Tag Archives: christian

Senator Lists USAFA Pagan Chapel in Government Waste

The 2011 edition of the annual “Wastebook” (pdf) published by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), which contains a list of “wasteful and low priority government spending,” includes the “Falcon Circle” erected by the US Air Force Academy earlier in the year.

79) Air Force Academy Builds “Stonehenge-like Worship Center” – (CO) $51,474

The worship center is “for the handful of current or future cadets whose religions fall under the broad category of ‘Earth-based,'” which includes Wiccans, druids and pagans.

Three students out of 4,300 students self-reported as currently having an “earth-based” religion…

The American people support religious freedom, but this investment challenges their faith in government to ever make smart budget choices.

Senator Coburn seems to make the point that his complaint is an issue of “smart budget choices” rather than a lack of desire to support religious freedom.  It’s also important to note that millions of dollars are spent on US military facilities to support the religious liberty of US troops.

While one could argue the “per capita” for pagans was Read more

Undercurrent of Atheist Mockery at Travis AFB Christmas Display

A variety of sites have noted the decision by Travis AFB to defend its nativity and Menorah.  A few have noted the Travis AFB chaplains helped local atheist Airman SSgt Dan Rawlings erect an atheist display.

As more find out about it, more commenters are also questioning the Air Force’s decision to allow the atheist sign — not because of the sign itself, but the “flying spaghetti monster” on it [ellipses original]:

the flying spaghetti monster display is now up…mocking every belief out there. They had a great opportunity to be recognized and they turned it into a mockery. Sad, really. Great job staff sergeant…17 years without a complaint, you come along…complain, then mock everyone with your display. Isn’t that against military policies…to mock others?

As noted previously, even local non-religious people have said the atheists appear to be mocking their fellow Airmen Read more

Pentagon to Rule on Camp Pendleton Cross

The issue of the legality of the Camp Pendleton cross was elevated to higher headquarters, according to a local article.

A group of reporters was allowed to make the trek to see the memorial upon which the controversy was based.  To his credit, Mark Walker of the North County Times accurately gave some depth to the content of the memorial:

The site is home to numerous mementos, as well as the crosses, neither of which is visible from nearby Interstate 5.

Each is surrounded by thousands of rocks carried up by Marines from sea level at Camp Horno as a homage to troops killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Many of those rocks have hand-scrawled messages of love and remembrance.

There are dozens of bottles of booze, Read more

Weinstein’s Attacks Don’t Dampen US Military Charity

Marines spread joy of Christmas, Soldiers donate to Catholic Charity, Toys for Tots teams with Christian non-profit…

Members of the US military continue to participate in traditional acts of charity and community service, even when such efforts are connected (however remotely) with religious organizations — despite Michael Weinstein’s efforts to quash such efforts last month.

The reason, of course, is that despite a somewhat unusual reaction from the US Air Force Academy last month, the US military has had no problem associating itself with religious organizations in their efforts to conduct humanitarian or charitable work.  In fact, it seems the majority of such work is conducted in concert with organizations that are in some way connected to a faith group, probably because so many humanitarian and charitable organizations are faith-based to begin with.

And that’s OK — because there is no military policy, regulation, or Read more

Chaplain Followed Unique Path from Africa to US Army

US Army Chaplain (Maj) David Waweru followed an unusual path to become a chaplain.  He grew up in Kenya, 20 miles west of Nairobi.  His interest in the United States came from his interaction with American ministries, specifically, Campus Crusade for Christ:

“The job that really stands out to me is when I worked for Campus Crusade for Christ,” Waweru said. “This job stands out to me because that is when I had a lot of time with American missionaries, and I believe that is where my interest in coming to the United States began.”

His work with Campus Crusade encouraged him to become Read more

Perkins, King Sound Warning on Hostility Toward Christianity

Joining the theme of Rick Perry’s statements that President Obama had a “war on religion,” Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council called the Obama administration “hostile to Christianity.”

“You can’t judge what’s in somebody’s heart or their administration, but you can judge them by the fruits of their labors,” Perkins said. “The fruit of this administration shows it is hostile to Christianity.”

He was referring to the Walter Reed policy banning religious items (specifically, Bibles) within the US military medical facility.  By contrast, the Washington Times noted the government goes the extra mile to make sure detainees at Guantanamo have access to the Koran.

We shouldn’t really be surprised when a bureaucrat tries to bar Bibles in a U.S. military stateside hospital while other bureaucrats make sure terrorists in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, get copies of the Koran.

You almost have to feel sorry Read more

Chaplains Applaud Travis AFB Nativity, Menorah Defense

The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, led by Chaplain (Col, USA, Ret) Ron Crews, “commended” the Air Force for its decision to allow the nativity and Menorah to stand, despite complaints and threats from Michael Weinstein.

“Our military personnel should not be coerced to abandon their religious heritage simply to appease someone’s political agenda,” said CH (COL) Ron Crews…

Chaplain Crews noted that Weinstein seems to have an unusual access to military leadership for a one-man ‘non-profit’ and called for a Congressional Read more

Military Atheists Now Target Fort Campbell Nativity, Menorah

Though they failed to get Travis AFB to remove its nativity and what they called a “token” Jewish Menorah, military atheists led by Justin Griffith have now set their sights on Fort Campbell, one of the largest US Army bases in the United States.  Fort Campbell has a Menorah and nativity at the sign near one of its entry gates.  (Don’t tell anyone, but there’s also a prominent star at the top of the post Christmas tree…)

It reads like “Welcome to Fort Campbell, where you better love Jesus…”

[Fort Campbell] need[s] to either remove the display, or at the very least let all the other points of view have an equal level of support.

How a Menorah says “you better love Jesus” is unclear, though the atheists’ (repeat) belittling of the Jewish display of faith is eclipsed only by their obsessive need to attach themselves to Christianity.

The situation is not the same as Travis AFB, though.  For one thing, Read more

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