Marines Host Faith in Combat Leadership Breakfast
US Marines at Camp Leatherneck recently hosted a “Faith in Combat Leadership” breakfast to “get back in touch with their religion.”
“The purpose of (the breakfast) was to Read more
Tag Archives: religious freedom
Media Ethics Questioned after Atheists Fund Reporting
Writing at TheBlaze, Billy Hallowell raises questions about the ethics of the Religion News Service (RNS) after he describes their decision to accept funding from an activist atheist — without publicly acknowledging they had done so.
The Stiefel Freethought Foundation (SFF), a hub for the atheist movement, has given $65,000 [to the Religion News Service] over the past two years to help fund coverage of non-believers and the so-called “freethought” movement. The organization, run by atheist millionaire Todd Stiefel…, has a very clear goal of organizing atheists, while spreading and advancing non-belief.
Under a section entitled “Accomplishments in 2011,” the [SFF] site reads, “SFF donated $50,000 to Religion News Service to bolster its coverage of freethinkers with a series of news, investigations, feature stories and photos.”
Hallowell says “most” news organizations would find this relationships “suspect,” and questions if the donation might influence the tone of reporting:
Taking money from a special interest group in the faith sphere causes one to wonder how rigorously — or honestly — the subject of atheism was explored.
If this sounds familiar, it should. Hallowell is referring to the issue raised here regarding the RNS reporting of Kimberly Winston, who has written veritable “press releases” for atheists. These articles have included stories on the atheist counter-Christian “Rock Beyond Belief” organized by atheist Army SGT Justin Griffith, which was an event Read more
Cannon AFB Chapel Helps Achieve Serenity
In July, US Army Chaplain (Capt) Somya Malasri was recently hosted a “Buddhist meditation and yoga workshop,” sponsored by the Cannon Air Force Base chapel.
Generally, chapel services aren’t newsworthy events, and except for a few photos, this event was similar. What makes this significant (though not unique), of course, is Read more
US Marine Serves God and Country
A US military press release highlights Marine Lance Cpl Malike Mejdouli, a “devout Muslim” who fasted even while in combat in Afghanistan. It was not without impact:
“You just have to deal with it,” said Mejdouli about practicing his faith. “I was sick for like five days out here while fasting, throwing up and everything.”
In many discussions on Islam, soldiers are generally exempt from fasting. Mejdouli notes he couldn’t fast last year because he was in basic training. USAFA cadets Read more
Family Research Council Cites ChristianFighterPilot.com
Just a short time after a gunman fired on a security guard at The Family Research Council building in Washington, DC — apparently because he ‘didn’t like their politics’ — the FRC and the Liberty Institute published The Survey of Religious Hostility in America (PDF, 2MB). The Survey is 135 pages covering “more than 600 recent examples of religious hostility” detailing “religious bigotry throughout America.” The paper includes not just independent government action, but moves by citizens to use the government to take action “hostile” toward religion.
America today would be unrecognizable to our Founders. Our first freedom is facing a relentless onslaught from well-funded and aggressive groups and individuals who are using the courts, Congress, and the vast federal bureaucracy to suppress and limit religious freedom. This radicalized minority is driven by an anti-religious ideology that is turning the First Amendment upside down.
Naturally, the report covers perceptions of religious hostility in the US military, with which they included this citation of ChristianFighterPilot.com: Read more
Local Editorial Scolds Over-the-Top Weinstein
The IndyStar, which has naturally followed accusations against Indiana’s Adjutant General MajGen Marty Umbarger, published a short editorial that scolded Michael Weinstein for his self-appointed role as judge, jury, and executioner:
[Umbarger’s video] raised the ire of a self-appointed watchdog, an attorney named Mikey Weinstein, who started an organization that bills itself as the Military Religious Freedom Foundation…
In an over-the-top protest, Weinstein has demanded that the general be relieved of his command and court-martialed…
The editorial does not attempt to proclaim General Umbarger’s video statement as without error; it merely says that, if it is an error, it does not rise to the ridiculous demands Weinstein makes: Read more
US Soldiers who Burned Korans Receive Punishment
The investigation into the burning of Islamic religious material confiscated from an Afghan prison was reportedly completed, with no one criminally charged or court-martialed. (Recall that “religious freedom” advocate Michael Weinstein had demanded the court-martial of these Christians — without explaining how he knew what, if any, faith they held.) Administrative “non-judicial punishments” were meted out for the error, which was determined not to be malicious: Read more
Weinstein Sticks Foot in Mouth over West Point Survey
Michael Weinstein, of his self-founded Military Religious Freedom Foundation, has threatened to “file a federal lawsuit” if the US Military Academy at West Point doesn’t stop using a survey that “violates…constitutional protections.”
West Point is currently in direct violation of Clause 3, Article 6 of the United States Constitution’s absolute prohibition against the utilization of any “religious test”…
West Point has grievously transgressed against and is in clear violation of the Constitution of the United States of America, period.
You know its serious when he spells out “period.” Further, Weinstein asserted that his “clients” were anonymous because they “gravely” feared reprisal:
Our 42 MRFF clients at West Point gravely fear the distinct possibility that they could be the target of nontrivial direct or indirect reprisals and/or retribution if they were to voice their concerns and demands to their superiors at the Academy…
Weinstein’s main points — West Point violated the Constitution and its cadets and faculty are cowering in fear — are fairly easy to debunk:
“West Point Violated the Constitution”
Most honest Constitutional historians would likely admit Weinstein is misusing the “no religious test” clause. (Even Weinstein’s own research assistant, Chris Rodda, Read more