Dear Military Religious Freedom Foundation,
The military and America have spoken.
The menorah and the manger stay!
(name withheld)
Hi (name withheld),
Thank you for contacting the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF). When an email is sent to MRFF its forwarded on to Mikey, the Board and the Advisory Board. I am on the Advisory Board and also an ordained minister in the Assemblies of God.
I understand your reasoning concerning the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) but if the media would do their job and report the stories accurately, people would see that we’re not anti-Christian in any way. If that were so, I wouldn’t be here nor would the California Council of Churches/IMPACT with its 5,500 churches and numerous individual churches and Christian volunteers.
The first amendment in the Constitution states;
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion (establishment clause), or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (free exercise clause).”
Our military cannot favor one religion over any others (Establishment Clause) and cannot stop our soldiers from practicing whatever religion they want or if they want to practice no religion (Free Exercise Clause).
The Commander is responsible for ensuring that soldiers and their families have the opportunity for the free exercise of religion under the Chaplaincy Corp.
The Chaplain is a special staff officer to the Commander and soldiers who want religious support and it is the Chaplain’s duty to carry out all religious activities inherent in that religion.
Complaints came in to MRFF when the Nativity scene was put at the front gate instead of on Chapel grounds. When MRFF contacted Travis, 3 days later they put up the Menorah to see if Mikey, who is Jewish, would fight against his own faith, which MRFF did. Then over a period of days other Christmas items were put out.
Here’s the part where the media has not done its journalistic duty—they left out the memorandum by Gen. Schwartz—the Chief of Staff to the Air Force—which I have attached.
The Air Force bases are rampant on its egregious attacks against both the establishment clause and the free exercise clause by favoring one extreme form of Christianity (which is another story) so Gen. Schwartz was forced to go to the USAFA in Colorado to reprimand them. Lt. Gen. Gould of the USAFA continued to defy the General—which borders on insubordination. So, in September of this year, Gen. Schwartz was forced to issue a memorandum to all Air Force bases on the military’s role concerning religion and religious activities. Here are two quotes from that memorandum.
Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz issued a memo to commanders that told them to avoid mixing religion with their military roles.
They must refrain from appearing to officially endorse religion generally or any particular religion,” Schwartz wrote.”
We are doing nothing more than backing what the General told them to do. All we ask is that they move the Nativity scene and Menorah 2 blocks away on the Chapel grounds where they always were. The Commander at Travis AFB is also defying his superior’s order.
You see, this battle is not really between the military and MRFF. It’s between the Chief of Staff standing up for the Constitution and the Commanders. Because MRFF is the most vocal, we are demonized and used to win the support of the public. The people are being used as pawns and don’t even realize it in order to override the Constitution where our government entities are concerned. Period.
We are NOT anti-Christian nor trying to take Christmas out of the military. We are only asking that they be put back in the hands of the Chaplains—not the Commanders at the front gate—where they belong.
Just imagine the outcry if the Muslims were allowed to put up symbols of Ramadan at the front gate, giving the appearance of supporting that religion. There are many Muslims and other faiths in our military who fight for our freedoms under the Constitution who find this not only against the Constitution but against their faith.
Remember, our military is secular. Anyone who wants to don the uniform of our military and fight for our freedoms under the Constitution—not the bible—are free to do so.
I hope this clarifies our stance in support of Gen. Schwartz and that we are not the hate group we are made out to be.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
Pastor Joan
Pastor Joan — I don’t think any words you or the MRFF can type [write] will satisfy the dominonists, they are lost and don’t want to be found. Its unfortunate they continue to spew hate and bigotry towards the US Constitution and America.
Hey Joan…you are mistaken on several counts. The Chapel activity is supported primarily with free will donations from its members… not by government funds. The Menorah was front and center for the holiday lighting with the tree a couple of days before it was moved next to the Nativity…from what I remember. The Menorah has been displayed in such manner for at least 12 years….it wasn’t hastily erected. The are other displays more front and center. Having only the Menorah and nativity displayed on Chapel grounds would evoke a similar response from MRFF. They would claim preferential treatment there as well. Also I now see a “hastily” erected atheist display… Why didn’t they request a display before all this hullabaloo?
Also, will you correct Carmine when she calls those who have a different view of the Constitution “Dominionists” and that we “spew hate and bigotry toward the US Constituion and America. Convenient…to describe the ones defending freedom in such terms.
Thanks in advance for your apologies for your mistaken comments.
Merry merry Christmas to you:)
Oh ya… I forgot. I also attended a national prayer luncheon a few years ago with representatives from Buddhism and Muslims along with a Rabbi and Christian chaplins. Seems very inclusive to me… Maybe it’s not the Buddhist or Muslim tradition to erect displays in December… I don’t know. Why don’t you ask if they even made a request??
And you said the display is at the front gate…. it’s not…. you can’t even see it from there. Be careful who you believe… or better yet… check your sources before making false statements.