Category Archives: Government and Religion

The Bible Stays: US Marines Tell Mikey Weinstein to Pound Sand

In early July Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF lodged a complaint with US Marine Corps’ Camp Hansen (one of seven Marine Corps camps on Okinawa), alleging that the presence of a Bible on a POW/MIA remembrance table constituted a “blatant violation of the Constitution.” This complaint followed the MRFF-inspired removal of Bibles from similar displays at four VA facilities and Wright-Patterson AFB (a removal which prompted Chaplain Sonny Hernandez to “replace” it by distributing Bibles to local Airmen).

The Marines, however, were not so forthcoming.

In an undated letter (PDF) just released by the MRFF, Camp Commander Brian Howlett told the MRFF the display would stay just like it is, thank you very much:  Read more

ACLJ Rebuts Mikey Weinstein and the “Ignoramus’ Veto”

Update: Covered by the Christian Post.

costinSkip Ash and Wesley Smith of the ACLJ wrote two pieces over the past two days taking Michael “Mikey” Weinstein to task for his latest assault on Christians in the US military. Smith’s article, entitled “Military Religious Freedom Foundation: A Misnomer?“, noted that Weinstein’s charity seems to have a nobly stated purpose — though its actions are quite the opposite:

There has never been a more antagonistic and persistent adversary of religious freedom in the ranks of the United States Armed Forces…I witnessed the inordinate amount of time and energy spent responding to the numerous demand letters and threats of litigation from Weinstein and his organization.

Virtually every program designed to enhance the free exercise of religion, promote the spiritual well-being of Soldiers…, or to acknowledge that our inalienable human rights are given to us not by the government, but by our Creator, was met by the vitriol and threats of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and Mikey Weinstein.

For those that have followed Mikey Weinstein’s antics and tantrums over Read more

Column: Drafting Women Violates Religious Liberty

tarkingtonMargaret Tarkington, a professor of law at the Indiana University McKinney School of Law, wrote an interesting perspective on the recent developments regarding women in combat and drafting women. In short, she has no problem with women being allowed to be in combat if they want to be. But, she thinks that forcing every other woman to sign up for the draft as a result could violate their religious liberties [emphasis added]:

The conscription of women raises significant religious liberty concerns for women (including many LDS, Islamic, Orthodox Jew and other Christian sects and religious traditions) who devoutly believe that their primary calling in life is to be a mother, raising their children in a safe and loving home. The First Amendment is intended to secure the free exercise of religion. For myself, the most important “free exercise” of my religious convictions is being able to be a mother and to raise my children at home.

While women should have equal opportunities to join and advance in the military if they so choose, it is a different matter to force Read more

Mikey Weinstein Attacks Air Force Chaplains, Endorsers

Former Air Force Captain Michael “Mikey” Weinstein and retired Chaplain (Col) Ron Crews are friends, sort of. They’ve spoken in the past about having dinner together at Weinstein’s house. This is despite the fact Weinstein’s MRFF is (almost) universally ideologically opposed to Crews’ CALL.  Weinstein attacks religious liberty in the US military, and Crews defends against him.

Chaplain Crews recently honored outgoing Congressman Randy Forbes as the recipient of their annual Torchbearer Award. The ceremony at which the award was presented was well attended by several members of Congress — as well as uniformed Air Force and Army chaplains.

The event has Weinstein seething and demanding the chaplains be court-martialed. It remains to be seen if the personal relationship between Crews and Weinstein can withstand Weinstein’s bigoted diatribe in the MRFF “demand” letter addressed to the Department of Defense Inspector General:  Read more

Navy Honors Two Harveys: One Medal of Honor Recipient. One Homosexual.

Update: Now covered at the Stars and Stripes, CNN, and the Christian Science Monitor.

harveys

A Tale of Two Harveys: Harvey Barnum (L), Harvey Milk (R)

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced that a destroyer would be named after retired US Marine Corps Colonel and Medal of Honor recipient Harvey Barnum.

In December 1965, then-Lieutenant Barnum was an artillery forward observer when he took command of a company under fire that had lost its commander:

He immediately assumed command of the rifle company…, and moving at once into the midst of the heavy fire, rallying and giving encouragement to all units, reorganized them to replace the loss of key personnel and led their attack on enemy positions from which deadly fire continued to come.

His sound and swift decisions and his obvious calm served to stabilize the badly decimated units and his gallant example as he stood exposed repeatedly to point out targets served as an inspiration to all.

After years of requests, the Navy is reportedly ready to name a vessel after Harvey Milk: Read more

Mikey Weinstein Begs for Donations to Support Invisible Court Battles

From Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, speaking for his MRFF:

Your completely tax-deductible donation will allow us to continue our fight in the courts…

“Continue?” The MRFF hasn’t initiated a “fight in the courts” since their last lawsuit was tossed out in 2011. [Clarification: Weinstein did file a FOIA lawsuit against the US Air Force and the Air Force Academy in November 2015.] But Weinstein has been continuously begging for “tax-deductible donations” in the five years since, claiming he needs support to continue his “fight in the courts.” In that time, his MRFF has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars without initiating a single “fight” in the courts — despite his repeated quips that the US military would have to “tell it to the judge.”  Notably, in addition to those hundreds of thousands in outflow (not apparently in the courts), Mikey Weinstein has also managed to pay himself $1.95 million from donations since he founded his “charity.”

Why is Mikey Weinstein saying his donors are funding his court battles, when the MRFF hasn’t started any court battles in years? Some might say that soliciting donations for one purpose and then spending them Read more

The Transgender (Homosexual) Lifestyle: A Military Chaplain’s Perspective

On June 30, 2016, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that transgender service members in the US military can now openly serve their country without fear of retribution.  If transgender service members can openly serve without fear of retribution, are military chaplains allowed to “openly” serve with biblical conviction without fear of retribution (see National Defense Authorization Act)? According to the Constitution, yes, but according to opponents of religious liberty for Christians, no!

The transgender, homosexual propaganda that is manifesting itself within society is hostile towards Christians. The Armed Forces ultimately reflect the culture from which they are drawn. Nevertheless, Christians should expect hostility (2 Timothy 3:12). Around the world, proponents of Islam are beheading Christians who will not accept their vile religion, while in the US, Christians who decry sexual immorality (bestiality, fornication, homosexuality, and transgender) as a sinful practice are ostracized and publicly vilified as unloving bigots who are infused with hate. This can be concurred as recently an Army base abruptly cancelled a prayer breakfast that Read more

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