Organizational Charter

Mr Weinstein

As I near the wrap up of my 20 year career in the AF, I see a disturbing trend in our service…the morales and values that transcend a “me focused” worldview are being haphazardly replaced w/hollow programs that seek to fill the void.

As morale relativism continues to be injected into the military, suicides are increasing, divorces are increasing, drug use is increasing, criminal activity is increasing. Is this the manifestation that was intended with “religious freedom”?

Please don’t misunderstand, I don’t intend to come at you w/a heated emotional charge, that doesn’t do anything but offend. But I must say, as a Christian, what if I’m wrong in my faith in Jesus Christ?

I guess I’ve lived my life according to a fantasy that called me to put others before myself, to live for a higher purpose other than my own, and to offer my own desires over to a creator who never existed living with a discipline that even the military cannot put in it’s members.

On the other hand what if you’re wrong?

I may not change your mind in one simple email, but I can’t stand idle and not speak the truth. Both you and I will one day answer to the same creator. I want to meet you there to receive a “job well done”.

v/r

(name withheld)

---

Dear (name withheld),

Mikey has read your email and asked me to respond.

First, I’d like to thank you for your long and distinguished service.

Though Mikey is the face and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), 75% of the Board, Advisory Board, volunteers and supporters are Christian. A full 96% of our almost 35,000 soldiers (1 can represent 50) are Christian.

Mikey does not act on his own but at the request of your fellow Airmen/women when they see the blatant trampling of the Constitution and military law. He vets every complaint before he moves forward.

What surprises us is that the Air Force Academy that sits in the heart of the Christian Mecca of America – Colorado Springs – with its plethora of outside churches given free access to the Cadets on base, has been taken over by an extreme form of Evangelical/Fundamental/Dominionists. It has to be the most religious base we have, yet it has the highest incidents of rape

These Dominionists – in all military branches – believe that all mainline Christians are not “Christian enough” or not the “right kind of Christian.”

US Army chaplain MAJ James Linzey, who, in a 1999 video, described mainstream Protestant churches as “demonic, dastardly creatures from the pit of hell “that should be “stomped out.”

This is what our mainstream Christian soldiers deal with every day.

We are not anti-Christian nor are we questioning your faith in Jesus. I have a deep-seated faith in Jesus just like you do.

I worked for the military under contract in 2004/2005 in the State Family Program caring for the needs of the spouses, children and parents of our deployed soldiers. We knew within 15 minutes through the rear-detachment when a soldier was KIA so we could start the process of helping the family with anything they needed.

What I found disturbing while I was there, was the number of females dying of dehydration for fear of having to go to the latrines at night and possibly being raped.

Religious freedom has nothing do with suicides, divorces, drug use and criminal activity. This is caused by multiple deployments and lack of medical treatment, housing and jobs upon returning. They also have a hard time re-integrating back home. There are suicides OCONUS because they cannot handle war anymore. Rape victims are committing suicide because they were violated by their rapist, suffer mental anguish from it, and are forced out because of their medical condition. They have been dealt a double whammy.

My ex-son-in-law (they divorced because he was having affairs while deployed) did 2 tours in Iraq and my future son-in-law did 2 tours in Afghanistan. They gave me firsthand accounts of what goes on over there and what happens when you get back.

I understand your need to get Mikey “saved” but there is a long list of others doing the same before you. Plus, he has read the bible and can quote it better than anyone I know.

Thank you for contacting MRFF.

May God bless your socks off!

Pastor Joan