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Published On: January 19, 2015|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

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you people are CREEPY and uneducated in the Bible and the US constitution.

(name withheld)


Hi (name withheld),
“Creepy,” huh? That’s pretty tame compared to what comes our way from some Bible-believers. You’d be embarrassed to read what some people who claim to be good, Bible-believing Christians are willing to spew out at people they don’t know and an organization they don’t understand. Bonnie Weinstein, Mikey’s wife, has written a book about it. I recommend it to you.

And actually, many of us know a lot about the Bible and the U.S. Constitution. You see, over 95% of our members and supporters are themselves Christians, some of them clergy. And many of them are military or ex-military. And lawyers and good citizens who know a lot about the Constitution also make up a considerable portion of our group.

So, see, like a lot of people who react quickly and viscerally to something they read or hear, you’ve responded negatively to something that is actually very positive. We’re here to protect the freedom of members of the military to the religious belief of their choice, and that includes non-belief if that is their choice. The constitution and laws of this country call for the separation of church and state, which means the government (including the military) cannot be seen to promote one religion or faith or belief system over another.

That’s it. People can believe what they want and practice whatever faith or belief system they’ve chosen, they just can’t push it on others in the military. And they can’t create an appearance that the military favors one belief system over another.

I hope that helps you find us less creepy.

Best,

Mike Farrell

(MRFF Board of Advisors)


Dear (name withheld),

Mikey is busy helping our soldiers and asked me to respond to you.

I’m confused as to why you would say we are “uneducated in the Bible” when you know nothing about us.

Mikey is Jewish and prays three times a day. He is well versed in the Old Testament and can quote New Testament scriptures from memory better than most Christians.

I am an ordained minister and seventy-five percent of those involved with the Military Religious Freedom Foundation are Christians.

I once had a congregant ask me a very simple question regarding the Bible and I asked him if he ever read it. His response was – verbatim – “No, that’s what you are for.”
Are you this type of Christian that gets his knowledge of the Bible from a sermon by a minister that tells you what a scripture means or do you research it for yourself?

I’m assuming you are contacting us on the poster that says “On a Mission for both God and Country” which IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. You would know this if you were educated in the US constitution.

As defenders of the Constitution we fight for the separation of church and state.

“…but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” (Article I, III)
 
This means that from the President to Congress to the military – no one’s job is based on their religion.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion (Establishment Clause), or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (Free Exercise Clause).”(First Amendment)
 
The Establishment Clause means that you cannot favor one religion over another even though it is in the majority. This clause respects the RIGHTS of all religions. Our military is SECULAR and there are people of other faiths that don the uniform that love this country.

The Free Exercise Clause means that our soldiers are free to exercise any religion they want or no religion at all but cannot elevate one God above others.

Our military swears an oath to the Constitution – not the bible.

In the case of the wording of the poster, this practice is prohibited by Supreme Court ruling: Lemon Vs. Kurzman (1971) in which the court  held that the government, including the armed forces, may not, in the course of their duties promote, elevate, prefer, recommend or proselytize one religion over another or religion over non-religion. The court devised a test which would determine if an act fell under this ruling. It is called the “Lemon Test.”

 1. First, the act or legislation must have a secular purpose. 
 2. Second, its principal or primary effect must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion. 
 3. Finally, the act or legislation must not foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.

So you see, the poster indicates an endorsement of Christianity and would therefore be in violation.

The Parker v. Levy case, decided on June 19, 1974, defined under the Uniform Code of Military Justice that “the military constitutes a specialized community governed by a separate discipline from that of the civilian…”

The rules that apply to the military do not apply to you or other Christians as civilians.

The Army Times gives the whole story on the poster.
The poster, which features a Special Forces patch along with Ranger, Airborne and Special Forces tabs, includes “a stock image” the command makes available for local recruiters, spokesman Brian Lepley said in an email, “but the text was changed by the local recruiting personnel” and not cleared by command headquarters.

Had the process been followed, the copy shown would not have been approved, Lepley said.

“Local recruiting offices order such display materials online, Lepley said, and the orders are filled by Accessions Support Brigade. An ASB catalog shows a similar image available as a sandwich board, with the tagline, “We don’t call for reinforcements. We make them.”

There are instructions in the catalog on how to tailor some materials to suit a local audience, but the wording on the Phoenix poster isn’t listed as one of 47 taglines that cover a variety of products.

Army Recruiting Command is investigating who ordered and/or approved the display, Lepley said.

The recruiter overstepped the bounds of the acceptable wordings on the poster and without the approval of his Command. Under the UCMJ he must be investigated and punished according to the rules and regulations he must obey.

“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

We are obeying our “governing authorities” according to the Bible by enforcing the strict laws and guidelines laid out by them.

Are you?

Pastor Joan
MRFF Advisory Board Member


From your e-mail I can see you are an angry person and keep in mind that you are the only one who can make you angry for that anger is an always was in your heart. I also suggest you actually study the constitution by way of the Federalist papers to understand the mind or minds of the founders. You also know nothing of me….

(name withheld)


I’m not angry just stunned that people don’t keep up to date on case law but have to live in the past.


Now we are in “case law” not constitutional law, wow.

(name withheld)

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