Attack on Religious Freedom

Published On: October 27, 2013|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

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To whom it may concern,

As I am typing I’m trying to keep my composure and not get too upset about things I’ve seen going on in my military the last few years especially recently. Honestly, I feel that this email will be disregarded and my comments will be laughed at Mr. Mikey and others like him. I’ve served 9 years so far in the greatest Air Force the world has ever known, and all I’ve seen lately has been a PURE ALL OUT ASSAULT on religious freedom especially Christianity. I stand by my oath to protect my country under all circumstances because I can worship Christ without being persecuted. However, I’ve recently seen several incidents like in Fort Hood and other installations that in training manuals Christians, Tea Party members, and those opposed to abortion are THREATS TO OUR COUNTRY. This is flat out wrong and angers me to no end. Im considered the INTOLERANT one yet the Christian community is attacked every single day. I don’t feel that your organization is protecting religious freedom at all. Such as taking GOD out of the Air Force Academy oath. This country was founded on people running away from religious persecution and seeking freedom. Many of our founders ordered their troops to attend service because he knew how important it was. I go to work day in and day out doing my best at work to support and defend this great nation, but now I have to fear that I might lose my job because I’m a Christian. Also I listen to American family radio on a regular basis and all they do is speak truth in love. They are deemed by the SPLC a hate group yet all I hear is care and concern for our country from them. Tony Perkins from FRC was a Marine for goodness sake. I feel like I needed to contact this office and express my feelings. I feel that I could even be attacked for my very typing of this email. Regardless, I will pray for your organization and our nations leaders and hope that correct decisions will be made, and that you will truly fight for religious freedom and not attack it.

Thank you,
(name withheld)


Dear (name withheld),

Mikey has read your email and asked me to respond on his and MRFF’s behalf due to demands on his time. In no way does Mikey laugh at your comments. He respects and understands your comments and simply requests you do the same without demanding or expecting agreement.

Thank you for your service to our nation. It is, and always will be, greatly valued and appreciated. Although I have no military experience, I am very proud to work with many retired and active duty military members at MRFF who have a very different perspective from yours.

I am a Christian (Episcopalian in fact) who fully supports Mikey’s and MRFF’s attempt to protect members of the U.S. Military from unconstitutional religious influence in relation to their training, assignment, advancement and retention. In supporting MRFF’s efforts, I defend both my Christian faith and my Constitution proudly and equally.

The U.S. Constitution establishes a secular democratic republic.

…no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States. (Article VI, Section 3, in relevant part)

-and-

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…(Amendment 1; in relevant part)

Additionally, the lone oath contained within the U.S. constitution has no religious component whatsoever;

Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:–“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” (Article II, Section 1; in relevant part)

Megyn Kelly of ‘The Kelly File’, during her recent interview with Mikey, made the case herself that religious pledges in required government oaths are meaningless and irrelevant when she contended that anyone who didn’t want to say those words (So Help Me God) could just omit it. Why then is this back door attempt at religious fealty being pushed so fervently? Additionally, if religious pledges in government oaths are meaningless, why all the worry and ‘pearl clutching’ in light of the commendable objective of limited government intrusion usually expressed by Ms. Kelly? I do not require nor desire government assistance in expressing my Christian faith in either public or private situations. My faith does not require government sanctioning.

Now consider the reverse of what Ms. Kelly said; that individuals taking the oath could simply add ‘those words’ on their own (this was Mikey’s point to Ms. Kelly). Have individual members of the military been denied this personal ability when completing their require oaths? If you are aware of this happening, please let us know here at MRFF, we’ll jump all over that government intrusion into private expression of religious faith just as vigorously.

Finally, let’s consider the no harm/no foul concept while replacing ‘those words’ in a required government oath with ‘So help me Allah’. So help me Jehovah? So help me Vishnu? Buddha? Flying Spaghetti Monster?….etc. How’s your comfort level now? Any objections being included in a required government oath?

In its relatively short history since 2005, MRFF has responded on behalf of over 34,300 active duty, reserve, and veteran clients with a different experience than yours. MRFF’s actions are client initiated in response to actions like these documented on video

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB1UifGIqaw):

“From an evangelistic standpoint, I always refer to them as ‘ripe as black bananas,'” Maj. Douglas W. Duerksen, Army Chaplain, told a laughing audience about new recruits. “And it’s great to be a government paid missionary!”

Maj. Jeff Struecker, Army Ranger School Chaplain, had this to say about his mission: “It puts the student — the Ranger student — in the absolute worst possible conditions. Most of them will go a couple of days with no food, some of them have gone as long as three days without any sleep whatsoever. My goal has been to meet them when they are at their absolute worst, when they’re coldest and the most tired and the most hungry that they are going to be because the more difficult the circumstances, the more receptive the average person becomes to issues of faith.”

MG (Ret.) Bob Dees, Executive Director, Campus Crusade for Christ International Military Ministry, is shown on the video saying, “Our vision is to transform the nations of the world through the militaries of the world. We try to reach our recruits immediately […] We have staff at half of the nation’s boot camps”.

Lt. Colonel Gary Hensley, Army Command Chaplain, is shown in the video telling troops in Afghanistan that “You are commissioned to be witnesses for Him. Does that mean we are all preachers? Um-hm. […] The special forces guys, they hunt men, basically. We do the same thing as Christians. We hunt people for Jesus.”

Many additional situations are archived on the MRFF website https://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/.

The importance of maintaining and encouraging secular democracy here, and abroad, is of significant national security importance. If you don’t believe me I suggest you review clearly stated foreign policy positions regarding U.S. support for the formation of secular democracies in the wake of the ‘Arab Spring’.

MRFF counts on its supporters, volunteers, AND DETRACTORS as the indispensable “eyes and ears” who alert us to constitutional violations. Should you have an actual charge of unconstitutional religious influence (Muslim/Jewish/Hindu/Buddhist/Christian/etc.) in relation to your individual training/assignment/advancement/retention within in the U.S. Military you are encouraged to contact us at [email protected]. Our record of protecting client confidentiality is extremely important and second to none. MRFF stands ready to investigate and take action on all properly vetted complaints.

Sincerely,

Andy Kasehagen

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