FOX NEWS / TOWNHALL – Military Chaplain in Trouble for Offending Atheists

Published On: July 25, 2013|Categories: News|15 Comments|

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Selected article excerpt:

Reyes recounted the origin of the phrase “There is no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole.” Father William Cummings has largely been credited with uttering the phrase in Bataan during World War II.

President Eisenhower referenced the phrase during a speech to the American Legion in 1954, noting “I am delighted that our veterans are sponsoring a movement to increase our awareness of God in our daily lives. In battle, they learned a great truth that there are no atheists in the foxholes.”

Reyes ended his essay with a reflection on faith.

“Everyone expresses some form of faith every day, whether it is religious or secular,” he wrote. “Some express faith by believing when they get up in the morning they will arrive at work in one piece, thankful they have been given another opportunity to enjoy the majesty of the day, or express relief the doctor’s results were negative.”

Reyes did not attack or insult atheists or non-believers in his column.

However, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation accused Reyes of going on an “anti-secular diatribe” and publicly denigrating “those without religion.”

They fired off a letter to the Air Force base allegedly on behalf of 42 anonymous airmen who allegedly complained.

“In the civilian world, such anti-secular diatribe is protected free speech,” wrote MRFF’s Blake Page in a letter to Col. Brian Duffy, the base commander. “Beyond his most obvious failure in upholding regulations through redundant use of the bigoted, religious supremacist phrase, ‘no atheists in foxholes,’ he defiles the dignity of service members by telling them that regardless of their personally held philosophical beliefs they must have faith.”

The Air Force agreed and approximately five hours after the MRFF complained, they removed the chaplain’s essay.

“While certainly not intended to offend, the article has been removed from our website,” Col. Duffy wrote in an email to the MRFF. “We remain mindful of the governing instructions on this matter and will work to avoid recurrence.”

But that’s not good enough for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. They want the chaplain punished for what he wrote.

“Faith based hate, is hate all the same,” Page wrote. “Lt. Col. Reyes must be appropriately reprimanded.”

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15 Comments

  1. Debbie Smith July 25, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    Instead of removing a well-written article, why not write and print another article of rebuttal. Both view points would have been covered instead of someone else being able to exercise complete intolerance of another person’s religious freedom.

  2. Dan July 25, 2013 at 6:03 pm

    This site sucks both for it’s intent and design. Judging by the number of comments, everyone knows how irrelevant it is. How do people (mikey) get so hateful and helps when the donations start rolling inintolerant…oh yeah, it

  3. Cynthia Salinis July 25, 2013 at 6:19 pm

    I do not understand what was so offensive about the Essay, why would the anonymous airmen who had complained about it just not go there.

  4. Jim Kremsner July 25, 2013 at 6:32 pm

    I believe Mickey has totally missed the point of our founding fathers. I’ll bet that Mikey’s parents have Faith and when Mickey was brought into this world many thanks were expressed based on Faith. When I went into battle I called upon my Faith for deliverance and protection. I put on the armour of my country and the armour of my Faith. Don’t be so afraid Mikey of faith in the military or elsewhere Fatih founded America and Faith will deliver it.
    Respectfully .j. Kremsner

  5. Catherine Marler July 25, 2013 at 7:36 pm

    You know as well as I that this “organization” should more accurately be titled, “Military Freedom FROM Religion Foundation.” It is laughable how you say you don’t believe in a God, but your actions scream ‘I hate you, God!’ Most of the world disagrees with you on this subject. Why would you want to take away something that offers hope and comfort to most people? How very selfish of you.

  6. Bible thumping rancher July 25, 2013 at 8:31 pm

    Our military needs to stand strong. Between the don’t ask don’t tell crap, service members not being able to vote and more and more backlash against Christian military, I am never more proud of our young men and women still willing to serve with faith and integrity. They stand proud in spite of the idiot political correct morons. If nothing else, I pray the idiocy of organizations like the MRFF will strengthen the resolve of our military people. God Bless America!

  7. I Care July 25, 2013 at 8:35 pm

    Mikey Weinstein is a pawn and a patsy. He apparently is very well-funded in his efforts to destroy the fabric of our Nation. Hey, but he get’s his name in the press and get’s to use his foul language. Cool! Like Madalyn Murray O’Hair, he’ll get his due.

  8. Nellie July 25, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    You can tell you have never been in a “fox hole” Why don’t you just crawl back into the hole you came out of and let the rest of the world move on.

