Tag Archives: Government

Christmas in Afghanistan, Presidential Message on Jesus’ Birth

FoxNews had a headline article on Christmas highlighting “Christmas in Afghanistan.”  One of the more interesting parts of the article:

Afghans who support the coalition troops respect the holiday, [US Marine Chaplain (Capt) William] Kennedy said.

“We’re in a Muslim country, but the Muslims venerate Jesus as a prophet and the people I’ve met, whether it’s the locals or ANA (Afghan army), the mullahs, they respect the fact that we’re a religious people,” Kennedy told AFP.

(In a contrast to the Chaplain’s supportive perceptions of the local population, an activist group once tried to claim public American military celebrations of Easter were “convinc[ing] the Muslims we’re on a crusade.”) 

While Americans celebrated freely in Afghanistan, local Iraqi Christians “toned down” their Christmas celebrations in Iraq over fear of attacks.  It appears American military Read more

Christian Values, Civic Conduct, and Hate

Chuck Colson recently wrote Playing the Hate Card, in which he made a quick reference to a point often made here:

Foremost on my list [of things to be thankful for] was the freedom we as Americans still enjoy to practice our religion. This includes the right to promote laws and leaders who uphold our values. (emphasis added)

Again, Christians are not obligated to allow those whose values are in opposition to their own to prevail simply because Christians have a religious foundation.  Even in a secular society, every citizen acts from their own moral foundation in their attempts to influence the social morality by promoting their own beliefs in the governance of society.  The fact that one person’s foundation may be “religious” and another’s “religious” in another form does not negate the value of the position itself.

Colson was speaking in reference to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Read more

Freedom, Democracy, and Morality in America

In light of recent comments on Christianity (or religion in general) and the role of morality in society, Andie Brownlow at the American Thinker has an interesting article entitled “American Freedom and Religious Morality:”

Liberals and conservatives both believe that as Americans, we should be moral people. The major difference is where their morality intersects with their politics. Most conservatives believe that our morality should come from religion, separate from government. Most progressives incorporate moral guidance as a function of government. (emphasis original)  Read more

Chuck Colson on Engaging the Culture

Chuck Colson has an interesting article on the culture in America, in both its changes and the Christian interaction with it (a topic he has covered before).  He notes the statement by then-Supreme Court Justice William Douglas:

We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being…When the state encourages religious instruction or cooperates with religious authorities…it follows the best of our traditions. For it then respects the religious nature of our people and accommodates the public service to their spiritual needs.

This case was followed Read more

Why Protect Religious Freedom if We Don’t Value Religion?

Alliance Defense Fund fellow Garrett Gibson poses an interesting question on the American paradigm of defending freedom:

There is an oft-repeated American cliche that freedom is not free. Below the surface of this cliche lies three implications: first, that we value freedom; second, that we are willing to pay the price demanded for the protection of freedom; and third, and most pertinent to this discussion, that we protect, with the force of law, the things we value.

Gibson notes the potential cultural implications of society’s move away from recognizing, and valuing, the virtues of religion:  Read more

District Judge Rules DADT “Unconstitutional”, Enjoins Enforcement

US District Court Judge Virginia Phillips has ruled the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” violates the First and Fifth Amendments to the US Constitution and has issued an injunction prohibiting its enforcement.  According to reports, Judge Phillips made the following military analyses:

Phillips [said] the policy doesn’t help military readiness and instead has a “direct and deleterious effect” on the armed services by hurting recruiting when the country is at war and requiring the discharge of service members with critical skills and training.

Phillips’ ruling referred to both the US law banning Read more

Weinstein Calls on Military to Ban Christian Group

The Colorado Springs Independent, which previously reported on both Michael Weinstein’s declaration of “war” on the Air Force Academy and his letter to the Secretary of Defense, apparently obtained access to three cadets to discuss the religious climate at USAFA.

The members of the Cadet Interfaith Council had little negative to say: speaking of religious mistreatment, a Jewish cadet says “not much of that goes on these days;” a Buddhist has “not experienced any discrimination due to his faith.”  The Protestant of the three agrees.

All agree with a cadet’s statement that

Right now, I think it might be getting blown out of proportion.

(It is worth noting these cadets were likely provided by the Academy for the purpose of the interview.  Given the opportunity, Weinstein could likely produce cadets supporting his point of view.)

Superintendent LtGen Michael Gould is also quoted, and the article offers an intriguing look at religious “complaints” over the past two years.  Ironically, there Read more

President Obama, Christianity and Pluralism

President Obama’s religious faith continues to be a topic of discussion in the mainstream press.  A recent article discussed an interview in which he said he is a “Christian by choice.”

Interestingly, at the end of the article, Obama said this:

“This is a country that is still predominantly Christian. But we have Jews, Muslims, Hindus, atheists, agnostics, Buddhists and that their own path to grace is one that we have to revere and respect as much as our own.”

The perspective is interesting; Americans United for the Separation of Church and State made a point of saying that Obama “got it:”  Read more

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