Tag Archives: Afghanistan

Koran Burning: Copy Cats, Hypocrisy, and Replacement Texts

According to Military.com, the small, controversial Westboro Baptist Church has joined the criticism of the planned Koran burnings in Florida, but not for the reason everyone else is.  Their reason?

They did it first.  And no one noticed.

It’s that in 2008 she and her father’s Topeka flock set fire to a Quran in plain view on a Washington, D.C., street and nobody seemed to care…

Westboro has even said if Jones doesn’t burn the Koran, they will.  Elsewhere, there is an increasing chorus of “hypocrisy” accusations against US officials.  The US government previously said it burned Bibles in Afghanistan; even at that time, there was a sense that

“if it had been the Quran, this never would have happened.”

Other news agencies picked up on the “unusual” Read more

An Atheist in the Chaplain’s Foxhole

The Wall Street Journal has a fascinating article about Navy Chaplain (Lt) Terry Moran and his armed escort, Chaplain’s assistant RP2 Philip Chute.

Chaplain Moran is a Seventh Day Adventist.  Specialist Chute is an atheist.  The subtitle says it all: “This Chaplain is Protected by God…and by an Atheist…at War.”

Lt. Moran takes the Bible at its word, rejects the evolution of species and believes the Earth to be 6,000 years old. He carries a large Bible with him into the combat zone, while RP2 Chute totes writings of Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist and fierce critic of the notion that God designed the universe.

If nothing else, it appears the two have a respect for their relative roles:  Read more

Update: Chaplain Goetz Killed in Afghanistan

Updated with message from Army Chief of Chaplains.

As previously noted, US Army Chaplain (Capt) Dale Goetz was killed in Afghanistan earlier this week.  He evidently died fufilling his pastoral duties as a Chaplain, “fob-hopping” to support his “congregation” of military Soldiers:

Goetz was in a convoy traveling from one forward operating base to another, where he counseled soldiers.

MSNBC reports that he was the first Chaplain killed in combat since Vietnam, not unlike the story of Sgt Chris Stout, the Chaplain assistant killed in Afghanistan in July.  Notably, however, US Army Chaplain Tim Vakoc died in 2009, five years after being wounded in a similar set of circumstances: a roadside bomb on a return trip from ministering to troops.

The Army Chief of Chaplains released the following message:  Read more

Ramadan and the War in Afghanistan

An Army.mil article recently described the tenets of the Islamic celebration of Ramadan.  The military often goes to great lengths to help its members understand Islam due to its intense involvement in the culture in which American forces are deployed.

The Air Force Times carries the Associated Press article on “War doesn’t rest for Islam holy month” [sic].  Though some may view it as a time of rest, particularly with fasting during the daylight hours, that does not translate directly into reduced combat.  In fact, the opposite may be true:  Read more

“Taxpayer money promoting Islam worldwide”

The recent controversy surrounding the proposed mosque in New York City, including the taxpayer funded trip of the mosque’s imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, has continued to highlight official government support for Islam around the world.  A recent article at the Baptist Press notes the use of “taxpayer money” to advance the cause of Islam, even in Afghanistan and Iraq:

“Americans also may be surprised to learn that the United States has been an active participant in mosque construction projects overseas,” The [Washington] Times said.

The US military’s assistance in mosque rebuilding and refurbishment has been discussed here before.

Religious Freedom in Iran and Afghanistan

The US State Department issued a statement on the “Persecution of Religious Minorities in Iran,” specifically addressing mistreatment of those of the Baha’i faith.

Freedom of religion is the birthright of people of all faiths and beliefs in all places. The United States is committed to defending religious freedom around the world, and we have not forgotten the Baha’i community in Iran. We will continue to speak out against injustice and call on the Iranian government to respect the fundamental rights of all its citizens in accordance with its international obligations.

In an interesting contrast, a group of religious leaders in Afghanistan recently called for the implementation of Sharia law.  Read more

Missionaries Memorialized in Non-Religious Ceremony

The New York Times covered the Kabul memorial ceremony of the 10 aid workers who were recently killed in Afghanistan.  The ceremony was held in the British cemetery there:

Originally established for British military dead in the Second Afghan War, in 1879, it is probably the only place in the capital where crosses are on public display (churches are illegal here).

The memorial was reportedly consciously non-religious:

If there was a theme to the memorial service, which was self-consciously non-religious, it was the thought that these were people who died doing something they believed in passionately, and the best way to honor them was to keep at it.

“Freedom” Group Seeks Ban on Religious Exercise in the US Military

Despite running a self-founded “religious freedom” organization, Michael Weinstein is apparently calling for the US military to restrict religious free exercise within its ranks.  His reason?  The Constitutionally-protected liberty offends al Qaeda.

Unlike most mainstream organizations, Weinstein’s Military Religious Freedom Foundation still revels in publicizing his organization’s communications, wearing both the hate mail and the kudos as badges of honor.  (They even republish comments from their website, because apparently being posted once isn’t good enough…)  Recently, MRFF board member Richard Baker responded to a contact with a lengthy message in which he included many standard MRFF talking points, like this one: Read more

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