Tag Archives: mikey weinstein

Response to Chris Rodda: MRFF Misfits & Yellow Journalism

by Sonny Hernandez

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) is an infamous, anti-God advocacy group that conspicuously and recurrently bombasts Bible-believing Christians in the Armed Forces. The MRFF is led by Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, a failed lawyer, whose track record in court has resulted in an embarrassing amount of victories: zero. However, Weinstein has made a wealthy career out of fundraising that involves legal threats against anyone who affirms conservative orthodoxy in the Armed Forces. Weinstein’s desperate attempts to raise funds include: inciting hostility toward Bible-believing Christians by reviling them as a constitutional threat, and by subtly or transparently sending fallacious letters to commanders to ostracize their subordinates.

The MRFF produces articles that do contend for religious liberty, just not those who hold to sincerely held theological convictions about the inerrancy of Scripture (which is why the MRFF appellation is preposterous). This can be seen through the writings of Chris Rodda, a Read more

Chris Rodda, MRFF Attack Military Chaplains — For Being Christian

Executive Summary: In their personal complaints about military chaplains, Mikey Weinstein and his MRFF clearly demonstrate their antagonism toward religious beliefs — particularly, Christian beliefs — they don’t like. This again supports the position that correspondence from the MRFF should be viewed with the skeptical eye that such complaints are motivated by an intolerant and discriminatory viewpoint inconsistent with the military’s support of diversity and religious freedom.

roddaprofChris Rodda, the research assistant for Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF, is nothing if not predictable. Yesterday she posted an extraordinarily long essay railing against US military chaplains, largely centered around Mikey Weinstein’s attack on chaplains and endorsers at the end of July, an attack that was roundly rebutted by the ACLJ.  (While it’s not worth the read, Rodda’s novella can be found here.)

However, part way through Rodda digressed from her presumed thesis, as she often does, to personally attack another Air Force officer unrelated to that event: Chaplain Sonny Hernandez.

Rodda revealed the MRFF has for months been harassing Air Force Chief of Chaplains (MajGen) Dondi Costin, complaining about Chaplain Hernandez. The MRFF has claimed [emphasis added]  Read more

US Army Continues Decades Long Support of Holy Family Home

The US Army recently highlighted how Soldiers from the 27th Infantry Regiment continue to support the Holy Family Home out of Japan — a relationship that began during the American occupation at the end of World War II. As described by a unit commander,

“Today, as we begin the 59th visit of the children to Hawaii, we look forward on building on the tradition of love and friendship begun so many years ago,” said Lt. Col. Glen T. Helberg, commander, 2-27th Inf. Regt., 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division.

The relationship between the US Army and the Catholic orphanage began when a Red Cross representative introduced members of the 27th Infantry Regiment to the orphanage — and discovered it in dire shape: Read more

The Bible Stays: US Marines Tell Mikey Weinstein to Pound Sand

In early July Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF lodged a complaint with US Marine Corps’ Camp Hansen (one of seven Marine Corps camps on Okinawa), alleging that the presence of a Bible on a POW/MIA remembrance table constituted a “blatant violation of the Constitution.” This complaint followed the MRFF-inspired removal of Bibles from similar displays at four VA facilities and Wright-Patterson AFB (a removal which prompted Chaplain Sonny Hernandez to “replace” it by distributing Bibles to local Airmen).

The Marines, however, were not so forthcoming.

In an undated letter (PDF) just released by the MRFF, Camp Commander Brian Howlett told the MRFF the display would stay just like it is, thank you very much:  Read more

ACLJ Rebuts Mikey Weinstein and the “Ignoramus’ Veto”

Update: Covered by the Christian Post.

costinSkip Ash and Wesley Smith of the ACLJ wrote two pieces over the past two days taking Michael “Mikey” Weinstein to task for his latest assault on Christians in the US military. Smith’s article, entitled “Military Religious Freedom Foundation: A Misnomer?“, noted that Weinstein’s charity seems to have a nobly stated purpose — though its actions are quite the opposite:

There has never been a more antagonistic and persistent adversary of religious freedom in the ranks of the United States Armed Forces…I witnessed the inordinate amount of time and energy spent responding to the numerous demand letters and threats of litigation from Weinstein and his organization.

Virtually every program designed to enhance the free exercise of religion, promote the spiritual well-being of Soldiers…, or to acknowledge that our inalienable human rights are given to us not by the government, but by our Creator, was met by the vitriol and threats of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and Mikey Weinstein.

For those that have followed Mikey Weinstein’s antics and tantrums over Read more

Mikey Weinstein Attacks Air Force Chaplains, Endorsers

Former Air Force Captain Michael “Mikey” Weinstein and retired Chaplain (Col) Ron Crews are friends, sort of. They’ve spoken in the past about having dinner together at Weinstein’s house. This is despite the fact Weinstein’s MRFF is (almost) universally ideologically opposed to Crews’ CALL.  Weinstein attacks religious liberty in the US military, and Crews defends against him.

Chaplain Crews recently honored outgoing Congressman Randy Forbes as the recipient of their annual Torchbearer Award. The ceremony at which the award was presented was well attended by several members of Congress — as well as uniformed Air Force and Army chaplains.

The event has Weinstein seething and demanding the chaplains be court-martialed. It remains to be seen if the personal relationship between Crews and Weinstein can withstand Weinstein’s bigoted diatribe in the MRFF “demand” letter addressed to the Department of Defense Inspector General:  Read more

Mikey Weinstein Begs for Donations to Support Invisible Court Battles

From Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, speaking for his MRFF:

Your completely tax-deductible donation will allow us to continue our fight in the courts…

“Continue?” The MRFF hasn’t initiated a “fight in the courts” since their last lawsuit was tossed out in 2011. [Clarification: Weinstein did file a FOIA lawsuit against the US Air Force and the Air Force Academy in November 2015.] But Weinstein has been continuously begging for “tax-deductible donations” in the five years since, claiming he needs support to continue his “fight in the courts.” In that time, his MRFF has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars without initiating a single “fight” in the courts — despite his repeated quips that the US military would have to “tell it to the judge.”  Notably, in addition to those hundreds of thousands in outflow (not apparently in the courts), Mikey Weinstein has also managed to pay himself $1.95 million from donations since he founded his “charity.”

Why is Mikey Weinstein saying his donors are funding his court battles, when the MRFF hasn’t started any court battles in years? Some might say that soliciting donations for one purpose and then spending them Read more

Army Deserter, ISIS Supporter Pleads Guilty

Daniel Seth Franey is reportedly an Army deserter and supporter of Islamic extremism. He was charged in February for weapons violations after concerned members of the public reported his ideological statements and intimations about killing American soldiers. He’s now pled guilty to those weapons charges and faces 10 years in prison.

While most news reports don’t mention his religion, he apparently went by the name Abu Dawuud and called members of a local mosque “brothers.”

Franey was not charged with terrorism, and it seems Read more

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