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Published On: May 21, 2015|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

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To whom it concerns,

Go ahead tell me to stop talking about God. Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, and will judge you greatly.

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.? Matthew 10:13. Oh look I even used scripture!

(name withheld)


 

Dear (name withheld),
Thank you for contacting the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) and I hope to clear up any misinformation you may have heard.
 
We are not trying to stop you from talking about our God but support people of all faiths and those of no faith as guaranteed under the constitution.
 
We are not an atheist organization nor are we anti-Christian. Mikey is Jewish, and prayers 3 times a day to the same Father we do, and 75% of the Board, Advisory Board, volunteers and supporters of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) are Christians. In fact, 96% of our 41,000+ soldier clients are Christians.
 
The issue with Major General Olson is that he showed up in uniform at a civilian religious event that represents only one sect of Christianity.
The National Day of Prayer Task Force is not the National Day of Prayer signed into law by President Truman in 1952.
The National Day of Prayer is celebrated by Americans of many religions as a day of prayer and meditation. 
 
The National Day of Prayer Task Force (a private non-profit) is strictly a Conservative Evangelical Christian organization called the “National Prayer Committee” that was formed to coordinate and implement a fixed annual day of prayer (on the same day as the National Day of Prayer) for the purpose of organizing only Evangelical Christian prayer events with local, state, and federal government entities.  The first Task Force prayer event was held in 1983.
The National Day of Prayer is sanctioned by the government where the National Day of Prayer Task Force is not.
If he had showed up in civilian clothes there wouldn’t have been a problem.
Parker v. Levy: 
“This Court has long recognized that the military is, by necessity, a specialized society separate from civilian society… While the members of the military are not excluded from the protection granted by the First Amendment, the different character of the military community and of the military mission requires a different application of those protections. … The fundamental necessity for obedience, and the consequent necessity for imposition of discipline, may render permissible within the military that which would be constitutionally impermissible outside it… Speech [to include religious speech] that is protected in the civil population may nonetheless undermine the effectiveness of response to command.  If it does, it is constitutionally unprotected. (Emphasis added) Parker v. Levy, 417 U.S. 733, 1974
 
Major General Olson gave his speech on Christianity in uniform at a private event – broadcast around the world – which gives the impression that we have a Christian military. It demeans the morale of those of other faiths and thus his speech is constitutionally unprotected.
 
Air Force Instruction 1-1, Section 2.12:
2.12. Balance of Free Exercise of Religion and Establishment Clause. Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for their own free exercise of religion, including individual expressions of religious beliefs, and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion. They must ensure their words and actions cannot reasonably be construed to be officially endorsing or disapproving of, or extending preferential treatment for any faith, belief, or absence of belief. (emphasis added)
 
The violation of this – by speaking in uniform – is a potential felony under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
 
Because Major General Craig S. Olson showed up in uniform to give his speech, he is also providing an unlawful endorsement and selective benefit to a non-Federal entity.
 
Civilian laws and military rules and regulations are different.
 
Major General Olson knows these rules but chose to ignore them. He cannot be exempt from them because of his rank or religion.
 
Please read our mission to better understand us.
 
Pastor Joan
MRFF Advisory Board Member

I understand your position, but if he shows up at a National day of prayer as a Christian Soldier, who else would he pray for. and I think you folks and the ACLU need to maybe stand up for Christians rights once in a while instead of taking them away. The man is a Christian man, who do you think he would offer his prayers to, uniform or not. Did he not fight for his one freedom of prayer as well.
(name withheld)

He broke the Supreme Court ruling and military law… not ours… period.
>
> Even though I wrote it in my original email I’ll share it again; out of 41,600 clients – 96% of them are Christians – but you don’t hear about that. We fight for the rights of Christian soldiers more than anyone else.
>
> He has to abide by the laws and just because he is a Christian doesn’t give him a free pass. We’re not a theocracy under the Old Testament…yet.
Joan Slish

Then why was he invited to a National Day of prayer service. if he couldnt refer to Our God?
u guys are justa bunch of bullies.
(name withheld)

Dear (name withheld),
He was invited but should have refused…because…once again…it was against the law.
Joan Slish

And what if he was lead by The Lord Jesus Christ to be there to proclaim the Gospel, In many places it was illegal for Paul, John and Peter to preach, but God lead them to do it anyway. it is out of obedience he did what he did. Dr. Martin Luther King once preached that just like Shadrac Meshac and Abendigo, civil disobedience is necessary to procliam the word of God.
(name withheld)

Dear (name withheld),
The law is the law.
Joan Slish

 But God’s Law is above any law made by man.
(name withheld)

Dear (name withheld),
Really? Since when?
>
> “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” (Romans 13:1-2)
>
> And you can’t cherry pick Acts 5:29 and take it out of context:
>
> “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, ‘Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!’ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:27-29
>
> Peter and the apostles went into a Jewish temple to preach about Jesus and were thrown out; which the council had every right to do.
>
> Try doing that today and see how fast you are escorted out the door!
>
> Go ahead and disobey scripture because it says you will bring judgment upon yourself. Try talking your way out of that.
Joan Slish

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