Are Michael Weinstein’s predictions of a fundamentalist Christian coup in America coming to fruition?
Newly-promoted Chaplain (MajGen) Howard Stendahl was recently appointed Chief of Air Force Chaplains, making him the senior ranking chaplain in the US Air Force. His promotion was one of the first major acts for the Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen Mark Welsh: Read more
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
The Air Force assignments in Korea are generally one-year remotes, meaning Airmen are stationed in Korea for a year while their family waits back home. That doesn’t mean the Air Force stops supporting their families and helping them strengthen their marriages. In fact, the opposite is true:
A Marriage Care Retreat hosted by the Kunsan AB Chapel from Aug. 8-10 here gave them and 20 other couples the chance to work on their relationships.
The Kunsan Chapel intended the Marriage Care Retreat to be a means for those “physically separated from their spouses to still connect with them,” though it also Read more
The US House successfully passed (243-166) an amendment to the 2013 Defense Appropriations Bill (a funding mechanism, separate from the National Defense Authorization Act) that would ban homosexual marriages on US military bases. (By contrast, the amendment to ban military sponsorships of sports team failed.)
Given the recent history of conference committees and the Democrat-controlled Senate, it is unlikely the amendment will survive to the final bill.
Via the ADF.
The endorsing agent for Southern Baptist chaplains in the US military recently reiterated its stance against recognition of homosexual unions. The impetus was the AP article on the McGuire AFB “civil union” event attended by Southern Baptist Chaplain (Col) Timothy Wagoner.
Retired US Army Chaplain (MajGen) Douglas Carver — former chief of all Army chaplains — is the executive director of the North American Mission Board, which endorses Southern Baptist chaplains in the US military:
“When the AP story first came out, we contacted Chaplain Wagoner and he assured us he was either misinterpreted or quoted out of context in the story,” Carver said.
Chaplain Wagoner “strongly refutes” the story that implies Read more
An OCF article notes the likely common experience of Eric Creekmore, a former US Marine Major and F/A-18 Hornet pilot, as he tried to ‘do the Christian thing’ and point out a fellow pilot’s sin to him:
A squadron buddy in the process of getting a divorce had just finished telling me of a weekend with his new girlfriend. Technically, he was still married — the papers weren’t yet signed. Trying to be the “good” Christian, I saw this as my opportunity to point out his transgression. After a brief treatise on fidelity and marriage, I punctuated my comments by calling him, “Mr. Immorality.” That would make clear the error of his ways and with any luck I would soon be leading him in the sinner’s prayer.
I eased back in my office chair with a sense of pride at my work for the cause of Christ. Looking for additional opportunities to “help,” I asked why he was getting a divorce in the first place…
It turns out the situation wasn’t quite as Creekmore imagined, and his arrogant self-righteousness was soon replaced with sorrow. His attitude, however, Read more
The Associated Press interviewed a small sampling of chaplains and chaplain endorsers in an apparent attempt to assess the impact of open service by homosexuals following last year’s repeal of the policy best known as “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
One interesting subject was Chaplain (Col) Timothy Wagoner, a Southern Baptist who attended the recent controversial same-sex union ceremony held in a military chapel to show his “support.”
“As a Southern Baptist, why was I here? I was here to lend support,” Wagoner said. “I was here supporting Airman Umali. I’ve worked with him. He’s a comrade in arms.”
“I’m also supporting Chaplain Reeb,” he said. “She gave a beautiful ceremony.” Read more
Following the homosexual non-marital “private religious ceremony” in a military chapel at Fort Polk, which raised complaints due to Louisiana’s state laws regarding marriage, an Air Force Tech Sergeant entered a “civil union” in a military chapel on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
Dozens of friends and family members attended Saturday afternoon’s ceremony for Tech. Sgt. Erwynn Umali and Will Behrens. It was presided over by Kay Reeb, a Navy chaplain with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America…
Chaplain Reeb’s denomination accepts homosexual Read more