Tag Archives: Military

USAF Chief of Chaplains Thanks God Downrange

At an “undisclosed location,” US Air Force Chief of Chaplains (MGen) Dondi Costin led an interfaith Thanksgiving service noting, as he often does, the religious freedom that protects the rights of US troops to exercise their faiths [emphasis added]:

“The very first amendment [in the Bill of Rights] is that every American has the right to freely exercise their faith,” said Maj. Gen. Dondi Costin, Air Force Chief of Chaplains. “From the [beginning] our founding fathers understood that part of being American is allowing everybody to live in the way that their God would have them to live.”

Sounds like something that needs to be relearned in Read more

World War II Chaplain to Receive Silver Star

The US military has approved the awarding of a Silver Star to Father Aloysius Schmitt, a Catholic chaplain who was aboard the USS Oklahoma when it was struck and capsized during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. More than 400 Sailors perished. Chaplain (LTjg) Schmitt is reported to have helped several men through their only means of escape — a porthole — and when it appeared he might get stuck in the porthole, declined the opportunity to escape himself, allowing others to live.

The Oklahoma was righted in 1943, and Read more

American Atheists File Lawsuit over Blessing of the Animals

A county-run animal shelter’s annual “Blessing of the Animals” is the subject of a federal lawsuit filed by American Atheists in New Jersey. As noted at the Religion Clause:

The complaint in American Atheists, Inc. v. Bergen County, objects to the use of public resources and employee time to promote and host a ritual that is performed by Franciscan clergy annually in honor of St. Francis of Assissi.

A member of the American Atheists — who knew about the blessing ceremony in advance — happened to show up in person (to adopt a pet, of course) just as the ceremony was occurring. Just in time to very conveniently be offended.

While a county pet shelter may not seem relevant to the US military, the contrived Read more

MRFF’s Chris Rodda Uncovers Plot for Christian Takeover

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein probably doesn’t like it when his organization is associated with conspiracy theories. The problem, of course, is that Mikey Weinstein believes he and he alone has the clarity of vision to see the Impending Doom to be wrought upon this great nation by Those Evil Christians, Inc. — doom that includes a “Slaughterville” for Jews that is already in the works, Weinstein says.

As such, Mikey Weinstein tends to attract like-minded disciples who think 9/11 was an inside job, KC-135s disappear to support secret nuclear strikes, and Colonel Sanders is forming a shadow triumvirate with James Dobson and Dick Cheney underground at USAFA.

Now, it seems Chris Rodda is the latest to have broken the code:  Read more

US Air Force Gets First Buddhist Chaplain

Chaplain (1Lt) Brett Campbell recently became the US Air Force’s first (and only) Buddhist chaplain [emphasis added]:

The Iowa native who was raised Catholic discovered meditation and was introduced to Buddhism while at Iowa State University. He was attracted to the religion because it was more of a life philosophy and that he was frustrated with the mainstream church culture and system that was so susceptible to corruption.

After graduation, Campbell joined the Peace Corps and served in Mongolia where he said he began identifying as a Tibetan Buddhist.

That’s an interesting Read more

Senators Scold Air Force over Treatment of Col Leland Bohannon, Religious Liberty

A group of US Senators has written a letter (PDF) asking US Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson not only to “restore justice” to unjustly punished Colonel Leland Bohannon, but also to explain how the Air Force’s actions comport with its — and her — stated support for religious liberty [emphasis added]:

We therefore ask that you, as Secretary of the Air Force, clarify the branch’s position on religious liberty. We ask that you instruct the Air Force to issue formal guidance and provide adequate training to commanders so that they know how to properly and respectfully address the religious liberty rights of their subordinates.

Lastly, we request that you investigate Read more

1 … 42 43 44 45 46 … 552