“A Wakeup Call” (U.S. Army Chaplain responds to ‘To The Far-Right Christian Hater’)

To: Mikey Weinstein and the MRFF

From: Chaplain (U.S. Army officer rank withheld) (name withheld), (unit and installation withheld)

Subject: A Wakeup Call

Mr. Weinstein I am a senior U.S. Army Chaplain and have been for (number of years withheld) years. I have never contacted you or the MRFF before tonight. I am (Protestant denomination withheld) and my endorsing agency is (name withheld). Please do not make public my personal identity. But please do make public my message.

One of my staff here at Fort (Army installation name withheld) recently purchased a copy of your wife Bonnie’s new book ‘You Can Be A Good Speller or a Hater But You Can’t Be Both’. Many here in the office have now read it entirely. It has created quite a buzz here. It is a very uncomfortable read as I’m sure it was designed to be. Very difficlut to see such hatred and such a lack of grace and mercy on behalf of so-called Christians. I lost sleep thinking about it after finishng it. So did my wife. She trembled as she read it. She wept.

Today I led and taught a bible study class here at our largest chapel on post. It was very well attended. I wanted you to know that I based the entire 2 hour lesson on this powerful new book of Bonnie’s. I wanted all of the attendees to understand what it means to be a true and faithful follower of Christ. And what it means not to be. I used the filth of the book to hopefully cleanse my bible study students’ own ignorances and soothe their souls.

I wanted everyone there to ask themselves it they were guilty of harboring any support or agreement at all for what has been written in this book by your wife Bonnie. Needless to say it was a real wakeup call for everyone to see the contents of the book especially even the illustrations. My class was horrified by what was supposedly written in the name of Christ and Christianity. My purpose was fulfilled as it caused much impassioned discussion and introspection amongst my military community flock. There were tears and there were more tears. You should see the comments on my Facebook page. All good.

I am so sorry that you and your family and staff of the MRFF have to confront such malicious ugliness every day. I wanted you to know that some of us here in the Army are trying very hard to expose the lessons of this terrible bigotry and hatred to plow a path to better understanding and true Christian love of and for our fellow man.

This book is a shocker. Because of that it is an effective tool in helping us all get to a better place. Wouldn’t Jesus want love to emerge from such evil?

On behalf of all of us here at Fort (Army installation name withheld) I thank your wife and your publisher for the courage it must have taken to write and publish this book. I thank you and the MRFF for soldiering on despite having to live with this.

with blessings to the MRFF,

V/R

Chaplain (U.S. Army officer rank withheld) name withheld
(U.S. Army unit and installation withheld)