Category Archives: Government and Religion

Robert Dorr, MRFF Ally and Columnist, Dies at 76

dorrThe Air Force Times reported that Robert F. Dorr, a prolific author and columnist for the Military Times papers, died on June 12th.

A self-described opinion columnist who eschewed the title “journalist”, Dorr’s non-book work was described as pro-military but politically liberal. He was no stranger to controversy, calling for the closing of Guantanamo, the repeal of DADT, and even shutting down the Air Force as a whole. His apparent desire to advocate for the “little guy” sometimes made his counter-authority articles popular.

Dorr was also no friend to military religious freedom. He once Read more

Former JAG: Transgender Policy Neglects Military Religious Freedom

…and the US military appears to officially endorse “mixed genitalia” showers.

Daniel Briggs, director of military affairs for the Alliance Defending Freedom, is a former Air Force JAG. Writing at The Daily Signal, he noted the DoD’s new policy initiative on people who are transgendered fails to even mention religious freedom, despite its importance — particularly with respect to the medical professionals who have a large role in the change [emphasis added]:

Neither the instruction nor the memo acknowledges the religious freedom, freedom of conscience, or professional discretion of military medical providers…

What about the medical providers who do not provide the diagnosis or treatment a service member seeks? Perhaps their religious beliefs confirm their medical understanding of gender being inextricably linked to biological sex, leading them to conclude that this service member needs help (counseling, therapy) but not affirmation.

Briggs is essentially saying the transgender transition (in policy), which was not subject Read more

National Guard Soldier Quits, Tries to Help ISIS

Mohamed Jalloh quit the Army National Guard after listening to lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki — and then plotted a “Fort Hood-style” attack against his former comrades:

Cotton Puryear, a spokesman for the Virginia Army National Guard, said Jalloh served as a specialist from 2009 until 2015, when he was honorably discharged…

In April, Jalloh told the informant he had been thinking about carrying out a Fort Hood-style attack. Asked to explain, Jalloh said, “Nidal Hasan type of things. That’s the kind of stuff I started thinking,” according to the affidavit…

Later in April, Jalloh told the informant that Read more

Transgender Troops Talk God, Faith, Sexuality

While many people assume the “religious right” is the one to bring religion into the conversation about sexuality, it is actually often those speaking about their sexuality that bring it up first.

That was the case for Ashley Broadway, the homosexual woman who made waves about being “denied” entry into a military spouses club she didn’t even want to join (she was ‘just trying to make a point’). At one point, Broadway made a point of saying she was a “devout Christian,” yet failed to explain how she could be exercising such a faith while flouting her unrepentant sin.

Peter King — who now calls himself “Patricia” — made Read more

Activist, Constitutional Lawyer Get Military Liberty Wrong

Shannon Minter, a “transgender man” (that is, a woman) of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and David Codell, a constitutional lawyer in Los Angeles, celebrated the US military’s decision to permit service by openly transgender individuals in a recent column awkwardly titled “A more equal military“.  They summarized the victory thusly [emphasis added]:

As a result, persons of any race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity can provide equal protection to our nation through open, proud and equal service in our military.

They’re wrong, of course. In the most obvious example, persons of the Sikh faith are not permitted Read more

Update: God’s Country, Texas, Tells Atheists to Pound Sand

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, whose apparent mission is to scour the public landscape for things over which to be offended, recently told the town of Hondo, Texas, that their welcome sign was unconstitutional.

hondo2The City Attorney, Frank Garza, told the “humorless” FFRF what he thought of that, noting first that the sign “clearly” survives the Lemon Test, and, more importantly, no one has been harmed:  Read more

Professor Erroneously Cites Military Religious Freedom

Noah Feldman, a columnist for Bloomberg and professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard, recently penned an article appealing for public support against Mississippi’s religious protection statutes [emphasis added]:

Signed in April, the Mississippi law calls itself the “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act.” …

It should be held unconstitutional because it violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment by singling out one set of religious beliefs for positive treatment.

To buttress his argument against “the danger of religious exemptions,” Feldman cited Goldman v Weinberger, the landmark case in which the US Supreme Court Read more

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