PRESS RELEASE
Role of Religion in the Military
Reported by Mike Conneen
Tuesday, the Air Force Academy hosted a debate on the proper role of religion in the military. An Academy law professor moderated and two prominent speakers from either side of the issue participated.The debate will have no influence on military policy, but it could have an influence on opinions in the military.
Academy alum Mikey Weinstein said he demanded to speak at the Academy, because he said Christian groups like Focus on the Family have free access there. The Academy agreed to let him speak, but in a debate format. Weinstein said he does not want to take religion out of the military. However, he said there is a time and place for it.
Weinstein said, "We have a Christian Taliban within our U.S. military, the pentagon has become the penacostalgon and this administration has turned the Department of Defense into a faith based initiative."
Weinstein believes non-believers in the military are no longer protected by the separation of church and state. He said, "I'm sad to report to you today as I come to you with the gun smoke in my face from this battle, that that wall is nothing but smoke and debris."
During duty day or duty night, he argued no service member should be allowed to force or coerce other service members to accept a religious faith.
He said, "Dominionist Christianity praying and preying on non-Evangelical Christians saying you know what, you're not Christian enough."
Jay Sekulow with the American Center for Law and Justice said, "This idea that you would separate out religion from the military would not only be historically inaccurate but it would not be good for the country." Sekulow argued religious speech is protected by the first amendment. He said, "Neither students nor teachers surrender their rights to freedom at the school house gate."
He said, as long as it is not coerced or disruptive, religious speech is allowed. He said, "It's robust free speech. It means you may hear something as a student at this wonderful institution that you disagree with. Theta's the price of freedom."
Both sides said they welcome the opportunity for dialogue. Also, both predict the federal courts will consider the issue in the next five years.
Weinstein said he will soon file a lawsuit in federal court, featuring current service members. He recently filed a similar suit against the academy, but he said that suit was thrown out on a technicality.