Tag Archives: Religion

Congressman Explains Military Religious Freedom Bill

On FoxNews (video), US Rep John Fleming (R-La) said the NDAA clause the House passed and the Senate cleared through the Armed Services committee says that:

…military members are fully entitled to express their faith, as long as it is within certain confines, which would be military readiness, good order and discipline, military necessity, and of course without any coercion to others, and for some reason, the [Obama] administration has been against that.

That’s what Michael Weinstein calls a “nasty amendment” that is a “license to kill?”  On its face, it is a preeminent and explicit Read more

Air Force Responds to Congressional Inquiries on Weinstein

A few weeks ago it was noted that the Air Force reacted to Michael Weinstein — a civilian critic of religious freedom in the military — nearly instantaneously, while it had failed to respond to Congress — the governmental body that writes its rules and authorizes its paychecks — in weeks.  In fairness, it is worth noting the Air Force did eventually respond.

US Rep Doug Lamborn (R-Co) had co-signed a letter demanding explanations for the April meeting the Air Force held with Weinstein.  The response from the Air Force explains that Weinstein met with nine Air Force staff members, including TJAG LtGen Richard Harding and Deputy Chief of Chaplains Chaplain (BrigGen) Bobby Page. The one “gotcha” — the Congressional inquiry whether the Air Force was “aware” of Weinstein’s history of vitriolic attacks on Christians — was vaguely answered by Acting Secretary Eric Fanning:  Read more

America as a Christian Nation

Dr. Albert Mohler has an excellent article that addresses a key point of contention among many who publicly discuss Christianity in America — whether or not America is, or was, a “Christian nation.”  (These arguments rage despite the fact those on either side may fail to agree on what “Christian nation” even means.)  One notable quote from Dr. Mohler:

Do American Christians really believe that Christianity benefits by being associated with all that America represents in the Muslim world? To many Muslims, America appears as the great fountain of pornography, debased entertainments, abortion, and sexual revolution. Does it help our witness to Christ that all this would be associated in the Muslim mind with “Christian” America?

Touché.

Dr. Mohler’s article was originally published in the Summer 2013 edition of The Southern Seminary Magazine.

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Air Force Commentaries on Filling Squares, the Narrow Path

Writing on the Air Force homepage, SMSgt Vincent Miller penned “Filling Squares,” an article that many took as an apologist view of doing things just to get promoted:

As Airmen, we are more than familiar with the need to fill the proverbial squares as we strive to progress in our military career…Filling the squares also establishes separation from your peers and it is through this separation that you are most likely to fulfill your career aspirations and goals.

The article generated a slew of responses, some of which berated the Senior for appearing to promote ancillary activities over actual duty performance.  The comments likely took off because retired LtCol Tony Carr, recently a C-17 squadron commander, highlighted the commentary on his John Q. Public blog.

Senior Master Sergeant Vincent Miller, undoubtedly a skilled and well-meaning senior NCO, unintentionally Read more

Congressmen, Advocates Call for Military Religious Freedom

Increasingly, each one of us in our different organizations and capacities have been getting confidential calls and other reports and information from members of the military pointing to this growing hostility toward religious freedom. Unfortunately, members of the military cannot speak out about these things.

This is just a sampling of the cases that have been made public.

– Tony Perkins, Family Research Council

Representatives from 14 groups joined three US Congressmen to release a report on “The Threat to Religious Liberty in the Military” (PDF) and press for passage of legislation allowing US military servicemembers to act and speak on their faith:  Read more

Chaplains: Serving in a US Military “Hostile to Christianity”

“You know the old saying that there’s no atheists in the foxhole? Well God help us if all we have in foxholes are atheists.”

The July 13 edition of World Magazine asks if the US military is a “no pray zone?”, with the magazine cover saying “How the US military is fighting religious liberty.” Contributor Edward Lee Pitts pens the cover story “Holding the Line,” with the tag line

Chaplains are pursuing their mission in a military suddenly hostile to Christianity and ready to suppress religious freedom

In an era in which the military is being repeatedly called “hostile” to religious freedom — including by members of Congress — this characterization may not be as over the top as it seems.  After listing just a portion of the recent “incidents” of Read more

Holy Helo Delivers Chaplain to Fleet

An official Navy release notes the travels of US Navy Chaplain (Cmdr) Daniel Mode, who is assigned to the carrier USS George Washington but visits other ships via the Navy’s “holy helo.”

Destroyers often do not have chaplains permanently stationed on board and rely on command lay leaders to perform worship services. Lay leaders are volunteers appointed by the commanding officer who Read more

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