Tag Archives: religious freedom

In Defense of Mike Pence

Vice President Mike Pence has been raked over the coals in recent weeks and months. He and his family have been the target of criticism, vitriol, and hate.

Some of it has come from random internet blogs or “celebrities” who might otherwise be ignored, except their acrimony was then repeated by the media as “news” — in some cases, it was seemingly promoted by the media.

Pence was attacked not because of a policy decision, a political position, or any action that was illegal or unethical.

Mike Pence has been attacked simply because he’s a Christian.

Notably, at no point did those same media organizations remotely defend Pence’s human rights, and rights under the US Constitution, that protect his ability to believe and do the things so vilely attacked.

By all accounts, Mike Pence is a good and honorable man — though that’s Read more

Supreme Court Stays Injunctions on Transgender Policy

The Supreme Court ruled (5-4) yesterday that injunctions preventing the Department of Defense from implementing a change to President Obama’s transgender policy were stayed while the case worked its way through the courts. This allows the DoD Policy proposed by then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis to take effect.

Previously, lower courts had ruled in both directions on the policy.

While the policy is about medical and mental conditions, critics of the ruling blamed it on religion — that is, Christianity.

Tris Mamone, a member of the awkwardly named LGBTQ Humanist Alliance, is quoted saying [emphasis added]

Today’s ruling is another example of bigotry and Christian nationalism overriding legal protections for all Americans.

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein similarly called it a product of the [emphasis added] Read more

US Senate Adopts Rule Upholding Constitution’s No Religious Test

Last Wednesday the US Senate passed a resolution stating what should have been obvious — there is no “religious test” for public office in the United States.

In response to Democrat Senators questioning nominees on their Catholic beliefs in association with the Knights of Columbus, the Senate passed a resolution stating it was

the sense of the Senate that disqualifying a nominee to Federal office on the basis of membership in the Knights of Columbus violates the Constitution of the United States

The resolution noted then-Senator and presidential candidate John F. Kennedy had similarly faced anti-Catholic bigotry: Read more

Christians Outpace Population within the UK Military

An interesting article covering the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense data on religion revealed some interesting statistics about faith groups and their military [emphasis added]:

Among the 99% of UK regulars who declared their faith, over 69% are of Christian denomination…

Around 28% reported having no religion, a figure that has seen a sharp increase in recent years…

Whilst 69% of the Army, Navy and RAF regulars are Christian, the faith accounts for just over half of the general public (50.7%).

The gap was even greater between the Future Reserves 2020 – a programme to strengthen the role of the reserves – and the general population, with more than 73% of reservists subscribed to Christianity…

(There’s just something about the word “whilst.”)

Granted, these numbers Read more

To Veterans Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts: “You Are Not Alone!”

by Sonny Hernandez

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28-29).

Service members that are contemplating suicide need help. Last year, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs released some alarming insights from their National Suicide Data Report for all 50 states and the District of Columbia:

  • Suicide rates increased for both Veterans and non-Veterans, underscoring the fact that suicide is a national public health concern that affects people everywhere.
  • The average number of Veterans who died by suicide each day remained unchanged at 20.
  • The suicide rate increased faster among Veterans who had not recently used Veterans Health Administration health care than among those who had.

There are Read more

US Navy Sailors Celebrate Paganism Aboard Carrier

A few sailors aboard the USS John C. Stennis, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, were recently highlighted for their unique exercise of religious freedom. From the official news release:

Heathenry, a religion with roots in Norse culture and mythology, is being practiced by a small, committed group of Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).

Aviation Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Joshua Wood, from Eagle River, Alaska, is John C. Stennis’ Heathen lay leader.

The story is “interesting” enough that the normally sleepy Navy news report has been widely repeated across the media, though it seems to have Read more

Teacher Fired for Not Using Male Pronouns to Address Female Student

Peter Vlaming, a French teacher at West Point High School in Virginia, was recently fired for refusing to use male pronouns when addressing a female student:

While Vlaming conceded to referring to the student by [her] male name, he refrained from addressing [her] by any identifying pronoun, the Times-Dispatch said.

This sounds much like the situation with Shawnee State University and Dr. Nicholas Meriwether, who was fired not for what he said, but for what he refused to say. In both cases, the reports indicate Read more

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