Tag Archives: Bible

Mohler: There’s Nowhere to Hide

Dr. Al Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary:

This is a moment of decision, and every evangelical believer, congregation, denomination, and institution will have to answer. There will be no place to hide. The forces driving this revolution in morality will not allow evasion or equivocation. Every pastor, every church, and every Christian organization will soon be forced to declare an allegiance to the Scriptures and to the Bible’s teachings on marriage and sexual morality, or to affirm loyalty to the sexual revolution. That revolution did not start with same-sex marriage, and it will not end there. But marriage is the most urgent issue of the day, and the moment of decision has arrived.

In this season of testing, Christians committed to the gospel of Christ are called upon to muster the greatest display of compassion and conviction of our lives. But true compassion will never lead to an abandonment of biblical authority or a redefinition of the gospel of Jesus Christ…

No one, especially in a position of leadership, will be able to fly under the radar on this issue…

The issues before us are compelling and urgent. The Bible is clear. Are you ready to give an answer?

Read more.

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Can I put Bible quotes in my military email signature block?

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It depends. Using the Air Force as an example, in official correspondence–that is, email intended to conduct official military business–it is not technically permissible for members to have quotes of any kind in their signature blocks. This is “technically” true because this rule, while in place, is rarely enforced.

Air Force Instruction (AFI) 33-119 says that

Users will not add slogans, quotes, special backgrounds, special stationeries, digital images, unusual fonts, etc., to the body of their electronic messages.

Thus, a strict application of this AFI means that no one is allowed to have any quote of any content in their official email signature block.

This rule refers specifically to official email (which is the context of the AFI). While possible, it is unlikely that this rule would be (properly) applied against a military member who used their email for an authorized unofficial use. Some civilians (and some military personnel) may be surprised to learn that the vast majority of military email is actually “unofficial.”

At present, the Navy and Army do not appear to have explicit or readily available policies on quotations in email signature blocks.

This discussion is about what one is allowed to do; whether or not one should do something (that is otherwise permissible) is always a matter of prayer, good judgment, and professionalism.

See a discussion on the topic of religious content and military email here.

Bible Quote Court-Martialed Marine Appeals

Update: Franklin Graham weighs in here.

Court-martialed Marine Monifa Sterling has enlisted the Liberty Institute to help her appeal her conviction, which included a controversy over Bible quotes she had placed on her desk. Sterling was convicted

of failing to go to an appointed place of duty, disrespecting a superior commissioned officer and four specifications of disobeying a lawful order. She was sentenced last year to a reduction in rank from lance corporal to private and given a bad-conduct discharge, a status that will stay on her military record and prohibits her from receiving benefits as a veteran…

Sterling was found guilty Read more

Military Equal Opportunity Says Bible, Constitution Cause Sexism

In a now widely reported incident, a Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute online training course was pulled last month after a reporter made an inquiry about a slide that said the Bible, the US Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence “allow sexism to continue”:

The military’s Equal Opportunity channels have had a number of high-profile missteps, with most being dismissed as “isolated” incidents of Read more

Congressman Collins Backs Fired Navy Chaplain Modder

A variety of media outlets continue to cover the story of Navy Chaplain (LtCmdr) Wes Modder, who was removed from his unit after complaints that he made offensive statements in counseling.

At the Daily Signal, Kelsey Harkness notes there are actually two chaplains facing sanction right now. Besides Modder, Army Chaplain (Capt) Joe Lawhorn was also punished for telling personal stories involving his faith; his story has faded somewhat from the press, but it is still ongoing.

Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., the only U.S. congressman to also serve as an Air Force Reserve chaplain, believes the military has gone too far in punishing Modder and others like him.

“It’s First Amendment rights for a reason,” Collins told The Daily Signal in an exclusive interview. “Not because you agree with it.”

Rep Collins went further, repeating Read more

US Marine Court-Martialed for Bible Quotes on Desk

In an apparently unreported story, a US Marine was court-martialed for, among other things, refusing to remove Biblical quotes taped to her desk. The “among other things” part may explain why the case hasn’t attracted much attention.  If the description in the court’s ruling was accurate, the Marine had quite a few “issues” beyond taping quotes to her desk.

However, to the relevant portion of US v Sterling (available here through a restricted access Lexis portal), as documented by the US Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals:

In May of 2013, the appellant’s duties included sitting at a desk and utilizing a computer to assist Marines experiencing issues with their Common Access Cards. The appellant printed three copies of the biblical quote “no weapon formed against me shall prosper”…cut the quotes to size and taped one along the top of the computer tower, one above the computer monitor on the desk, and one above the in-box. The appellant testified that she is a Christian and that she posted the quotation in three places to represent the Christian trinity.

The Marine was ordered by Read more

Navy Issues Restraining Order against Chaplain Modder

In a rather surprising development, US Navy CAPT J.R. Fahs issued a “No Contact Order” (essentially, a restraining order) prohibiting Navy Chaplain (LtCmdr) Wes Modder from ministering to — or even communicating with — the Sailors he formerly served:

When a sailor in Modder’s previous unit unexpectedly died…Modder was about to reach out to the sailor’s grieving family when he was stopped by a member of the command.

He was slapped with a “no contact” order – the Navy’s version of a restraining order – banning him from providing counsel or ministering to any members of his unit.

The order also reportedly banned Chaplain Modder from even entering the base on the day of the memorial service.

Liberty Institute attorney Mike Berry said the Navy Read more

Confused Atheist Criticizes, Compliments Military Chaplains

An atheist recently sought the help of his fellow non-believers in trying to overcome a problem with chaplains at his deployed US military location in the Middle East:

Every week the chaplain posts a new message, it has a short story, a bible verse to relate, and times they run service…

Doesn’t seem like a big deal, and at first, he doesn’t think so either, then reconsiders:

What’s wrong with this? Well nothing, depending on where you are. The issue is they’re everywhere, most annoyingly in the bathrooms. Whether you’re sitting or standing they’re right in front of your face!

Then again, he goes back go saying they’re a good thing:

I like that they’re intended to be inspiring and uplifting. In a stressful environment it’s absolutely necessary…

And then reverses himself yet again:  Read more

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