{"id":42808,"date":"2018-02-14T00:30:36","date_gmt":"2018-02-14T03:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/?p=42808"},"modified":"2018-02-14T09:05:55","modified_gmt":"2018-02-14T12:05:55","slug":"column-defends-religious-freedom-in-the-us-military","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/14\/column-defends-religious-freedom-in-the-us-military\/","title":{"rendered":"Column Defends Religious Freedom in the US Military"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writing in the Stars and Stripes, First Liberty attorney Mike Berry rebutted<\/a> recent calls to restrict religious freedom in the US military.<\/p>\n

Referring to last month’s appeal<\/a> by the Freedom from Religion Foundation and American Atheists for Secretary of Defense James Mattis to end military prayers, Berry pointed out the errors of the groups’ demands and then said [emphasis added]<\/p>\n

Were the DOD to give in to the groups\u2019 demands, the harm our military would suffer would be catastrophic. Religious freedom in the military is not a luxury; it is every bit a necessity as bullets, beans and bandages. Religious freedom is a force multiplier<\/strong> that enables all troops \u2014 regardless of their faith, or no faith \u2014 to prepare themselves for what may be required of them in military service.<\/p>\n

The taking of a life<\/strong> \u2014 or indeed, the ultimate sacrifice of one\u2019s own life<\/strong> \u2014 while in service to this nation requires physical, mental and spiritual fitness<\/strong>. Or, as a post-World War II report to President Harry S. Truman on the importance of religion in the military stated, \u201c[If] we expect our Armed Forces to be physically prepared, we must also expect them to be ideologically prepared.\u201d Military chaplains are essential to that preparation.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That is one of the most astute and articulate defenses of religious freedom to date. Military religious freedom is not just a nice-to-have liberty of neutral<\/strong> worth. It is a necessity<\/strong> because of the virtue<\/strong> it brings to military members and military service. The value<\/strong> of religious faith and religious freedom is not often defended in today’s society.<\/p>\n

The FRFF and AA don’t have to participate in prayers or any other religious observance. It is disturbing, however, to see their desire to restrict the ability of others<\/em> to participate in the exercise of their faith.\u00a0 Not only do they<\/em> not want to, they don’t want to let anyone else<\/em> do so either, even if they want<\/em> to.<\/p>\n

Berry is right:<\/p>\n

Our servicemembers make many sacrifices in defense of our nation. Religious liberty should never be one of them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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