Tag Archives: Jewish

Professor Erroneously Cites Military Religious Freedom

Noah Feldman, a columnist for Bloomberg and professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard, recently penned an article appealing for public support against Mississippi’s religious protection statutes [emphasis added]:

Signed in April, the Mississippi law calls itself the “Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act.” …

It should be held unconstitutional because it violates the establishment clause of the First Amendment by singling out one set of religious beliefs for positive treatment.

To buttress his argument against “the danger of religious exemptions,” Feldman cited Goldman v Weinberger, the landmark case in which the US Supreme Court Read more

Dear Military Religious Freedom Foundation: Remove one Bible, thousands will take its place

bible2by Sonny Hernandez

On Friday, April 8, 2016, officials at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) removed a Bible from a display table that venerated prisoners of war and Armed Forces service members missing in action. Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, who spearheads a disreputable, anti-God advocacy group called the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), was the culprit behind the unprincipled legal demands that caused officials at WPAFB to capitulate.

WPAFB officials didn’t need to Read more

Las Vegas Chaplain Serves Drone Pilots, Preschoolers

The local Las Vegas Review-Journal covers US Air Force Chaplain (Capt) Michael Engfer, a Reserve Chaplain who does double duty as a local Episcopal Reverend:

The Rev. Michael Engfer occupies two distinct ministries.

In November, he was named deacon in charge of All Saints Episcopal Church, a growing multicultural congregation…

He also is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base as deputy wing chaplain for the 926th Wing Air Force Reserve unit. Among the people he serves are drone pilots, a new type of service with unique challenges.

Chaplain Engfer also makes a point of explaining his view on marriage:  Read more

President Obama Gives Shout Out to Homosexuals, Muslims at USAFA

usafaobamaWhen speaking of the “values” that are an enduring element of America’s power, President Obama said this during the graduation address at the US Air Force Academy yesterday:

We’re stronger when our gay and lesbian cadets and troops can serve their country…without hiding who they love.

Of all the quotes in the long speech on war, policies, sacrifice and the future, this is what the White House highlighted with a “tweet” — and this is what USAFA retweeted.

While this statement received an affirming Read more

Sites Highlight Nomination of Jewish General as Chief of Staff

goldfeinA wide variety of sites, most connected in some fashion specifically to Jewish news, have highlighted the fact President Obama has nominated a Jewish General, General David Goldfein, to be the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force:

Gen. David Goldfein will become the second Jew to command the U.S. Air Force…

Goldfein, who has been the vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force since August, will be the first Jewish combat pilot to hold the top position, and will be the second Read more

ACLJ Defends Military Prayer from “Anti-Christian Zealots”

After Michael “Mikey” Weinstein wrote a letter calling the Marine Corps University’s National Day of Prayer event unconstitutional, the American Center for Law and Justice quietly sent a letter to BGen Helen Pratt defending her handling of the event.

The ACLJ letter (PDF) was “quiet” because, while it was sent at the end of April, the ACLJ didn’t publicize it until just prior to the prayer event.

When Weinstein saw it, he was apparently red-faced.

After a well-worded rebuttal of Weinstein’s errant legal analysis, the last few pages of the ACLJ letter “introduce” BGen Pratt to Mikey Weinstein — using his own ‘colorful’ words. And this was apparently a subject of great embarrassment for Weinstein, whose MRFF quickly fired off another letter defending Weinstein, a letter that could best be summarized as a two-year old saying “nuh-uh.”

As an example, given the singular opportunity to rebut Read more

US Military Celebrates National Day of Prayer

praydeployDespite one ill-fated and ill-willed attempt to keep some US troops from joining together in prayer, the US military celebrated the National Day of Prayer around the world.

Renowned Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias spoke at a National Prayer Breakfast gathering at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to more than 300 US troops, their families, and civilians.  There and at a simultaneous symposium he talked on ‘Where is God in Suffering?’ and  Read more

US Army Grants More Exceptions for Sikhs

Update: Follow up on Harpal Singh and the status of Capt Singh’s case here.

The US Army has decided to permit three more Sikh adherents to attend Basic Training while maintaining the articles of their faith:

“After months of waiting, I’m ecstatic that I can finally serve both God and country,” Private Arjan Singh Ghotra, one of the plaintiffs, said…

Religious accommodations were also granted to Specialist Kanwar Singh [and]Specialist Harpal Singh.

While the exceptions are notable, they are still precisely that: exceptions. Thus, the US Army is still not officially more “friendly” to service by Sikhs, a point Read more

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