Tag Archives: mwr

Update 2: Atheist Ends Military Nativity in Bahrain

Update: A letter to the editor of the Stars and Stripes questions Torpy’s “odd idea of religious freedom.”

Former Army Captain and current atheist Jason Torpy was working overtime doing damage control over the past week, as various outlets picked up the story of his complaint over the “live nativity” occurring during NSA Bahrain’s annual “Holiday Tree Lighting.”  His comments appeared on a variety of sites covering the controversy; in each case, he basically said he didn’t demand NSA Bahrain cancel it — he just called it “unconstitutional” and a danger to US troops — that’s all.  Of course, he did say that cancelling it was “preferable to” letting it happen:

If the scene had to be cancelled, that is unfortunate but it is also preferable to the government-sponsored proselytism [*See note, below] the Live Nativity would have added to an otherwise positive celebration.

FoxNews accurately reported that Torpy’s complaint to the Inspector General led to the cancellation of the event to occur during Read more

Rock Beyond Belief: Funded by the Christian Collection Plate?

The question of equitable treatment of “Rock Beyond Belief” has already been addressed in general terms.  What follows below is a more in-depth discussion on some of the specifics of the “Rock Beyond Belief” controversy, including Affiliation, Attendance, Funding, and Content.  It will certainly be referenced for the MRFF case file (Chris Rodda has undoubtedly been waiting for this), and Fort Bragg may even take a peek at it; it’s here for all to see.

If you only have a few minutes, recommended reading is the section on Funding, though Content is also enlightening.

There’s one interesting qualifier:  At least two of the issues below, about which supporters of RBB are only now complaining, were known last year.  Guess who brought them up?  “Rock Beyond Belief”…

Affiliation: “Rock Beyond Belief” organizers Read more

Rock Beyond Belief: Equitable Treatment, or Atheist Discrimination?

Michael Weinstein’s “religious freedom” foundation has raised a hullabaloo over the decision by organizers to cancel the atheist “counter-event” to last year’s Christian “Rock the Fort.”  Quoth the ever-eloquent Weinstein:

There is a DoD Directive which says that the Department of Defense may never provide a selective benefit for one entity and not provide the same benefit for another, and the Billy Graham Evangelical Society received a benefit that was not afforded to Rock Beyond Belief.  They have treated us horribly.

Weinstein and supporters of the “Rock Beyond Belief” event claim the “horrible” treatment is a result of being treated differently than “Rock the Fort,” or that the military “reneged” on its promise of the “same support” for RBB as RtF.  This “disparate” treatment, then, is proof the military is actually trying to promote Christianity.

Then again, Weinstein thinks everything is proof of some sort of Christian conspiracy.

The long and short of it is that there is a process by which Fort Bragg Read more