Tag Archives: justin griffith

US Military Chaplains: They Go Where You Go, Part 2

It has been noted here many times before that chaplains in the US military travel the world with US troops, even to one-off places [the South Pole].

It should go without saying that chaplains follow their troops into combat, as well.  Many are familiar with the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan and Part 3 of Band of Brothers, which dramatize the real-life service of chaplains serving under fire.  In the movies, they are unfazed (and unstruck) by the bullets landing around them:

From Saving Private Ryan, a chaplain gives last rites during the assault on Omaha Read more

Military Atheist Receives Award for Rock Beyond Belief

According to a press release, Army Sgt Justin Griffith received an “outstanding achievement award” at the Carolinas Secular Conference over the weekend for his work on Rock Beyond Belief, the Fort Bragg atheist festival that drew a few hundred people to the Army base in late March of this year:

Despite overwhelming odds, and many hurdles, Justin Griffith demonstrated that those of all faith, or none, have as true American right Read more

Media Ethics Questioned after Atheists Fund Reporting

Writing at TheBlaze, Billy Hallowell raises questions about the ethics of the Religion News Service (RNS) after he describes their decision to accept funding from an activist atheist — without publicly acknowledging they had done so.

The Stiefel Freethought Foundation (SFF), a hub for the atheist movement, has given $65,000 [to the Religion News Service] over the past two years to help fund coverage of non-believers and the so-called “freethought” movement. The organization, run by atheist millionaire Todd Stiefel…, has a very clear goal of organizing atheists, while spreading and advancing non-belief.
 
Under a section entitled “Accomplishments in 2011,” the [SFF] site reads, “SFF donated $50,000 to Religion News Service to bolster its coverage of freethinkers with a series of news, investigations, feature stories and photos.”

Hallowell says “most” news organizations would find this relationships “suspect,” and questions if the donation might influence the tone of reporting:

Taking money from a special interest group in the faith sphere causes one to wonder how rigorously — or honestly — the subject of atheism was explored.

If this sounds familiar, it should.  Hallowell is referring to the issue raised here regarding the RNS reporting of Kimberly Winston, who has written veritable “press releases” for atheists.  These articles have included stories on the atheist counter-Christian “Rock Beyond Belief” organized by atheist Army SGT Justin Griffith, which was an event Read more

Rock Beyond Belief 3 Headed to Japan

The US Army facility at Camp Zama, Japan, recently hosted the 53rd annual “Bon Odori Festival:”

The festival is consistently the largest bilateral event of the year for U.S. Army Japan, this year attracting more than 30,000 visitors to the installation. This year’s Bon Odori featured live entertainment, games for children, a variety of ethnic foods, bilateral sports, and a fireworks show.

While that sounds benign enough, it turns out this was actually a huge religious celebration:

Bon season is a Buddhist holiday that honors the departed spirits of one’s ancestors. The tradition dates back more than 500 years.

Relying on the ever-accurate Wikipedia:

Bon Odori originates from the story of Maha Maudgalyayana (Mokuren), a disciple of the Buddha, who used his supernatural powers to look upon his deceased mother. He discovered she had fallen into the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and was suffering. Greatly disturbed, he went to the Buddha and asked how he could release his mother…The disciple, happy because of his mother’s release and grateful for his mother’s kindness, danced with joy. From this dance of joy comes Bon Odori or “Bon Dance”, a time in which ancestors and their sacrifices are remembered and appreciated.

Naturally, some military atheists will see this as a vast, unconstitutional government conspiracy to give preferential support to Read more

Michael Weinstein Calls for General’s Court Martial over Religion

Update 2: General Umbarger has issued an apology, saying

I apologize for and regret the negative attention my well-meaning endorsement of an organization which so generously offered to help our Soldiers, Airmen, and their families. As I have done so many times before, I instinctively advocated on behalf of my service members.
 
This situation underscores the enduring need for all of us to pursue every possible avenue in providing services to our faithful military families.
 
It is my earnest desire and sincere hope that my comments will not detract from the professionalism and dedication of the extraordinary men and women who serve and sacrifice every day in defense of our communities, State, and Nation.

Governor Mitch Daniels, who is responsible for appointing the Guard Adjutant General, has defended the General.  That’s pin #1 for Weinstein’s promised lawsuit.  The Army Inspector General is reportedly looking into the complaint.

Update: Weinstein said he plans to file a “class-action lawsuit” if no action is taken against the General.

As is his common practice, Michael Weinstein has called for the court-martial of Major General R. Martin Umbarger, the Adjutant General of Indiana, making him the point man for “the Indiana Army and Air National Guard, the Indiana Guard Reserve and State employees, totaling more than 15,800 personnel.”

General Umbarger had appeared in a short video, in uniform, requesting support for a charity called Centurion’s Watch.  His comments included:

“Centurion’s Watch is a wonderful way that you can help. Any donation or resource that you can give this organization…I can’t think of a better organization that you can support. So if you want to give back, if you want to have some way you can help, I would highly encourage that you support this organization.”

Weinstein’s response:

“Maj. General Umbarger is incontrovertibly endorsing…a private sector entity which is clearly a comprehensively sectarian, proselytizing, fundamentalist, evangelical Christian parachurch organization…”

As support for his claim, Weinstein cites  Read more

Media Celebrates First Homosexual General Officer

Multiple news articles have covered the promotion of US Army Reserve General Tammy Smith, who became the first actively serving, openly homosexual General officer in the US military.  General Smith herself has made little public issue of her sexual preference:

“All of those facts are irrelevant,” she said. “I don’t think I need to be focused on that. What is relevant is upholding Army values and the responsibility this carries.”

General Smith’s homosexual partner, Tracey Hepner, is an Read more

Military Atheists, Michael Weinstein Attack Religious Beliefs. Again.

How many data points does it take to prove a trend?

Michael Weinstein has, yet again, shown that his “religious freedom” organization is concerned primarily with encouraging the government to restrict religious freedom based on the content of peoples’ religious beliefs in relation to the US military:

American Atheists Inc., the Freedom from Religion Foundation and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, in an Aug. 6 letter to Mabus and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert, argued the Marine Corps base has denied them equal treatment by first stalling and then denying their requests for access…

“We are disturbed that the government is giving such extensive support, including assets, resources and personnel, to a single sect of Christianity,” the three groups wrote in their letter to Mabus. “Even more troubling is the ‘doomsday’ nature of the CCCM. … The last thing Camp Pendleton needs is a large group of well-armed Marines convinced of an imminent doomsday crisis.”

Notice the groups give lip service to the issue of “governmental preference,” but they focus on the content of the religious beliefs.  Those beliefs aren’t just crazy — because crazy is still permissible — the critics claim the beliefs are dangerous.

That’s been a common theme of Weinstein’s for years — with every Read more

1 2 3 4 5 … 8