Prayers for MRFF

Pastor Joan I appreciate your reply.  I wasn’t sure what response I would receive.  I sent my email because I am dismayed about the ruckus that is surrounding the AF General’s comments giving praise to God for his successes in life.  I figure all I can do is pray for people that think it is bad to praise God publicly.  I wish they would understand that public praise is not an act compelling them to believe something they don’t genuinely believe.  I am a stodgy Lutheran and we don’t witness as well as other Christians, but I know I can and should do better to bring people into the flock.  By the way, I am delighted to also hear from a female Pastor.  I am a member of a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (only Lutheran church within a 60 mile radius), and they don’t allow females to serve in your capacity.  Our loss!  Thanks for all you do.

Dear (name withheld),

As Christians we are told to “pray for our enemies” and you are the exception in a sea of hate mail and death threats we have received over the past few days.

The “ruckus” around him speaking would never have happened if he didn’t show up in uniform.

The National Day of Prayer Task Force is not the National Day of Prayer signed into law by President Truman in 1952.

The National Day of Prayer is celebrated by Americans of many religions, including Christians of many denominations, including Protestants and Catholics, as well as Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews, reflecting the demographics of the United States. On the National Day of Prayer, many Americans assemble in prayer in front of courthouses, as well as in houses of worship, such as churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples. Luncheons, picnics, and music performances revolving around praying for the nation are also popular observances. Traditionally, the President of the United States issues an official National Day of Prayer proclamation each year as well.

The National Day of Prayer Task Force is strictly a conservative evangelical Christian organization called the “National Prayer Committee” that was formed to coordinate and implement a fixed annual day of prayer for the purpose of organizing evangelical Christian prayer events with local, state, and federal government entities.

The purpose of this evangelical group is to gain dominion over every aspect of our lives by way of the 7 Mountains Mandate. These seven mountains are business, government (plus the military), media, arts and entertainment, education, the family and religion.

The military one is to turn our soldiers into “government paid missionaries” and “warriors for Christ.” President Bush let the cat out of the bag when he said our war was a Crusade.

The religion one is to “transform” those of other Christian denominations, other faiths and non-believers into Conservative-Evangelical-Fundamental-Dominionists; NAR, Dominion Theology and Kingdom Now.

The National Day of Prayer is sanctioned by the government where the National Day of Prayer Task Force is not.

If he had showed up in civilian clothes there wouldn’t have been a problem.

Parker v. Levy:

“This Court has long recognized that the military is, by necessity, a specialized society separate from civilian society… While the members of the military are not excluded from the protection granted by the First Amendment, the different character of the military community and of the military mission requires a different application of those protections. … The fundamental necessity for obedience, and the consequent necessity for imposition of discipline, may render permissible within the military that which would be constitutionally impermissible outside it… Speech [to include religious speech] that is protected in the civil population may nonetheless undermine the effectiveness of response to command.  If it does, it is constitutionally unprotected.” (Emphasis added) Parker v. Levy, 417 U.S. 733, 1974

Our military consists of those of other beliefs and by giving his speech on Christianity in uniform – which gives the impression to the world that we have a Christian military – demeans the morale of those of other faiths. His speech is constitutionally unprotected.

Air Force Instruction 1-1, Section 2.12:

2.12. Balance of Free Exercise of Religion and Establishment Clause. Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for their own free exercise of

religion, including individual expressions of religious beliefs, and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion. They must ensure their

words and actions cannot reasonably be construed to be officially endorsing or disapproving of, or extending preferential treatment for any faith, belief, or absence of belief.

Major General Olson knows these laws and chose to disobey them. The violation of this – by speaking in uniform at a private event – is a potential felony under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

There have been military personnel – who showed up at rallies in uniform – that have been held to account for their actions. Just because he is a Commander does not give him an exception to the rules.

Christians are told to obey their authorities and he didn’t.

We fight for the religious rights for all of our soldiers as long as it is done in the right time, place and manner.

As a Christian, I appreciate his testimony and he is free to give it anywhere he wants as long as he does not put on his uniform.

My walk with the Lord is a long and convoluted story that has placed me here; working with Mikey and the Military religious Freedom Foundation.

I was ordained in an Evangelical church and they read 2 Timothy correctly; that it was Paul who said he wouldn’t allow a woman to teach – not Jesus.

“But I (I,I,I) suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

I could never figure out how a woman could teach Sunday School to children during their formative years and then once he became a “man” she was finished with him. What’s the difference?

Anyway, I hope I have cleared up the “ruckus” on Major General Olson.

If you have any more questions please contact me.

Take care and may God bless your socks off!!!!

Pastor Joan

MRFF Advisory Board Member

Mike Farrell