AIR FORCE TIMES – Air Force won’t punish general for speech about God
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Air Force won’t punish general for speech about God
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Your organization is such a fraud. An American HERO shares his love for God and you attack him. You are anti-God ,anti-Military and even your name is a lie.
So, I have a question.
Why does the Air Force have rules and regulations if they won’t enforce them?
If that General had mentioned any other deity than the Dominionist one this story would be very different. For shame Air Force, for shame.
What a shocker….not. If I go on camera and encorse my favorite soft drink in uniform then the appearance is the Air Force endorsing that drink. This is no different. I also have a feeling that any atheist who speaks at a public event in uniform will be hung out to dry.
Talk about two sets of standards for one AFI.
I support Mikey Weinstein and his Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Please consider these points, all of which are my opinion.
1. The United States stands as a secular nation. It may not advance ANY religion. Indeed, religion pollutes any national policy or agenda. At the same time, the US govt must NOT act, or appear to act, against any religion. For example, military action must not have even the appearance of any intention of having anything but political outcome. The US gov’t does not and must not have a Crusading agenda, i.e., advancing Christianity against Islam, e.g., or even against other less evangelical Christian sects, etc.. Such an appearance weakens the US, and/or its action to achieve political outcomes. So, the so-called Christian Dominionists, while apparently loving the United States, do fail to understand their government does not, and may not, carry the banner of their religion.
2. In my opinion, religion is a choice, and an Opinion. Some people believe a 2000+ year old collection of writings, is the written word of a god. That is their opinion, not mine. This book tells a lot of stories that contain for them, their chosen belief system. I hope our future national leaders, some who may come from USAFA, hold more personally honed personal strength than some ancient and well-financed belief system.
3. To the Dominionists. What small minded god do you believe in who takes sides, who favors one country or individual over another, or one belief system over another belief system? Your god is not my god. If your god rules the universe, all its billions of light years in all directions, who could believe that this god favors, oh, say, human beings on planet Earth? Or Martians over whoever? Your small-minded god is not my god. In my mind, He/She does not favor any human or human organization, government, religion, etc. A Universe-size loving god with the power you assign this god, could not choose favorites, and therefore choose against not-favorites.
4. What is truth, and what is opinion? A majority does NOT a truth make, it only makes for a lot of agreement within that group. I hold that very little concept has the status of ‘truth.’ Religion of any flavor does not fall under my heading of ‘truth.’
5. Military members, especially those in leadership positions, can believe ANYTHING they choose…PRIVATELY. Privately! In uniform, before their troops, before the public, they must not advance or advocate for any religion. Because, the US Government does not and must not advance any religion. That is our secular government’s policy. Those who represent the US Government, and uniformed general officers in public certainly represent the US government, must not create even the appearance of favoring one religion over another.
IN GOD WE TRUST… is what the United States is founded on. If people do not like this… then MOVE. How can you move to a place that has ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR IN GOD WE TRUST… use all of it’s benefits of peace and wealth and at the same time insist the United States change for you.
The speech was at a prayer meeting in the United States for the military. The military is giving their lives to support IN GOD WE TRUST… WHAT ARE YOU GIVING TO THE UNITED STATES??
Linda, the Republican Party, right-wing religious organizations, corporations and wealthy people don’t care about the United States and the Pentagon doesn’t care about its own people nor cares about the people of the USA so don’t give me that line about military people laying down their lives.
Linda,
You said:
“The speech was at a prayer meeting in the United States for the military. The military is giving their lives to support IN GOD WE TRUST… WHAT ARE YOU GIVING TO THE UNITED STATES??”
Two facts – the speech was not at the National Day of Prayer. It was at an event sponsored by the National Day of Prayer Task Force. The two are not the same but such things as facts elude you.
What am I doing for MY USA? I’m doing my best to shine the light of day on people such as you. Sunlight is the best disinfectant and there is much cleaning to do.
Hmmm…. I said two facts and listed one. Oops. My bad. :)
Please change the name of your website if it’s going to bash a member of the military for voicing his religious freedom. Is Using his 1st amendment right concerning you? So you think because of his words that the Air Force is attempting to push God on people? Why don’t you let him speak his mind, and then next time we’ll hear from a Rabbi or Imam, etc to give equal time so we can all enjoy the 1st amendment and our Freedom to choose a religion or not to? Stop being so mentally weak in believing our government can force you into a religion.
What ever happened to “I may not agree with your statements but I’ll fight to the death to keep your right to say it”. Since when has religious freedom meant that you cannot talk about religion.
I remember one could say any BS they wanted to with the only real threat of someone hearing it giving you a slap on the back of the head.
“There is only one religious scripture the American constitution” Why mess with someone’s freedom of speech?
I served 20 years in the military and a veteran, the military was the last organization where prayer was accepted and happened frequently. This foundation is despicable and a sham Get lost and leave this country.
The only thing your organization wants to do is rid the world of Christianity. You would fight for any other religion except for Christianity and Christians are crazy for putting up with it. The majority of people in this country have historically identified with the Judeo Christian belief system and you hate that. You hate family values and gravitate towards anything anti American. I’m sick to death of all you Progressives. Where is OUR Oliver Cromwell? Will you please come forward and put things right before this once great nation is no more?!?!
I appreciate what the MRFF is doing to remove religious coercion from military life. I still remember feeling my religious rights were being trampled when, as a Navy Officer Candidate at Newport, RI, I was forced to stand in the sun along with hundreds of other students for an hour or two, and participate in a Roman Catholic Funeral Mass for some Captain or Admiral I’d never heard of. A military parade or salute would have been fine, but being forced to participate in religious rituals with which I disagreed was not.