In a fascinating article from earlier this year, Bear Grylls — of “Man vs Wild” fame — has endorsed a waterproof Bible that will be issued to new military recruits:
The New Zealand Defence Force is issuing new recruits with waterproof Bibles, endorsed by TV adventurer Bear Grylls, in a worldwide military first.
The act of presenting military personnel with Bibles Read more
Removing the poster and editing the oath for all Academy students is extreme and unnecessary, and does a disservice to the countless individuals who wish to include the phrase as a solemn reminder that they are pledging their fidelity to God and country.
Letter to LtGen Michelle Johnson from Congress
18 November 2013
Lost in the recent hubbub over the US Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Oath’s inclusion of “so help me God” was an observation made by Patriot Post some time ago: The phrase “so help me God” had already been deleted from the oaths included in the Cadet Contrails (the book of knowledge issued to each new cadet, which they are required to memorize).
Twenty-eight members of Congress recently wrote to USAFA Superintendent LtGen Johnson and reminded her that the Oath of Office, Oath of Enlistment, and Read more
A group of Soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas, was busy with readiness training — but their chaplains were right there with them:
“In the Army we talk about readiness,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Doug Downs, 2/1 AD chaplain. “In all different ways, folks have to be ready. Spiritual readiness is just as important for soldiers who are getting ready to, or who will potentially go to war.”
The chaplains provided a variety of services Read more
The Huffington Post had a photo collection “celebrat[ing] the religious diversity of the military” on Veteran’s Day. Their list:
Michael “Mikey” Weinstein seems to be waging a war by billboard (and judging by his previous efforts, Lamar advertising seems to be the main benefactor). This time, Weinstein publicized an email quote from a staff member of the US Air Force Academy Prep School:
The photo was provided by the MRFF, and faithful ally Pam Zubeck dutifully reprinted it at the CSIndy.
Unfortunately for the MRFF, a substantial majority of the people who saw and commented on it read only the quote from Willoughby — and then praised Willoughby’s sentiment.
A few did say Willoughby had “violated his oath as an officer” and Read more
LtGen Benjamin Mixon, now retired, was sanctioned by the Department of Defense when he publicly encouraged US military members to contact their congressmen if they opposed the repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
In a late summer interview by the Billy Graham Evangelical Association for a longer article, Gen Mixon stood by his original comments and indicated DADT repeal would “open the floodgates” [emphasis added]: Read more
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel “blasted” nine states whose National Guard bureaus have refused to process requests for homosexual benefits at their state facilities. In his Oct 31 speech to the Anti-Defamation League, Hagel said
several states today are refusing to issue these IDs to same-sex spouses at National Guard facilities. Not only does this violate the states’ obligations under federal law, but their actions have created hardship and inequality by forcing couples to travel long distances to federal military bases to obtain the ID cards they’re entitled to.
This is wrong. It causes division among our ranks, and it furthers prejudice, which DoD has fought to extinguish, as has the ADL.
The situation is intriguing, because by calling these states “wrong,” Secretary Hagel appears to be calling the citizens who voted state laws into place “wrong.” If a state has a constitutional amendment that refuses to recognize a homosexual relationship — an amendment passed by the citizens of the state — it naturally follows that the offices of the state, including its National Guard, would adhere to those laws.
Secretary Hagel continued: Read more
President of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Russell Moore recently spoke to the New Orleans Seminary and said Christians should advocate for the Gospel — and religious freedom:
The apostle Paul provides a model for how pastors and other Christians are to maintain “the centrality of the Gospel and the defense of religious liberty at the same time,” Moore told the seminarians.
Preaching from Acts 26:24-32, Moore said Paul both defended his religious freedom and proclaimed the Gospel…
“Paul here understands that freedom itself is not enough,” Moore said. The freedom Paul sought — and Christians today should seek — “is a freedom to do something … the pushing and the pressing and the pleading of the Gospel,” he said.
While some have advocated for Christians to abandon the political realm — an attitude of which Moore was even accused — Moore clearly says Christians have a duty to advocate for religious liberty.
Moore also had words of warning for military chaplains: Read more