Tag Archives: Religion

Group Provides Holiday Supplies for US Troops

The US military generally does an admirable job of supporting the religious exercise of its members.  That’s not to say it doesn’t use (or need) a little help sometimes.

Like external groups of other faiths, the Aleph Institute is organizing shipments of faith-based supplies to Jewish members of the US military around the world.  As announced at Jews in Green,

They are offering to ship Prayer Books & Ritual Materials for the High Holidays and Sukkot FREE OF CHARGE to active duty military Read more

Navy Islamic Helo Pilot on Celebrating Ramadan

US Navy Lt Haji “Omar” Shareef, a helicopter pilot, was interviewed recently on his ability to adhere to the religious tenets of Ramadan while being a military pilot.  (Video below the fold.)

While he says Muslims can largely do their duties, he notes they do ask for accommodations such as not doing physical training during the day, since they cannot drink water between sunrise and sunset.

On his part, as a pilot, he “puts himself on Read more

Chaplain Defends Just War in Air Force ICBM Training

Dr. Michael Milton is President of the Reformed Theological Seminary.  He is also US Army Chaplain (Maj) Michael Milton, an instructor at the US Army Chaplain Center & School at Fort Jackson, SC.

Chaplain Milton recently responded to the criticism of the Air Force’s “ICBM training course” that was allegedly “pulled” over Christian content, including in its reference to Just War.  (More recent information indicates the course wasn’t actually part of ICBM training.)

The Chaplain focuses, as others have, on the Just War inclusion in the brief, which was not the point of the course.  The course was not designed to teach Just War; it simply mentioned it as one response to criticisms of war and ultimately the use of nuclear weapons.  Still, the Chaplain had some interesting things to say.

Attorney Mikey Weinstein, Read more

US Marines Experience Buddhism in Japan

Frequent articles have noted the unique experiences to which US military members have access as they travel the world at their nation’s call.  They may be able to visit the home lands of Abraham; they may be able to travel to Mecca at the government’s expense.  In Japan, they may be able to join a military-based tour group on a “spiritual journey” to a local Buddhist monastery.

As noted in an official Marine article, Marines based at Iwakuni went on a “spiritual journey” to a local temple hosted by Tadahisa Teshima:  Read more

Soldiers, US Army Observe Ramadan in Afghanistan

The International Security Assistance Force, led by US Army Gen. John R. Allen and Ambassador Simon Gass, hosted an Islamic iftar in Afghanistan, the meal that breaks the daily fast of Ramadan.  Afghan leaders were thankful:

Defense Minister of Afghanistan Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak [said] “This is actually a demonstration of the upmost respect for our beliefs, our faith, our traditions and our culture…”

As noted in a US Army article, Islamic US Army Soldiers at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, are observing Ramadan with others of their faith.

As Soldiers engaged in war, the Islamic faith technically exempts them from fasting during Ramadan, but at least one Soldier has chosen to Read more

Weinstein Complains of “Wretched” Christian Air Force Training



According to the Air Force Times, the Air Force is reviewing “all” materials it uses to teaches “ethics, core values, and character development.”  The reason?

More Christian-themed course work surfaced.

The gross misrepresentation of the Chaplain briefing at Vandenberg, promoted by Michael Weinstein and his “religious freedom” allies, has already been discussed.  The latest issue is a “complaint” about ethics training in ROTC.

The ROTC briefing, called “Core Values and the Air Force Member,” contains references to the Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments as examples of ethical values. Two additional slides list the New Testament teachings of Jesus known as the Beatitudes, and seven of the commandments, including “Have no other gods before me.”

The 22-slide briefing also cites the Golden Rule as an example of ethical values. One of the slides points out that the Golden Rule — “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” — is found in five of the world’s major religions.

Shocking, isn’t it?  A slideshow on ethics gives Christian Read more

President Obama Hosts Ramadan Iftar

Though facing some criticism for ‘ignoring’ Easter this year, President Obama hosted a White House iftar breaking the Ramadan fast last week.  From his statement at the event:

Tonight is part of a rich tradition here at the White House of celebrating the holy days of many faiths…People of different faiths coming together, with humility before our maker, to reaffirm our obligations to one another, because no matter who we are, or how we pray, we’re all children of a loving God.

The President recalled the sacrifice of Army Specialist Kareem Khan, whom he also highlighted at the same event in 2009.  Khan, an American Soldier and Muslim, was killed in action in Iraq in 2007.

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