Pagan US Soldier Wears “Masculine” Beard
Nevada Army National Guard Soldier SFC Benjamin Hopper has been granted a waiver allowing him to wear a beard — because he believes it is a “sacred and defining feature of masculine men” consistent Read more
Category Archives: Government and Religion
Former SecDef Explains Transgender Policy: We had no choice.
President Obama’s Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has been doing interviews to hawk his book, Inside the Five-Sided Box: Lessons from a Lifetime of Leadership in the Pentagon, and spoke with the Military Times in September. In the interview he explained away the complexities, morality, and responsibility of some of the key DoD decisions with the simple “we had no choice.”
On the continuing presence of US troops in Afghanistan [emphasis added]:
I really do believe we’ve been on the best course, and the only course available to us.
On integrating women in combat arms within the US military [emphasis added]: Read more
Protecting Liberty, Free Exercise, and Life
By Sonny Hernandez
Recently WND reported that a gunman opened fire in a congregation, resulting in two parishioners being killed. By the meticulous providence of God, armed professionals were in the assembly and the gunman was shot dead, ensuring that no one else would be harmed by the perpetrator. This tragic event should open the eyes of Americans on carrying guns, and death.
Americans should remain resilient about their right to bear arms, even in their places of worship. Liberals will disagree. That is—liberals who want to hypocritically take away the rights of Read more
US Military Celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah Around the World
Sometimes lost in the “scandals” regarding religion in the US military is the fact that religion is still practiced frequently, and freely, by US troops around the world.
For example, in a variety of locations the US military supported Christmas celebrations, operations, and events. Notably, the camera often pointed away from some of the more direct Christmas iconography — but it was there.
Such discretion apparently wasn’t necessary for the worldwide celebration of Hanukkah, in which US troops were photographed celebrating the Jewish holiday from Japan to Afghanistan. Yes, even though Read more
ChristianFighterPilot.com: Looking Forward to 2020
The year 2020 looks to be a promising one, if the momentum of religious liberty in America can be maintained from 2019. The effect of the Trump Administration has been largely positive on religious liberty in the US military, though it has sometimes taken a bit of time for the “new” policy perspective — that is, the constitutional one — to trickle down to action officers.
Multiple websites noted that one of the highlights of church/state issues this year was the ruling on the Bladensburg Cross — a Supreme Court ruling that defended the right of the cross to continue to stand. While encouraging, particularly in that it wasn’t a “close” decision, it is notable that two Read more
Mikey Weinstein Shoots the Moon for Ebenezer Award
Ladies and gentlemen, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein has officially jumped the shark.
The man who has no depth to which he will not stoop in his attacks against Christians and their faith has finally swung the final blow:
He’s come out against Santa Claus, ya’ll.
The Fort Belvoir commissary had a blow up Santa standing next to a sign and a raccoon wearing a hat, as provided by an MRFF picture published at FoxNews:
At first, Weinstein said Read more
Religious Liberty Group Defends Religious-Themed Dog Tags
Remember Shields of Strength?
In July, this site highlighted the complaint by Michael “Mikey” Weinstein that caused the US military to tell Shields of Strength to stop putting Bible verses on their military-themed faux dog tags.
As noted at the time, contrary to Weinstein’s claims, the military is free to license its trademarks to anyone it wants — so long as it doesn’t discriminate on the basis of religious beliefs when it does so.
And that’s precisely what it did with the license to SoS.
First Liberty has now taken up the cause of Kenny Vaughan and Shields of Strength, sending a letter to the Army telling them what they already know: They’re guilty of viewpoint discrimination — restricting Shields of Strength only on the basis of the content of their beliefs. Said Mike Berry of First Liberty:
“The government grants licenses to people and entities all the time,” Berry said over the telephone. “What the government can’t do is discriminate when it grants those licenses. … It is basically saying ‘we’re happy to grant licenses to anyone, as long as it’s not religious.’ And that’s clearly what the Army is doing here.”
That’s precisely what the military is doing — and they’re clearly wrong to do so.
In July, Weinstein tried to Read more
Mikey Weinstein Attacks Christians for Being Christian. Again.
In what amounts to a repeat of his prior attacks on Christians, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein last week published a release saying the MRFF “fervently denounces” the Christian group OCF performing “spiritual commissioning” ceremonies for new officers. Officers’ Christian Fellowship is one of several para-church organizations that ministers to the military — and one Weinstein seems to hold much animus toward.
Oddly, Weinstein declined to provide his own typically vociferous and alliterative quote, and instead deferred to an “anonymous” letter from a purported retired Army Colonel — who is also “on the membership rolls” of OCF. Referring to OCF’s Command magazine, which covered the commissioning, the Colonel
demand[ed] a retraction and full apology from OCF…Their old-guard OCF leadership will continue to push their radical agenda. Therefore, I ask that ALL COMMISSIONING sources, including all federal Service Academies and state ROTC universities, review Officer Christian Fellowship chapter local practices on their respective campuses…
To be clear, a retired O-6 — who said he had supported OCF both as a cadet and Academy faculty member — apparently lacked the intestinal fortitude to tell OCF his thoughts and instead “filed” a public complaint through the MRFF.
Why, exactly?
Beyond his hurt feelings, it’s not clear.
The complaint says Read more