This is what I read…

Published On: May 21, 2015|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

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(WND) A civil-liberties group is demanding a two-star Air Force general be court-martialed for mentioning God at a National Day of Prayer Task Force speech on May 7.

Despite the religious nature of the event, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation has called for Olson to be “aggressively and very visibly brought to justice for his unforgivable crimes and transgressions,” adding that any other service members who helped him should be investigated and punished “to the full extent of military law.”
Is this accurate?
(name withheld)

Hi (name withheld) –

Gotcha.  WND is another partisan “news” site — they republish quite a bit of stuff from Fox and other conservative outlets.  Still, some parts of what it says are generally accurate, while other parts are less accurate.

We are a civil liberties group, and we have called for Maj Gen Olson to be punished.
But we did not merely object to Olson “mentioning God”, as you and I have already discussed.
And as for that “religious nature of the event” that the article mentions… let’s take a closer look  —-
One important nugget that has been conveniently overlooked by virtually all conservative news outlets is that the NDP Task Force is not an official representation of the National Day of Prayer, nor is it in any way close to something that would be considered an inclusive event.  Instead, the NDP Task Force is the brainchild of a very specific, and very narrow, conservative Christian group that for the past couple of years has used the event for political purposes as much (or more) than for religious purposes.
Did you know, for example, that in order to actively participate in the NDP Task Force events, a volunteer must pass a review to ensure not only that he/she is a Christian, but is the “right kind” of Christian?  In fact, based on what I’ve read on the NDP Task Force application, only a minority subset of Christians in America would pass muster.
The NDP Task Force seems to want folks to infer that their event has some sort of official sanction.  Just check out their logo, if you get a chance — “National Day of Prayer” in a big, proud font…. and “Task Force” in little, tiny font underneath (virtually unreadable, really), and the Stars and Stripes prominently displayed.  One is left with the false impression that they are at least open to hearing from any patriotic American of faith… and one would be wrong.
From my perspective, this particular aspect of the whole affair only serves to cast even more doubt on the intentions of Maj Gen Olson.  He most assuredly would have known of the history and past concerns that have been voiced about the NDF Task Force (and not just by MRFF).
Anyway, that’s what I think.
Peace,
Mike

Mike,
   Getting into all this, ‘that is not really what they meant, and they are really this mind-set and that mind-set,and they are really a not so nice group’ is too much for me. I have no desire for making a religious theocracy, but I am far more comfortable with them, than OBAMA and his ilk…I understand the power of a ‘too’ religious right and we are seeing the destruction of the ‘left’. But General Olsen thanking God for his life, seems petty if challenged. Does he have a agenda behind it? I have zero idea. Do you all have an agenda behind you? It seems, YES!
(name withheld)

Hi (name withheld) –

Looks like we’re getting to the end of our chat, I do want to thank you for sharing your thoughts.
And yes, the MRFF does have an agenda and we don’t keep it a secret.  We are dedicated to ensuring that all members of the United States Armed Forces fully receive the Constitutional guarantees of religious freedom to which they and all Americans are entitled by virtue of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Simple as that.  No anti-religious subtext.  No ulterior motives.  Just a desire to see all branches of the US military respect both the Constitution and their own rules with regard to freedom of religion.  When that doesn’t happen, we will say something.
Thanks again.
Peace,
Mike

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