Tag Archives: Prayer

Christians, Commanders Lead Prayer Breakfast Around Military

US military commanders and motivational Christian speakers are leading prayer breakfasts throughout the military this year.

At Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Chad Robichaux spoke of his journey from Force Recon Marine to MMA fighter — by way of PTSD:

Robichaux addressed an audience of active duty Service Members and their families, during the annual National Prayer Breakfast on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Feb. 2…

“I sat in the closet with a pistol, on and off, for two weeks trying to work up the courage,” he said. “Knowing the kids might find me. Wondering if I could make it look like an accident.”

Robichaux even Read more

Mikey Weinstein Launches Annual Prayer Breakfast Fundraising

In what has become a predictable annual event, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein has again begun lodging his regular complaints about prayer breakfasts/luncheons being hosted on military bases or for military audiences around the country.

In January, Weinstein demanded Fort Jackson drop its invitation to Kenneth Copeland, because Mikey Weinstein disapproved of Copeland’s theology.

This month, Weinstein is demanding Whiteman AFB remove the commander’s “endorsement” from the wing’s annual prayer breakfast event announcement.

In the former example, the Army rightfully ignored Weinstein, and the event occurred as planned, despite Weinstein’s desperate pleas.

In the latter example, Weinstein is Read more

Remembering the Four Chaplains 75 Years Later

On 3 February 1943, the troop carrying USAT Dorchester was torpedoed by a German U-boat off the coast of Greenland. It went down with 670 of the 902 people onboard.

The story that keeps the Dorchester alive, however, is the now immortalized Four Chaplains:

As hundreds of panicking sailors scurried in fear for their lives, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, Father John P. Washington and the Revs. George L. Fox and Clark V. Poling gave up their life jackets and helped calm the soldiers.

Their sacrifice was Read more

Kenneth Copeland Speaks at Prayer Breakfast over Mikey Weinstein Protests

Yesterday, Kenneth Copeland spoke at the Fort Jackson Prayer Breakfast — despite Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s vehement demands that he be disinvited.

In noting Weinstein’s failure, the Christian Post highlighted the fact Weinstein had made an 11th-hour reattack, saying [emphasis added]:

In the second letter, sent Wednesday, Weinstein…included comments…denouncing Copeland’s remarks and his overall prosperity gospel worldview, with one figure stating that “Jesus Christ…would NOT recognize Kenneth Copeland as a disciple.”

Mikey Weinstein demanded the US military take action against someone because he didn’t agree with the content of their religious faith: Because “Jesus Christ…would NOT recognize Kenneth Copeland,” Mikey Weinstein and his group believe Copeland should have been banned.

He wasn’t even trying to hide his disdain for Copeland’s religion; he wasn’t even pretending to support “religious freedom.” Weinstein explicitly used Read more

Kenneth Copeland Issues Statement at Fort Jackson

Following some activist complaints about their Prayer Breakfast tomorrow, Fort Jackson released a statement from televangelist Kenneth Copeland regarding his position on PTSD. The statement says, in essence, that Copeland does not categorically deny the utility of doctors and medicine, which may be helpful to Christians whose “faith is not yet fully developed.” Importantly, he described his position as one based on his faith, with application to those who share his faith.  In another manner of speaking, his PTSD comments are directed only toward those who share his faith.

A local paper sought comment from Michael “Mikey” Weinstein:

Mikey Weinstein…said that Fort Jackson officials issuing the statement in Copeland’s name was “shamefully shilling for him as though they are his press agents.”

Weinstein really should have coordinated with his public relations folks, as he missed out on the opportunity to address the actual statement. After all, he’s the one loudly demanding Copeland be disinvited over issues of PTSD. Here Copeland addresses that very issue — and Weinstein gets quoted throwing a temper tantrum over the mechanism rather than the content, making Read more

Mikey Weinstein Demands US Army Ban Evangelist Kenneth Copeland

UPDATE: Fort Jackson says “there are no plans to rescind the invitation,” as reported by MRFF-friendly Nina Burleigh at Newsweek. Fort Jackson said [emphasis added]:

The Prayer Breakfast is open to all community members, is entirely voluntary, and is cost free to the Army and attendees. Mr. Copeland’s participation in the prayer breakfast is not an endorsement by Fort Jackson of him or of any comments that he may present. Fort Jackson respects and protects all individual’s rights under the First Amendment to the Constitution, including ensuring access to religious services and events for those who wish to participate and protecting the rights of those who do not.

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein has sent an email to Fort Jackson, SC, demanding the Army post disinvite Kenneth Copeland from their upcoming National Prayer Breakfast. Addressing MajGen John Johnson, Fort Jackson’s Commanding General, Weinstein wrote that Fort Jackson’s upcoming speaker:

is the universally despicable, discredited, fundamentalist Christian extremist/supremacist Kenneth Copeland. Do you know ANYthing of moment about this feckless, religious bully/provocateur, General Johnson?

Weinstein went on to call Copeland “disgusting,” “a miserable, fundamentalist Christian wretch,” a “divisive and corrosive individual/religious predator and bully” and “hideously reprehensible fundamentalist Christian charlatan cum exclusivist bigot.”

Clearly, Mikey Weinstein has a thing for Kenneth Copeland.

But other than his dripping vitriol and thesaurus-like list of adjectives of disdain for the prosperity gospel minister, Weinstein never Read more

Atheists Call on Defense Secretary Mattis to End Military Prayers

The Freedom From Religion Foundation and American Atheists sent a letter (PDF) yesterday to Secretary of Defense James Mattis calling on him to act to end “coerced religious observances” within the military.  Alison Gill and Rebecca Markert write that

The complainants allege, among other things, that facility organizers regularly include scheduled prayer in graduation ceremonies, cadets who opt not to attend worship services on Sundays are instead given menial tasks to perform, and instructors regularly lead recruits in prayers prior to administering tests.

The letter provides no examples. It appears to Read more

God Delivered Us That Night. No One Will Deny That.

A local story repeated at the Stars and Stripes covers Willard Keith Staneart, who served as an Army chaplain during Vietnam. Faced with the potential of an overwhelming attack by the Viet Cong, Staneart spoke with his battalion commander:

“He said, ‘Chaplain, every one of these young men are like my own sons. Their parents and their spouses are dependent on my getting them home safely,'” Staneart said. “He says, ‘I’ve failed. They’re all going to die tonight.'”

The commander asked Staneart to go around, pray with and counsel the men.

“I took a Bible, went Read more

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