Air Force Bible verse

Dear Mr. Weinstein,

I was reading on CNN about the Bible verse that was wiped away on a soldier’s door. Although I am sure I did not receive even half of the details, it is ridiculous that this happened. If it is offensive to others then they should not look at someone else’s door! We cannot continue to allow this anti Christian movement to get what they want and for us (Christians) to lose our freedom. We need brothers and sisters like yourself that are in a great position to protect our feelings, beliefs, and way of life, just as the atheist are receiving! A simple verse on a whiteboard is harmless to the core! We need you to stand up and assume the role God has given you please sir. We cannot tolerate this anymore and neither should you especially with the organization you are currently in. I stand for God and we have our constitutionally protected right to do so. I only hope that you use the power you have in your position to stand up for all of us.
Thank you,
(name withheld)

Good Day, (name withheld)

Thanks for your email to MRFF. Mikey Weinstein has asked that I respond – something I am very happy to do when the writer is willing to sign his email as you have done. Too many people send vile, nasty notes but are apparently not as proud of their work, because they don’t identify themselves. So thank you for standing up, and for being polite in the process.

Like you, I “stand for God” – I am a lifelong Christian, a USAFA graduate and an Air Force veteran. Because of my own background, I have a good appreciation for why this “whiteboard” issue is important. I don’t know if you have any military experience, but whether you do or not I would ask you to consider some thoughts.

In a military setting, superior-subordinate relationships are unlike anything in the civilian sector. Superiors give orders, and subordinates follow them, sometimes in life-threatening circumstances. The strength of authority exceeds any civilian equivalent, including boss-employee. This means that the words and actions of someone with rank and authority carry a tremendous amount of weight and significance. It is easy for a superior, even unintentionally, to say or do things that impact his subordinates.

Like you, I believe strongly in the constitutional right to freedom of religion. As you know, there are two aspects to this concept in the US Constitution – the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause. An individual’s right of religious expression is guarded by the former, and an individual’s right to freedom from religious pressure is guarded by the latter. For a military leader, it is vital to balance his individual expression (his right under the Free Exercise Clause) with his professional obligation not to favor one particular religious belief over another (his subordinate’s right under the Establishment Clause).

In your note, you say regarding the whiteboard message, “If it is offensive to others then they should not look at someone else’s door!” Later on you say, “A simple verse on a whiteboard is harmless to the core!” If this were a civilian college dorm, where the students have little connection to one another beyond living in the same building, I might tend to agree with you. But this is a military unit comprised of 100 individuals with diverse beliefs, and with specific military reporting relationships to one another. In that environment, as I mentioned before, words take on significantly more weight. In this case, the words were also adjacent to a sign denoting the individual’s military position. I have no doubt that the individual had good intentions, but a line was crossed nonetheless.

As I mentioned in a recent response to another email to MRFF, I believe that it’s possible to have both deeply held religious convictions AND to respect the rights and freedoms of others. In a military environment, when the “others” include subordinates, it is more than possible – it is essential.

Thanks again for taking the time to write.

Peace,

Mike Challman
Veteran, Christian, MRFF Supporter

I am thankful that you have replied. Everything you have presented makes complete sense. I have not been involved in the military so I do not understand the relationships like you do. Emotions arise as you see news from the media, which you can never trust, about religion being a traget. But I see that this is not the case in this situatuon. I do want to thank you for your service and for being part of a Christian organization. I have enjoyed our conversation. Again thank you for your reply.

A Christian brother,