  9. Tim Goins July 26, 2013 at 2:30 am

    This is going too far. He was quoting Ike. Response or rebuttal is appropriate, but this sounds like a crybaby attitude. “If I don’t get my way, I’ll tell my big brother and he’ll get even!” Now apologize for being childish.

  10. G Anderson July 26, 2013 at 5:31 am

    Have you lost touch with reality? Your bi-line or so called mission if offensive. The only religion you support is the Constitution? The US Constitution is NOT a religion Einstein it is a POLITICAL statement/belief/pledge. Our founding fathers established a separation of Church and State with the CONSTITUTION . . . To taut your organization in the name of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation claiming to protect military members religious freedoms is an insult to ALL who are and have served! You are a heretic and your bi-lines are blasphemous! GO CHAPLAINS!!!

  11. Benjamin Anderson July 26, 2013 at 6:19 am

    This is so damn outrageous it makes me sick!!! This man is a man of God who was quoting one of our greatest presidents. He not only has a right to his opinion, he is also protected under the Constitution to express that opinion. Between all the leftest Bull S*it and the fact that our government doesn’t have the B*lls to stand up for what is right, both Constitutionally and Religiously, our nation is going to crap. Our nation was founded on from ideological and religious beliefs, and we as Americans CANNOT let these HATEFUL people bring it down. As a retired military member, I am proud of my country and proud of my faith in God, both go hand in hand. To the current military members serving across the world, I tell you to keep your faith and DO NOT let anyone stop you from practicing that faith (it is guaranteed in the Constitution). MRFF will try and take your freedoms from you, boycott them and their stupidity. Stay strong, keep your faith, and tell these B*stards to take a hike!!!!

  12. Thomas E. Thies July 26, 2013 at 7:01 am

    Mr. Weinstein, you have missed the point. There is no constitutional phrase or concept in the U S Constitution of separation of church and state. Amendment I states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof: or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” What your org is doing is totally contrary to the first amendment. What would have been constitutional is for you to write a rebuttal or for the airmen to write a rebuttal and have it published in the chaplain’s corner. I am a retired Navy Chaplain, CAPT, of 24 years. If I was the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, I would have been in the AF Chief of Staff’s office defending Chaplain Reyes and putting Col Duffy on report for violating the Chaplain’s Constitutional rights and for disrupting good order and discipline. You have no true understanding of the Constitution. I would expect a Christian Chaplain to be Christian, a Muslim Chaplain to be Muslim, etc. I would expect them to speak according to their faith and in the end agree to disagree. Chaplains have a long history of working very well with each other and the people they serve. Having served yourself, I would think you would understand that. There is no harm, just people who seem to have an agenda to destroy anything Christian! What say you?

  13. Jim White July 26, 2013 at 10:05 am

    It is a sad day when the ObamaAirForce punishes a man of God for sharing his opinion with his fellow service men. Our Constitution is under attack from many sides. I wonder if Weinstein has served in the military, or if he is just another leftist, liberal, communist, atheist, draft dodger like most politicians these days. I would be very surprised if Weinstein or other members of MRFF have ever been in a fox hole, let alone, a position of danger. His organization, and others, are wreaking havoc on our military. JD, USN Retired

  14. SGT Ted July 28, 2013 at 7:09 am

    Retired, 26 years of service US Army. I have always been rather agnostic and even atheistic.

    I find your attack on currently serving Americans free speech and freedom to worship rights despicable, bigoted and un-American.

    I took part in many prayers or sat silently while someone said them. If you cannot handle a prayer, which are merely words, then I would suggest that you are moral cowards unprepared to stand up for your comrades Civil Rights and in violation of your oath of service. If you cannot stand up for ALL the rights in the Constitution, you are probably unfit for service and should be dismissed, or just get out voluntarily, where you can go live where you won’t have to hear dissenting or religious speech.

    There is no harm from allowing others to freely worship, even within Military Service. However, you are damaging ALL of our rights by attacking the rights of the religious as somehow not protected by the US Constitution we all swore to uphold and defend. If you cannot handle differing opinions you aren’t getting what it is to be an American. Free Speech isn’t hate. Lose the hate and gain some tolerance.

    If the homophobes can handle gays serving, surely you can handle the religious serving. Or are you less of an American than the homophobes?

  15. Jim July 29, 2013 at 10:41 am

    YOU ARE WRONG again. It’s pretty bad when you strike a note that 99% hear and disagree with. I found God while serving in Vet Nam before that I was agnostic. Now your saying shut up to the very people that help me and many others.
    Keep reading over and over again what Mr. Thies commented on and maybe you will also find God.

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