{"id":24479,"date":"2013-07-25T01:33:24","date_gmt":"2013-07-25T04:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/?p=24479"},"modified":"2017-02-23T12:11:32","modified_gmt":"2017-02-23T15:11:32","slug":"air-force-pulls-chaplain-column-atheist-article-remains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/25\/air-force-pulls-chaplain-column-atheist-article-remains\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Force Pulls Chaplain Column, Atheist Article Remains"},"content":{"rendered":"

Update<\/strong><\/span>: The Air Force has restored the censored article.\u00a0 Read more\u00a0here<\/a>, or the chaplain’s original article here<\/a> [updated link<\/a>].<\/p>\n

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Update<\/strong><\/span>: The Air Force has reportedly declined to explain what regulations<\/a> prohibit the chaplain’s column, which Liberty University School of Law fellow Ken Klukowski says “looks like expression protected by the free speech and religious freedom provisions of the First Amendment.”<\/p>\n

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\u00a0A\u00a0chaplain has been censored for expressing his beliefs about the role of faith in the lives of service members.\u00a0 There has to be a recognition that this is discrimination against Christians… When anti-Christian activists like Mikey Weinstein are dictating the rules for what chaplains are allowed to do, then we must ask the question why we [even] have chaplains.<\/strong><\/p>\n

– LtGen Jerry Boykin, USA, Ret<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The US Air Force reportedly pulled down an official article written by a Chaplain<\/a> because someone claimed to be offended by the title.<\/p>\n

A chaplain at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska was ordered to remove a religious column he had written titled, \u201cNo Atheists in Foxholes: Chaplains Gave all in World War II,\u201d because it allegedly offended atheists serving on the Air Force base.<\/p>\n

Col. Brian Duffy, the base commander told Fox News the column was removed \u201cout of respect for those who considered its title offensive.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The article notes that the column<\/a>, written by Chaplain (LtCol) Kenneth Reyes, did not “attack or insult” anyone — it simply began with the question of the origin of the phrase.\u00a0 It seems a few critics didn’t read beyond the title, and criticized a caricature of what Chaplain Reyes wrote, such as atheist Jason Torpy, who makes a point of addressing the “no atheist” clich\u00e9 wherever he finds it on the internet:\u00a0 <\/p>\n

7\/18\/2013 4:21:49 PM ET
\nThere are atheists in foxholes…Does CH Reyes really think everyone in combat suddenly believes in a god? Claiming such a thing is derogatory<\/strong> toward your fellow nontheistic soldiers just as it would be to claim that Christians lack courage in combat…This post should be rewritten to denounce rather than celebrate such a discriminatory sentiment…
\nJason Torpy, United States<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Chaplain Reyes said\u00a0nothing of the sort.<\/p>\n

Former West Point cadet (and now “special assistant” to Michael Weinstein) Blake Page wrote the letter to Col Duffy demanding the column be removed and Chaplain Reyes be punished [emphasis added]:<\/p>\n

In his article, Lt. Col. Reyes violates AFI 1-1<\/strong>, section 2.11 which requires that “Leaders at all levels must…avoid the actual or apparent use of their position to promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates…”<\/p>\n

Beyond his most obvious failure in upholding regulations through redundant use of the bigoted, religious supremacist phrase, “no atheists in foxholes,”<\/strong> he defiles the dignity of service members by telling them that regardless of their personally held philosophical beliefs they must have faith.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

AFI 1-1 has been the MRFF’s “go to” regulation nearly since its inception; its almost as if the AFI was written just for them.<\/p>\n

Regardless, Page’s accusation is without basis.\u00a0 A chaplain is perfectly within the AFIs when he writes such a column.\u00a0 Importantly, contrary to the MRFF attack, Chaplain Reyes did not make the claim<\/em> that there “are no atheists in foxholes,” which anyone who actually read the article would see.\u00a0He merely mentioned it in historical context.\u00a0Finally, Page again paints a caricature of the article, because the chaplain did not<\/em> say everyone “must have faith.”\u00a0 In fact, he actually<\/em> said<\/p>\n

Everyone expresses some form of faith every day, whether it is religious or secular. \u00a0 Some express faith by believing when they get up in the morning they will arrive at work in one piece, thankful they have been given another opportunity to enjoy the majesty of the day; or express relief the doctor\u2019s results were negative.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Col Duffy was apologetic in an email to the MRFF:<\/p>\n

While certainly not intended to offend, the article has been removed from our website.\u00a0 We remain mindful of the governing instructions on this matter and will work to avoid recurrence.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Col Duffy, a 24-year AF veteran<\/a>, seems to have given the MRFF the impression he agreed with the analysis of the 25-year-old West Point dropout that the column violated Air Force Instruction 1-1 — and that it won’t happen again.<\/p>\n

