Category Archives: Government and Religion

Anti-Religious Groups Harass West Point over Prayer

Since former cadet (and current MRFF “client”) Blake Page made his awkward public departure from West Point over “criminal” Christianity, there has been a simmering of the issue of prayer at the US Military Academy.  For the most part, the only loud voices were critics who want to see West Point end public prayers.

The Alliance Defending Freedom just recently weighed in, encouraging West Point to stand firm in the face of criticism and honor both its legacy and religious freedom.  The ADF’s David Hacker said

“The First Amendment allows public officials to acknowledge our nation’s religious heritage,” he notes. “Anti-religious groups with misguided ideas about the First Amendment should not be allowed to destroy a time-honored, perfectly constitutional American custom.”

The ADF sent a letter to West Point on behalf of the Chaplain Alliance Read more

Chaplains, Church Ministries Team to Aid Troops

The Fort Campbell Religious Support Office recently sponsored a “ministry fair” attended by

nearly 200 ministry leaders, mental health professionals and volunteers

for the purpose of helping the faith and military communities work together to support troops.

Fort Campbell’s Religious Support Office hosted the ministry fair to familiarize the faith community with the 571 support programs the military base offers to help soldiers and military families in crisis, encompassing 40 different areas of need, including soldier and family assistance, chaplaincy, medical support and prevention programs.

The effort is similar to one by the Southern Baptist Convention, led by retired Read more

Pentagon Backs Army Spouse Club on Homosexuals

According to Buzzfeed, the Pentagon has supported Fort Bragg’s stance that an Army spouse group is not required to accept homosexuals:

Pentagon spokesman Nathan Christensen explained the current policy to BuzzFeed: “When [a private group] asks for authority to operate on a base, it must comply with all applicable DOD instructions and directives and laws, in this case [Department of Defense Instruction] 1000.15.”…

A Pentagon spokesman added late Tuesday that the Department of Defense “neither drafts, executes nor exercises control over the Club or its governing documents. Private organizations who adhere to the criteria outlined in applicable instructions are allowed base access.”

Technically, the Pentagon isn’t backing the group — they’re backing the law.  Since neither federal law nor military regulations require special accommodation based on sexual preference, neither does the Army.

If that’s the official Pentagon interpretation, though, it may leave some Marine lawyers in an awkward position.

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Religious Freedom Day, 16 January 2013

Each year since 1993 the President has declared January 16th to be “Religious Freedom Day,” in order to remember the passage of Thomas Jefferson’s 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (see 2009). President Obama has not yet issued his proclamation this year but will likely do so today [Update: Now here].  CitizenLink, associated with Focus on the Family, noted an irony in the forthcoming Presidential proclamation while the Administration is being sued — for impinging upon religious freedom.

Jefferson’s statute continues to be a strong expression for the value of Read more

US Navy Ship Raises Christian Flag, Atheist Has Conniption

Two days ago, the USS Arlington posted a photo of two Seamen raising a church pennant above the American flag on its Facebook page:

Quartermasters Seaman Rashaun Plowden and 2nd Class Mary Carlton raise a church pennant above the American flag during worship services aboard USS Arlington (LPD 24) on Jan. 13, 2013.

An atheist (who is not in the military) took umbrage, unaware of his self-contradicting outrage.  First [ellipses original]:  Read more

Air Force Officer Ponders Moral Fabric as Cause of Military Ills

In a surprisingly frank assessment, LtCol W.E. Gene Mattingly wrote an article entitled “The Elephant in the Room” following the sexual assault scandal and General Welsh’s order for a health and welfare inspection.

LtCol Mattingly becomes one of the few who dares to try to drill down to the root of the problem, rather than settle on addressing symptoms:

I think the problem is related more to our moral fabric than anything else.

As an Air Force, we must remain alert to what is presented as societal norms, which our Airmen may embrace, but that our Air Force simply Read more

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