World War II Memorial Prayer Opposed by Obama Administration

The US House Committee on Natural Resources has forwarded HR 2070 to the floor.  The bill would add a plaque with a D-Day prayer by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the World War II memorial in Washington, DC.

By unanimous consent, the Committee ordered the bill-H.R. 2070, known as the World War II Memorial Prayer Act of 2011, to be reported to the full House on Thursday to the displeasure of the Obama administration, which has criticized and opposed the bill.

The Bureau of Land Management’s director Robert Abbey expressed opposition, claiming such additions would

“dilute” the memorial’s central message and Read more

Removal of Army Chapel Cross an “Attack on Christianity”

An unnamed US Soldier in Afghanistan took personal umbrage at the removal of a cross from the local chapel.

U.S. soldiers assigned to Camp Marmal in northern Afghanistan said the removal of a cross from an Army chapel has created a “huge controversy” and at least one soldier called it a “direct attack against Christianity and Judaism.”

How Judaism plays into it isn’t exactly clear, but if the facts are correctly laid out in the article, he may actually have a point:

The chapel is used for general Protestant services and a Baptist church service. There is a smaller chapel used for other services. The camp also has a mosque and a German chapel that is used for Catholic services.

In other words, every faith group has a place to ‘call their own.’  What do you think the chances are the mosques are identifiably Islamic?

Irrelevant, some will say:  The regulation says Read more

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, 2011

We have much to be thankful for: Families that support us even when separated by duty, a country that recognizes our human liberty to worship as we desire, a military that serves and sacrifices daily, at their nation’s behest…

…and a Savior, Jesus Christ, who paid the final price.

Give thanks, this ThanksGiving, with a grateful heart.

US Army Removes Cross from Afghan Chapel

FoxNews repeats the Politico report noting the US Army pulled a cross off the front of a US military chapel at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, which was dedicated just a few months ago.

Before and after courtesy photo originally published at Politico.com.

At first, this situation seems similar to the US Army’s removal of crosses from the chapel in Kosovo a few years ago.

However, the current issue is actually somewhat more complex.

First, US military policies are not necessarily Read more

Military Atheist Calls for Removal of Arlington Cross

After being repeatedly called out for decrying one cross and not others, atheist and former Army Captain Jason Torpy, of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, finally addressed the “controversial” issue of Arlington National Cemetery:

Other memorials are biased toward Christianity and ought properly to be removed to private property.  The Camp Pendleton cross is just one of many…

The Argonne Cross at Arlington, a 1921 monument erected “In memory of our men in France” also excludes all non-Christians.  This cross now memorializes a time when our military had nearly no recognition for anyone not Christian and was segregated by both race and gender…

In deciding to include the Argonne Cross with others “to be removed,” this initially seems like an opportunity to applaud Torpy’s intellectual Read more

Rabbi Supports Call for Atheist Chaplains

In reference to Capt Ryan Jean’s efforts to become an atheist lay/faith leader, Brad Hirschfield, a Rabbi and writer at the Washington Post‘s On Faith, explains “Why the military needs atheist chaplains:”

The U.S. military needs atheist chaplains. Why? Because members of the military have requested them, and the core value of the chaplaincy is to serve the needs of those serving our nation.

If it was that easy, every military base would have a Hooters Read more

Chaplains Demonstrate Religious Freedom to African Nation

It has been said here often that the US military can provide an excellent example of religious freedom to other nations who have yet to fully grasp that human liberty.  Unfortunately, in efforts to shore up support with locals, it seems the local religion may get emphasized more than religious freedom.  For example, messages from Afghanistan often tout the United States’ respect for, support of, and even defense of the religion of Islam — rather than its respect, support, and defense of religious freedom.

US military chaplains may be an exception to those omissions.  Within the Read more

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