish community at Fort McPherson. When they met, the group discussed the challenges of living of celebrating their faith within the constraints of the military environment. Read more
Similar to the military “Biblestick” provided by Faith Comes By Hearing, Charles Stanley’s In Touch ministries has provided a solar powered audio player (called Messengers) for US service men and women since 2007. The players, called Messengers, contain Dr. Stanley’s instructional sermons.