Tag Archives: julie bentz

US Military Publishes Major Revision to Religious Liberty Rules

The US military has just updated its regulations with the intent of improving the protection of military religious freedom.

Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1300.17 was previously known as “Accommodation of Religious Practices Within the Military Services,” but is now re-titled simply “Religious Liberty in the Military Services” (PDF). The new DoDI title sets the tone for a policy that presupposes religious liberty, rather than treats it as an outlier that may sometimes be “accommodated.”

That change in tone mimics the tone change in religious liberty policies in the Air Force – which may not be a coincidence. The new DoDI was approved by Undersecretary of Defense Matthew Donovan – a former Air Force fighter pilot who has been both an Undersecretary of the Air Force and even the Acting Secretary of the Air Force in the past few years, during which the tenor (if not always the actions) of Air Force policy leaned toward religious freedom.

It seems President Trump’s selection of Undersecretary Donovan may have set the stage for improving religious liberty in the US military.

As to the DoDI itself, it notably Read more

Chris Rodda Cringes at MRFF’s Attack on President Trump

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s “charity,” the MRFF, recently published a bit of fan-mail from a person excoriating President Trump’s Tuesday proclamation of Religious Freedom Day.

And even Weinstein’s own research assistant, Chris Rodda, probably grimaced.

The letter, written by a “30-year Active Duty Air Force Officer”, lambasts Trump’s proclamation, claiming it is a “dog whistle of Fundamentalist Christian Dominionism.” As proof [formatting original]:

To understand his real declaratory intent, we need only look at his last paragraph in which he says, “I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen…”

…[Trump] ENLARGES the views of those that see 2018 as ‘The Year of Our Lord,’ i.e., Christians only.

Longevity in the military is clearly no guarantor of intellectual acuity.

As anyone with an elementary education and an internet connection could tell you, the Read more

Mikey Weinstein’s MRFF “Charity” Reported to IRS for Potential Impropriety

A few years ago, Chris Rodda, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s research assistant, made the somewhat comical claim that the outcome of an investigation was irrelevant; rather, the fact an investigation occurred was all that mattered [capitalization original]:

The OUTCOME of the investigation…is irrelevant. It’s the fact that…he CALLED FOR the investigation…

It’s a moronic assertion on its face, but its something upon which the MRFF has relied. If an investigation happened, then they act as though their claims were vindicated — outcome notwithstanding.

Mikey Weinstein, though, very recently took it one step further and is now citing as “evidence” an accusation being reported — not even an investigation, not a resolution, just him reporting something.

Referring to ChristianFighterPilot.com, Weinstein said this site [emphasis added] Read more

General Julie Bentz Prays for Her Troops, so Mikey Weinstein Wants Her Fired

US Army MajGen Julie Bentz is the vice director of the Joint Improvised Threat Defeat Organization. She was also recently the keynote speaker of the 56th annual Kansas Prayer Breakfast held on March 15th.

That’s why Michael “Mikey” Weinstein wants her fired.

Advocates for religious freedom [sic] say a two-star general violated the U.S. Constitution and endangered troops when she told those gathered at a prayer breakfast about her “greatest privilege.”…

Weinstein is calling for an investigation and said Bentz should be removed from her position.

How did Gen Bentz violate the Constitution? Weinstein quotes thusly [emphasis his]: Read more