It is no small irony that the MRFF just weeks ago highlighted — positively<\/a> — a similarly written\u00a0article by an atheist in the Air Force<\/a>.\u00a0 The Air Force pulled down the chaplain’s column, which the MRFF claimed violated AFI 1-1 in its expression of beliefs and the Air Force said was offensive.\u00a0 Think they’ll pull the atheist column for the same reason?\u00a0 Atheist Senior Airman Jarrod Grammel<\/a> said<\/p>\n

I believe religion isn’t the only, and perhaps shouldn’t, be the only way to achieve spiritual fitness…<\/p>\n

Maybe we don\u2019t have a divine purpose, but rather that we must find our own.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Both articles are equally “offensive” — which is to say, they’re not offensive at all.<\/p>\n

As an aside, it is interesting to note that Weinstein lost the advantage in his primary weapon.\u00a0 Weinstein has made an effective use of “bad press” to coerce the military to surrender to his demands, even if the demands are unwarranted.\u00a0 In this case, the story made it to the news (lots<\/em> of news) before<\/em> Weinstein could sculpt the narrative — and the Air Force is getting “bad press” for bowing to Weinstein<\/a>,\u00a0yet again<\/a>.\u00a0 Even the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Facebook page<\/a> was inundated with criticism — so much so they published a link to AF social media guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The text of Chaplain Reyes’ article is below.\u00a0 This is the text a “religious freedom charity” thinks is a “message of religious supremacy and disrespect towards the non-religious.”\u00a0 The Air Force seems to have given the impression of validating that concern.\u00a0 Judge for yourself:<\/p>\n

\u201cChaplain\u2019s Corner: No Atheists in Foxholes: Chaplains Gave All in World War II\u201d
\n<\/strong>By Lt. Col. Kenneth Reyes<\/p>\n

Many have heard the familiar phrase, \u201cThere is no such thing as an atheist in a fox hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where did this come from?<\/p>\n

Research I verified in an interview with former World War II prisoner of war Roy Bodine (my friend) indicates the phrase has been credited to Father William Cummings.<\/p>\n

As the story goes, Father Cummings was a civilian missionary Catholic priest in the Philippines. The phrase was coined during the Japanese attack at Corregidor. During the siege, Cummings had noticed non-Catholics were attending his services. Some he knew were not Catholic, some were not religious and some were even known atheists.<\/p>\n

Life-and-death experiences prompt a reality check.<\/p>\n

Even the strongest of beliefs can change, and, I may add, can go both ways \u2013 people can be drawn to or away from \u201cfaith.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the pending surrender of allied forces to the Japanese, Cummings uttered the famous phrase \u201cThere is no such thing as an atheist in a fox hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

In one of my many discussions with Roy, he distinctly remembered a period on the \u201cHell Ships\u201d \u2013 these were ships the Japanese used to bring POWs from the Philippines back to Japan. They were unmarked and thus \u2018fair game\u2019 for attacks from the allies from the air and sea. Of the 3,000-plus POWs listed on the ships, only 180 survived the journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen our own planes were attacking us,\u201d Roy said, \u201cI remember Father Cummings calming us down by reciting the Lord\u2019s Prayer and offering up prayers on our behalf.\u00a0 For a brief moment I did not hear the yells and screams of dying men as our boat was attacked by our own men.\u201d<\/p>\n

He went on to say, \u201cThere was a peaceful quiet during the attack that I cannot explain nor have experienced since.\u201d\u00a0 Later on during the trip to Japan, Cummings, after giving his food to others who needed it more, succumbed to his own need and died of starvation.<\/p>\n

Everyone expresses some form of faith every day, whether it is religious or secular.<\/p>\n

Some express faith by believing when they get up in the morning they will arrive at work in one piece, thankful they have been given another opportunity to enjoy the majesty of the day; or express relief the doctor\u2019s results were negative.<\/p>\n

The real question is, \u201cIs it important to have faith in \u2018faith\u2019 itself or is it more important to ask, \u2018What is the object of my faith?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Roy never affirmed or expressed whether his faith was rooted in religion or not, but for a moment in time on the \u201cHell Ships,\u201d he believed in Cummings\u2019 faith.<\/p>\n

What is the root or object of your faith?<\/p>\n

Is it something you can count on in times of plenty or loss; peace or chaos; joy or sorrow; success or failure?<\/p>\n

Is it something you can count on in times of plenty or loss; peace or chaos; joy or sorrow; success or failure?<\/p>\n

What is \u2018faith\u2019 to you?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Also at LifeSiteNews<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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