{"id":14793,"date":"2011-12-19T02:06:36","date_gmt":"2011-12-19T05:06:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/?p=14793"},"modified":"2019-05-28T10:18:53","modified_gmt":"2019-05-28T13:18:53","slug":"flying-spaghetti-monster-joins-jesus-christ-at-travis-afb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2011\/12\/19\/flying-spaghetti-monster-joins-jesus-christ-at-travis-afb\/","title":{"rendered":"Flying Spaghetti Monster Joins Jesus Christ at Travis AFB"},"content":{"rendered":"

The US Air Force has decided<\/a> to let the nativity and Menorah at Travis AFB stand<\/a>, despite\u00a0the prior\u00a0complaint from Michael Weinstein<\/a>\u00a0and his erstwhile atheist ally<\/a>:<\/p>\n

While we appreciate the concerns raised by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), the Office of the Air Force Judge Advocate General, upon review, concluded the inclusion of a Wing Chaplain sponsored Nativity Scene and Menorah as part of a broader, secular holiday seasonal display does not violate the establishment clause of the United States Constitution.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Weinstein complained about the timing of the press release, as his most pressing concern is publicity.\u00a0 (He probably thinks the death of Kim Jong Il<\/a> was part of the timing plan.)\u00a0 He then said<\/p>\n

We believe they have come to the wrong conclusion based on constitutional law. Rather than telling media through a press release we rather suggest five words: tell it to the judge.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Air Force has little reason to be concerned.\u00a0 The last <\/em>time Weinstein said that<\/a> he did…nothing.\u00a0 Weinstein is\u00a0“the boy who cried wolf” with respect to threats of filing lawsuits.<\/p>\n

According to American Atheists’ “military director” Justin Griffith, Travis AFB has agreed to let local military atheists put up a “holiday card” near the other displays on the base.\u00a0 Ironically, he’s undermined his own ally’s efforts<\/a> in the process.<\/p>\n

Using his typical melodramatic flair, Griffith claimed Travis ‘reversed itself’ to allow the atheist display — though only after his personal influential intervention. In actuality, the original response was the atheists would have to wait until higher headquarters reached a decision on the rest <\/em>of the display before anything <\/em>— including the atheist request — would be considered. Headquarters gave their answer, and the atheists got their answer.\u00a0 Griffith may yet be bending space and time to his will, but that doesn’t appear to be the situation here.<\/p>\n

The greater irony\u00a0may be\u00a0that with all the gnashing of teeth last week<\/a> over the “denial” of their application, when Travis finally said they could put up their sign, the atheists didn’t even have one<\/em>.\u00a0 US Air Force Staff Sgt Dan Rawlings apparently scrambled late Friday night to produce one — one even some atheists raised their eyebrows at.\u00a0 The sign bears the phrase “Have a safe holiday season,” but in the center of the “holiday card” is the Flying Spaghetti Monster.\u00a0 A local\u00a0(atheist) Air Force spouse responded, saying<\/p>\n

I have some concern over the FSM, it can be interpreted as mockery… I would like our group to be taken seriously. Why don’t we just debate over it a little? How about the atom in the middle only?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Though she was too late to change anything, she was right.\u00a0 The cultural meme of the “flying spaghetti monster” is that it is a parody of religion.\u00a0 Rawlings had the opportunity to take the high road, and prior reports indicated he might.\u00a0 He may yet decide to alter the already-printed sign, but for now\u00a0it appears the ideological purpose of atheism — responding to religion — found its way through.<\/p>\n

That ideology is significant, because that is what undermines the cause of Griffith’s ally and military antagonist Michael Weinstein.\u00a0 By the MRFF’s own admission, there were already <\/em>“secular” displays in the holiday “lineup.”\u00a0 In fact, there were about 20 of them.\u00a0 Thus, it was not an issue of lacking ‘non-religious’ balance to the holiday displays.<\/p>\n

However,\u00a0Griffith’s justification for the Air Force to add the atheist display was the presence of the religious ones — the nativity and Menorah.\u00a0 Just like their call for atheist chaplains<\/a>, they clothed their cries in a requirement for “equal treatment” — equal\u00a0with religion.\u00a0 Rawlings was explicit in interviews with the local news<\/a>:<\/p>\n

“We have nothing against the plastic Jesus. It\u2019s the concept behind this that can\u2019t allow one without allowing the other,” said Dan Rawlings, a staff sergeant at the base…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now, thanks to Griffith, to be intellectually consistent, Weinstein must now send another <\/em>letter to Travis demanding the nativity, Menorah, and<\/em> the FSM be moved to the chapel grounds.\u00a0 Of course, Griffith was already out of step with Weinstein, since Griffith demanded the removal <\/em>of the religious displays, while Weinstein insisted he “only” wanted them moved to the chapel grounds.<\/p>\n

Now, to be intellectually consistent, Griffith must demand removal of the nativity, Menorah, and<\/em> the FSM he reportedly helped erect.\u00a0 Equal treatment, right?<\/p>\n

It seems the prior discussion about military atheists was prescient, when it was said here<\/p>\n

Maybe next year military atheists will join their civilian counterparts and demand the ability to denigrate Christianity in displays near the nativity and Menorah.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Does the FSM denigrate faith? Depends on your point of view. But to remove any doubts, Griffith has this to say<\/a> about\u00a0his\u00a0decision to possibly emulate his civilian mentors<\/a> next year:<\/p>\n

If our efforts at American Atheists and MRFF haven\u2019t fixed the situation already, next year\u2019s holiday card will just have to step it up a notch.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave a safe holiday season, and you know it\u2019s a myth…?\u201d Eh, we\u2019ve got time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Nice.\u00a0 Using on-base, public holiday celebrations as a platform to denigrate your fellow troops’ religious beliefs is a fine way for a member of the military to contribute to morale, good order, and discipline.<\/p>\n

If military atheists want to fellowship together in faith, it is perfectly permissible for them to do so.\u00a0 If they want to celebrate their beliefs publicly, they should be able to do so.\u00a0 But their unending need to criticize<\/a> their fellow servicemember’s religious beliefs makes no positive contribution to the military’s pluralistic environment of tolerance.<\/p>\n

Does anyone really think a sign could be put up on a military base depicting Mohammed with a bomb in his turban, or anything that remotely mocked Judaism?<\/p>\n

Would it be permissible for a sign to go up on the “holiday lane” saying “Merry Christmas! Psalm 14:1!”?<\/p>\n

All of these, as well as the FSM, would likely be prohibited under the Air Force’s “zero tolerance” policy, as an equal opportunity officer recently said in an official Air Force article<\/a>:<\/p>\n

In accordance with Air Force policy, use of disparaging terms is considered to be a form of unlawful discrimination. In addition to communicating hate or contempt for others, these terms have a negative impact on individuals, the mission and the installation’s human relations climate<\/p>\n

This form of unlawful discrimination causes decreased productivity, legal issues and loss of credibility. Air Force policy states that disparaging terms contribute to a hostile work environment and will not be tolerated. This zero tolerance policy ensures that once a complaint is alleged, immediate and appropriate action will be taken to address the issue and ensure the behavior stops.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“Celebrate reason”:\u00a0Fine.\u00a0 Using a public military platform to mock your fellow troops beliefs:\u00a0 Not so good, and probably in contravention of military policies…unless you’re an atheist.<\/p>\n

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