US Army Spc. Guenter Nyanankpe was baptized at Forward Operating Base Salerno in Afghanistan last month.
“Baptism symbolizes the death and resurrection of Christ,” said US Army Chaplain (Capt.) Seung-Il Suh…”You go under the water, meaning you are dead and buried. And when you come up again, that symbolizes resurrection.”
Nyanankpe seems to indicate he ‘grew up’ Christian, but his Chaplain Read more
It is important to start by saying that 10-year-old Braydon Nichols reminded the world a few days ago that more than just Navy SEALs died in the Chinook shootdown last week. His dad died, too; Army Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Nichols was the Chinook pilot. Seven other American military members died: the other 4 helicopter crew and three US Air Force Special Forces.
Stories are slowly leaking out, and the military has yet to announce more specifics on those killed. Family members, however, are telling some stories. [Updated below with names provided by the Department of Defense.]
As told by his widow, Kimberly Vaughn, Navy SEAL Aaron Vaughn was a “selfless” and noble man: Read more
Michael Weinstein and his associates in his self-founded and awkwardly named Military Religious Freedom Foundation frequently rely on anonymous anecdotes, unsubstantiated accusations, or claims they cannot publicly support beyond vague innuendo.
In short, Weinstein’s credibility relies immensely on “trust me.”
Unfortunately for him, he’s long since lost any semblance of credibility, thanks in part to his researcher, Chris Rodda, who has had some issues with this in the past.
Rodda once belittled supporters of a Christian group at USAFA, claiming their support was a manufactured letter-writing campaign — despite public evidence Read more
Not everyone can be right all the time, but when it comes to journalists, you think they’d at least try.
Reprinted at the Huffington Post, Religion News Service writer Kimberly Winston wrote on the recently approved “Rock Beyond Belief” to occur at Fort Bragg next spring. Her article reads like a press release, not a news report. Explaining the background of “Rock Beyond Belief,” she says
[Rock the Fort], staged by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, received more than $50,000 in financial support from the base, according to records obtained by local atheists through the Freedom of Information Act.
As the Army already pointed out, that’s a mischaracterization of the “records obtained.”
Winston then makes a statement that is known to be categorically untrue: Read more
The coincident timing of the recent US Air Force ICBM training “scandal” with the upcoming anniversaries of the nuclear bombing of Japan has lent additional wind to the sails of this manufactured controversy.
Rev. Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, writing at the Washington Post column “On Faith,” demonstrates how the “Air Force nuclear training” addressed over the past week has been woefully (or willfully) misconstrued.
Wigg-Stevenson says Read more
Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, wrote a letter to General Edward Rice, the Commander of Air Education and Training Command. AETC oversees the training program at Vandenberg Air Force Base, which recently dropped a course because, depending on who you ask, it used Bible verses. Calling the Air Force’s decision to pull the class “wrongheaded,” he says
[T]here is absolutely nothing in the Constitution of the United States that disqualifies a presentation of St. Augustine’s “just war theory,” and related biblical references. In fact, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, as well as religious liberty…Moreover, biblical passages are often cited when referencing the work of Rev. Martin Luther King. Should we similarly censor them?
I have read the materials used in the class, and can assure you that no one — save an anti-religious zealot — would find fault with them. I therefore urge you to stand fast against these bullies and do what is academically right and constitutionally protected: reinstate the class.
He also notes that Michael Weinstein is a Read more
The trial of Arid Uka, accused in the murder of two US Airmen and wounding of two others at the Frankfurt airport is set to begin at the end of August.
Authorities have said Uka confessed shortly after his capture to wanting to kill American troops because of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.
Killed were Senior Airman Nicholas Alden and Airman 1st Class Zachary Cuddeback.
Uka faces a possible life sentence. As previously noted, his is one of nine recent “soft target” attacks/attempted attacks on the US military, some by members of the military, all apparently motivated in some part by their Islamic faith.
In what may be one of the more unbiased presentations of the “media controversy” thus far, the Christian Post presents a somewhat fuller picture of the nuclear missile officer course that floated to the surface a few days ago. They are the first large media organization to highlight the fact the brief wasn’t exclusively Christian:
The section also cited biblical figures including Abraham, Samson and David as religious figures that fought wars in a righteous manner. Additionally, a picture of a menorah was featured on a slide highlighting the Maccabees’ revolt against their oppressors.
In fact, they are also the first to consciously highlight that the brief wasn’t even exclusively religious: Read more