Category Archives: Government and Religion

Retiring Army Chaplain on Priorities

US Army III Corps Command Chaplain (Col) Matthew Goff recently relinquished his pastoral leadership and retired. He used the opportunity to provide his advice on how to “do well through all the days in your life:”

“Your first commitment in life is your commitment to God and the practice of your faith. The second commitment is the commitment to your family. Last, your commitment to this profession.”

God, family, profession.

His sage advice is similar to what many Christians are taught in their faith. (The same priorities are discussed in “Christian Fighter Pilot” is not an Oxymoron, and here.) You cannot have a right relationship with people if you do not first have a right relationship with God. To the second priority, the US military similarly recognizes a service member cannot faithfully fulfill their commitment to the Service if they are not fulfilling their commitments to their families.

Read more about Chaplain Goff’s ceremony here. Read more

Military Prohibits Recognition at Vacation Bible School

Update: Tony Perkins addresses the issue at One News Now. Also at the Christian Post.

Todd Starnes at FoxNews reports on the decision by a local National Guard armory not to be recognized at a local Vacation Bible School — because, they said, it would violate the military policies on religion.  (The Washington Times and others subsequently picked up the story.)

Bible Baptist Church in Carthage…decided to honor the military during their annual Vacation Bible School. The theme was “God’s Rescue Squad.” And each day of the week, the church invited local “rescue squads” to visit with the boys and girls.

The paramedics came on Monday and on Read more

Mikey Weinstein to Sue over Medal of Honor? (Video)

Last year Michael “Mikey” Weinstein threatened to sue the US Army because it exposed a group of Soldiers to a chaplain’s prayer, which the chaplain closed with

through Your holy name…

In response, Weinstein demanded the chaplain be disciplined and the Soldiers be given an apology.  Weinstein threatened an “aggressive” Federal lawsuit (as opposed to a benign lawsuit, apparently) if the Army refused his demands.

To be clear, Weinstein was willing to sue because a chaplain said “through Your holy name” during a prayer to a group of Soldiers in an auditorium.

Based on events just this week, will Weinstein threaten to sue again?

On Monday, US Army Chief of Chaplains (MajGen) Donald Rutherford prayed in uniform and on national television — and, shockingly, closed with…”in Your holy name.”  Just Read more

Atheists Cite False Data in Military Chaplain Bid. Again.

Update:  The Air Force Times repeated the atheist claim that “one in five” troops need “clergy who don’t believe in a god.”  Also at the Stars and Stripes and Washington Times.

In what has become a recurring theme, atheists lobbying for a spot in the military chaplaincy misrepresented demographic data to support their cause.  Again.  The American Humanist Association — which is attempting to endorse the first atheist chaplain — equates the military category of “no religious preference” with “a secular values system.”

“23% of US military soldiers claim “no religious preference” thus indicating a secular values system”

Jason Torpy, who has positions at both the Read more

Fighter Pilot Retires to Become Full-Time Pastor

LtCol Eric Samuelson recently made the local Portland, Maine, news when he flew low level over his community on his retirement flight:

Flanked by two other F-15 fighter jets, Samuelson led the formation from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts, to northern Maine for low-altitude training. After buzzing Portland, they headed for the jetport, where more than 100 members of his church were waiting in a parking lot by the runway…

Samuelson has been a pastor at The Rock Church for some time, and the article noted he found no conflict between his roles as Christian faith leader and military Read more

US Department of Defense Honors Muslim Faith

The Pentagon recently hosted its annual iftar, the traditional breaking of the Ramadan fast by Muslims. Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work noted the event allowed the Department of Defense to “honor” the Muslim faith:

In addition to recognizing and honoring the Muslim faith, tonight is also an opportunity to celebrate the importance of diversity and equality within the Department of Defense, and the values that make our Department strong – integrity, courage, dedication and respect.

Presumably, in the spirit of diversity, the DoD similarly honors the values of integrity, courage, etc, in the Jewish, Christian, Hindu, and other religious faiths. To date, however, there do not appear to be any similar public Department of Defense statements about other religions.

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