Anglican Chaplain (LtCol) Harry Ndirangu, Kenyan Ministry of State for Defense, was invited to preach to US forces at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, as part of an ongoing chaplain interaction program.
Ndirangu visited for three weeks as part of a program that invites Kenyan chaplains to share best practices with the religious Read more
Craig Baxam reportedly converted to Islam just prior to leaving the US Army in July. By December, he had been arrested in Kenya:
Baxam…told investigators he wanted to live in an area governed by the strict edicts of Islamic Sharia law, such as those imposed by Al Shabaab, and defend them to the death if necessary.
He is apparently claiming the “bumbling” defense, sort of:
[He] told FBI agents that he had no contacts with al-Shabab and only a haphazard plan to connect with the group
This is only the latest development undermining Michael Weinstein’s conspiracy theories.
At this point, at least, it seems Baxam was content to wage his holy war Read more
Update: Military.com notes:
a week after the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers submitted the petition on WhiteHouse.gov the effort has garnered just 25 of the 25,000 signatures it needs by Feb. 5 to get any kind of response from the White House.
Jason Torpy, a former Army captain and current atheist, has filed a petition on WhiteHouse.gov to have “no religious preference,” or “NO REL PREF,” removed from the options in troops’ military records. He also wants the question removed from the list of requirements during inprocessing, making it an optional “opt in” later.
The latter is probably extremely unlikely. First, the military has been mandated by law to make a variety of things a “mandatory opt in,” based on the belief most servicemembers will never make the extra effort to do so otherwise. (For example, one congressman floated the idea of forcing members of the military to enroll in the pseudo-retirement “Thrift Savings Plan.”) Torpy explicitly stated there was pressure to “choose Christianity” in basic training: Read more
If one wasn’t aware of her history, it might have been surprising to see a recent pair of articles highlight the intellectually inconsistency of the MRFF’s Chris Rodda.
Rodda recently went on record defending the construction of the US Air Force Academy chapel facility called the “Falcon Circle” from those who claimed it was an inappropriate use of government money for three cadets (a separate issue discussed elsewhere). She said:
Designating the stone circle as a chapel facility simply accommodates a religious group with a worship area that meets their needs, something taken for granted by other religious groups at the Academy. Whether the users of that worship space number in the hundreds or in single digits is completely irrelevant when it comes to providing a place for them to worship according to their beliefs.
Comically, four days later an article appeared in the Tennessean quoting the Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s 2009 criticism of the construction of a different chapel at Fort Campbell.
The [MRFF] felt it looked too much like a megachurch Read more
Nancy Kennedy
Leafwood, 2011
Miracles and Moments of Grace, subtitled Inspiring Stories from Military Chaplains, is a noble attempt at telling the stories of military Chaplains. Each of its 50 chapters is a story from a military Chaplain, most told in a first person narrative. Almost all of the Chaplains are from a Christian faith tradition; a few Jewish Chaplains are included.
The stories cover the gamut of the modern Chaplaincy, with tales of Chaplains preventing troops’ suicide, notifying families of their Soldier’s death, or giving a first hand account of the bombings in Beirut or Khobar Towers. In that regard, it shows the wide array Read more
A few examples of the US military’s commitment to supporting its servicemembers through their religious celebrations:
At Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, a Christmas Eve candlelight service was the “culminating event over the month of celebration.”
US Army Chief of Chaplains MajGen Donald Rutherford presided over a Christmas Eve Catholic Mass at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.
Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Norton Schwartz Read more
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
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