Tag Archives: military religious freedom foundation

US Military Continues to Ignore Mikey Weinstein, Lessons Learned

by Sonny Hernandez

Via the MRFF

On Monday, April, 27, 2017, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), which is actually a “freedom from religion” foundation that harasses Christians, issued a communiqué titled, “MRFF files official Department of Defense Inspector General (DoD/IG) complaint against USAF Chaplain (Capt.) Sonny Hernandez.” In this complaint, the MRFF’s attorney sent a letter to the Deputy Inspector General for Administrative Investigations that alleged:

USAF Chaplain (Capt.) Sonny L. Hernandez’s blog post on “Christian Fighter Pilot”…can reasonably be considered as violating Numerous Punitive Articles [sic] defined in The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) [sic].

I. Background

To explain what caused this accusation ad-nauseam, Christianfightpilot.com (CFP) posted a Read more

Gen Boykin on Memorial Day and the Missing Man Table

Just prior to Memorial Day retired LtGen William “Jerry” Boykin wrote a column in the Washington Times entitled “Rolling Thunder, ‘Missing Man’ tables and the Bible.” Rolling Thunder is the annual arrival in Washington, DC, or thousands of motorcyclists at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Gen Boykin notes Rolling Thunder also supports Missing Man or POW/MIA Tables around the country — something certain government agencies have actually made more difficult.

After noting the traditional makeup fo the POW/MIA table, Boykin said: Read more

Pilots Join DC Gay Pride Parade

Every now and then someone critiques the idea of there being a “Christian Fighter Pilot.” For some (generally non-Christians), it is the perceived “oxymoron” of being a follower of Christ while simultaneously being a military combatant. Many who are trying to find something to gripe about critique the idea that there needs to be a “descriptor” to discriminate about types of fighter pilots. Why not just be fighter pilots?

In fairness, though, Christians haven’t been the only ones to “celebrate” their contribution to the military mission — or even being a fighter pilot. For example, a few years ago, the Atheist Fighter Pilot made a short-lived showing here, and religious groups and organizations have sprung up for a variety of faiths.

Apparently, pilots can be known for their faith, their lack of faith…

…and how they like to have sex.

This past weekend, one of the participants in the Capital Pride Read more

The Religious Test of Russell Vought, but Not Mark Green

Critics have come out in force against US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) after he said he would not support President Trump’s nominee for the deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought. Sanders’ reason? Vought has Christian beliefs, which he expressed in a column defending Wheaton College in 2016 in which he said that “Muslims stand condemned”:

Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology. They do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand condemned.

In his questioning during the confirmation hearing for Vought’s nomination to the OMB, Sanders asked:

Do you believe people in the Muslim religion stand condemned? Is that your view?

…I don’t know how many Muslims there are in America. Maybe a couple million. Are you suggesting that these people stand condemned? What about Jews? Do they stand condemned too?

In your judgment, do you think that people who are not Christians are going to be condemned?

I would simply say, Mr. Chairman that this nominee is really not someone who this country is supposed to be about.

Atheists, liberals, and Christians alike have condemned Read more

Vice President Pence: Military Service is “Putting Teeth on Your Faith”

Vice President Mike Pence, speaking at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast this week, had an interesting take on military religious freedom. As he paused to recognized veterans and service members present at the breakfast, he said

Would all those who are present here today who have worn the uniform of the United States of America, would those men and women please stand up and allow us to thank you for your service and putting teeth on your faith in defending our freedom? Thank you for your service.

It’s a fascinating way to think about it.

Pence also emphasized the President’s priority on Read more

MRFF Operates in the Red, Takes Government Money, but Mikey Weinstein Profits

For the first time since he first reported a donation in 2006, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s Military Religious Freedom Foundation — the “charity” he started, operates, and for which he is the sole paid employee — spent more than it brought in, according to its IRS filings for 2015 (the most recent available).

In 2015, Weinstein brought in $668,000, which is nearly $30,000 less than the prior year (and marks the second year of declines). The MRFF’s expenses totaled $677,000, putting Weinstein on the red side of the ledger.

Of course, that’s somewhat academic when you’re running your own charity. For one thing, the MRFF is sitting on a rainy day cash pile of more than $200,000. (This year represents the first time that account showed withdrawal.) Also, all Weinstein had to do was reduce his own pay by $9,000 — a number he reportedly votes on — and he could have been operating in the black, if he’d chosen to.

Instead, Mikey Weinstein gave himself a raise, from $244,000 in 2014 to $264,000 in 2015.  Put another way, about 40% of the MRFF’s donations go directly to Mikey Weinstein’s salary.

That said, it’s long been known that Mikey Weinstein likely has other “compensation” from Read more

Supreme Court Declines to Hear Monifa Sterling Appeal

Disgraced former Marine LCpl Monifa Sterling’s appeal to the US Supreme Court has been denied.

After being court-martialed on an array of specifications, Sterling had teamed with the First Liberty Institute to appeal a charge related to her posting of Bible verses at her desk. The US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces had denied her appeal — with a dissent.  Her appeal to the Supreme Court was the final step.

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein was giddy, awkwardly managing to claim this constituted a win for “religious freedom.”

Even more awkwardly, Weinstein was taken to task by his own supporters for announcing that the denial of cert by the Supreme Court had been “unanimous.” The truth is that no one knows how the individual justices decided on that request for cert. Weinstein was Read more

Air Force Chaplain, Mikey Weinstein Attack National Guard Strong Bonds

An unnamed Air Force chaplain sent a formally formatted complaint to Michael “Mikey” Weinstein in early May, claiming the National Guard Bureau had established “Protestant Christianity” as the “official religion” of the Guard’s Strong Bonds program.

As if to reinforce the fact the letter was written specifically for public consumption, just a few hours after receiving it Weinstein sent off his “demand” letter to General Joseph Lengyel, Chief of the National Guard Bureau. Weinstein made no new allegations but asserted those of the chaplain, who had complained about a line from a National Guard MOI on Strong Bonds.  Regarding Strong Bonds events, the official Memorandum of Instruction said

One voluntary worship service will be conducted at all overnight training sessions, serving to the extent possible, the largest religious demographic represented in accordance with the Constitutional mandate to provide for the “free exercise of religion”. (See “DODI 1300.17”; “AFI 52-101”).

Military regulations can sometimes be ambiguous, vague, and even self-contradictory, so it is understandable that even well-meaning or intelligent members of the military might misunderstand them.

But even graciously speaking, that’s not what happened Read more

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