Category Archives: Government and Religion

Reports: US Military Christians Targeted for Beliefs

FoxNews had a somewhat inflammatory title to its article, “Air Force cracking down on Christians,” in which columnist Todd Starnes noted the story of SMSgt Philip Monk, currently being investigated after filing a complaint of religious discrimination.

Lost in some of the controversy, though, was this near the end of the article [emphasis added]:

[Monk’s] not the only Christian at Lackland Air Force Base facing persecution for opposing gay marriage, according to Monk’s pastor.

Steve Branson is the pastor of Village Parkway Baptist Church, about five miles from the Air Force base. He tells me that as many as a half dozen of his church members are currently facing persecution…for their religious beliefs.

“Sgt. Monk is just the tip of the iceberg,” Read more

The Story of Big Mountain Jesus

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has sued over a war memorial — a statue of Jesus on a ski slope in Montana — which they claim violates the US Constitution.  The FFRF lost and has appealed to the Ninth Circuit.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty produced a video to explain some of the history of the memorial — history the FFRF calls a conspiracy. Meet Gene Thomas, a member of the Knights of Columbus, one of the men who has been caring for the memorial for 40 years.

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US Military Calls Out American Civilian Over Islam. Again.

For the third time, the US military has taken the unusual step of officially addressing the liberties of a private American citizen — over his public treatment of Islam.

In 2011, General David Petraeus “condemned the action” of Pastors Wayne Sapp and Terry Jones, who burned what General Petraeus called “a copy of the holy Quran.”

In 2012, General Marty Dempsey called Jones personally and asked him not to support the “pornographic” anti-Islam film that was initially blamed for the attack on the consulate in Benghazi. (General Dempsey Read more

Fort Hood Shooter Forcibly Shaved

The Associated Press reports that US Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan* was forcibly shaved upon his inprocessing at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he has joined the US military death row after being convicted for the Fort Hood massacre:

Lt. Col. S. Justin Platt, an Army spokesman, said in a statement Tuesday that Hasan had been shaved. Officials at Fort Leavenworth previously had said Hasan would be subject to Army regulations.

His decision to flaunt those regulations — claiming his Islamic faith suddenly required him to grow a beard — led to the first trial judge being dismissed.

*Though convicted, Hasan is technically still in the Army while his dismissal and sentence are being processed.

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Air Force Highlights Family’s Religion

A Davis-Monthan official article highlighted US Air Force SSgt Asad Abdul Muhammad, apparently for no other reason than he is a Muslim and his wife is not:

Abdul Muhammad, being the only Muslim in his household, was the only one who participated in Ramadan.

“The kids didn’t notice it much,” Abdul Muhammad said…

Abdul Muhammad’s wife is a Catholic, who is very interested in other religions, and teaches their children about the different options they have.

The article notes the family teaches all religions at home:  Read more

Explosion Damages War Memorial Cross

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has been on the prowl for the slightest hint of religion in the public square, targeting as obscure monuments as Jesus at a ski resort and a war memorial in Coos Bay, Oregon.

Apparently, someone didn’t think they were moving fast enough and tried to blow it up:

An unknown individual detonated the IED near the memorial, located at Mingus Park in the City of Coos Bay, sometime late night between last Thursday and last Friday.

For its part, the FFRF naturally denounced the violence.

“We expressly do not Read more

Atheist Army Officer Wants Recruits to Avoid Liberty U

US Army Capt Sara Sharick publicly identifies as an Army officer and recruiter — and she’s an atheist. When a potential Army recruit walked into her office one day, she was “disappointed” to learn he wanted to attend Liberty University.

So my Center Commander asks him where he plans on going to college. I’m thinking K State or KU, some place local. He says “Liberty University.” I just about choked…I pull out my phone and look up if Liberty even has an ROTC program. Sure as [redacted], both Army and Air Force. So disappointed.

Why is she “disappointed?”  She says Liberty University is home to “the crazies,” apparently referring to Christians, given that Liberty is a mainstream Christian university.  (Sharick joins Michael Weinstein’s loathing for the school, when he called it “horrifying” that Liberty would teach the same material other universities do.)

At first, Sharick seemed willing to grit her teeth and help the kid out:  Read more

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