Tag Archives: Religion

Highlighting Sexuality in a Post-DADT World

One of the main arguments for repealing the ban on homosexuals serving in the United States military was that it would be a “non-event,” and all anyone had to do was ‘shoot straight, not be straight.’ In an interesting bit of irony (or hypocrisy), various organizations continue to emphasize the sexuality of homosexuals, rather than de-emphasize it as they did in the runup to repeal.

For example, a group called the National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Veterans Memorial Project has been working for a few years to publicize and fund a DC-area memorial for homosexual veterans. To be clear, that memorial would be for veterans of the military who were notable for their sexuality.

Similarly, cities continue to host the “Gay Games,” which make Read more

Mikey Weinstein Belittles, then Speaks at Georgia School

Update: The recent articles reference complaints filed this past summer by UNG’s “Students for Secular Freedom.”  For background, Cadet David Gormley started a Change.org petition on April 27th calling for “Remov[ing] Christian Prayers From School Sponsored Events.”  This was apparently the day of UNG’s Memorial Retreat, according to a video uploaded to YouTube by Gormley but attributed to another student, Saara Wintersgill.  (Wintersgill is credited on another video from another ceremony the same weekend.) UNG’s SSF subsequently advertised the petition on Reddit, saying a “U.S. Public College Forces Sectarian Prayer on Cadets.”  An atheist posting of the controversy in April generated some interesting comments on both sides of the debate.  The SSF apparently has crossover with UNG’s “Skeptics Society,” for which Gormley and Wintersgill are listed as officers.  Wintersgill has previously published articles at the student paper on the activities of her group.

Cadet Daniel Holder of the University of North Georgia — “the military college of Georgia” — apparently objected to prayers offered at school events. After being “ignored” by the school, he called Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF. Weinstein promptly wrote a letter (PDF) to the school, accusing UNG of violating the Constitution and being “Christian supremacists” [emphasis added]:

UNG’s brazen contempt of our Constitution is undeniable…This state sponsored organization [the cadet chaplain corps] is a Christian Supremacist group…

Until the day comes that the United States chooses to follow the shining examples of Saudi Arabia, the Taliban, and Read more

Allen West Compares Mikey Weinstein, ISIS

In an interesting twist to an old tale, Allen West — a retired Army LtCol and former Florida Representative — compared the “covert action of atheist groups” in the United States to the militant attacks by the terrorist group ISIS in Syria and Iraq:

What is the difference between the violent actions of ISIS and the covert actions of these atheist groups? Let’s be honest, the desired end state and result is the same — the death of Christianity.

Citing Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s attacks on religious liberty (specifically, his support for the  Navy lodges banning Gideon Bibles), West said  Read more

Air Force Leader Calls Staff Meeting, Announces Sexuality

Retired Air Force LtCol Chris Rowzee, a 1984 graduate of the US Air Force Academy and a leader of the homosexual activist AMPA, recently gave a speech at a homosexual march in Ohio. Here’s how she describes what happened after DADT was repealed:

After coming out to my chain of command, I called my subordinate staff into my office, my senior NCOs, my junior officers, and I told them.

Nothing like an official military staff meeting called so the boss can announce her sexuality.

In an interesting contrast, some people (like Mikey Weinstein’s Read more

Navy Bans Bibles after Atheist Complaint

Update: The Navy has reversed the decision of NEXCOM, saying it was made without consultation with Navy leadership.  The Bibles will be returned to the hotel rooms and will not be removed.  Retired Chaplain (Col) Ron Crews had called on the Navy to reverse the policy.  The Navy now joins the Air Force in having been attacked for its lodging facility Bibles — and, for the moment, withstood the attack.  Also at the Christian Post, OneNewsNow, the Washington Times, Religion News Service, the New American, and USA Today.

As first reported by the American Family Association, the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a complaint with the US Navy because there were Gideon Bibles in the nightstands at Navy lodging facilities.

So the Navy decided to remove them.

“The current direction is to remove all religious material from Navy Lodge guest rooms,” read an email to a Navy chaplain from The Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM).

Jason Torpy of the MAAF tried a few years ago to Read more

USAFA SPIRE Leaders Protect Religious Freedom under New Regulation

The US Air Force Academy recently met with all of its SPIRE volunteers — faith representatives who help USAFA with its spiritual support through the Special Program in Religious Education program [emphasis added]:

About 60 volunteers from Buddhist, Earth-Centered, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Latter Day Saints, Catholic and Protestant groups gathered to review leadership guidelines and sign a SPIRE Memorandum of Agreement before working with cadets.

“The volunteers are like tentacles of the chapel,” said Chaplain Read more

Atheists Attack Military Bibles, DoD Defends

The American Humanist Association claims it wants to support religious freedom when it demands an atheist chaplain. Simultaneously, it is threatening “legal action” because camouflage Bibles are available at a military inprocessing station for the Missouri National Guard.

The…recruitment center for the National Guard as well as other military offices…exhibited and offered camouflage-covered Bibles free of charge to recruits enlisting in the National Guard…The letter was sent on behalf of an anonymous recruit who felt that the government was impermissibly endorsing the Bibles and coercing recruits to take them…

The letter demands that the government immediately cease its practice of offering Bibles to National Guard recruits and remove any biblical literature from its possession.

The person who complained was a member of Read more

US Soldier Forced Out over Religion, Sues US Army

US Army Master Sergeant Nathan Sommers made waves last year when he said he faced retribution from the Army for political bumper stickers, reading conservative political books, and serving Chick-fil-A sandwiches at his promotion party after the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Those controversies apparently boiled over into what the Army called a substandard performance evaluation (which MSgt Sommers contested). The poor evaluation triggered a review of his continued enlistment, and he was recommended for discharge — even as his other appeals were still being processed. Since he was eligible to retire, he was essentially forced to do so.

The day after he retired, he filed a lawsuit claiming he was forced out of the military due to his religious beliefs.

Master Sergeant Nathan Sommers, a 25-year veteran of the military and a decorated soloist in the U.S. Army Band Chorus, claims he was forcibly retired from the Army due to his religious and conservative political beliefs.

MSgt Sommers may have one of the stronger cases Read more

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