Mitary Chaplains (with MRFF responses)

Published On: August 14, 2015|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|1 Comment|

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Your so called “group” is so ridiculous that I thought you were a JOKE when I first heard about you!

You spew vile HATE for Christians, and anyone else who had any sort of religious beliefs, while foolishly claiming it is “intolerant” and “hate speech” to not be just like YOU! How intolerant can you be?!

You are MASSIVELY outnumbered by Christians! We are so tired of your antics and are NOT going to tolerate much more of your pushing your Godless, “do what I say” agenda!

Leave Christians, and all non-atheists ALONE! Keep pushing you agenda on us and we will stand up against you! Our sheer numbers will be no match for your whining ways and you know it!

If you were really concerned about “tolerance” you would mind your own business and leave others alone to think, believe, and worship how they please!

BACK OFF! We are done with this and the push back is beginning!

(name withheld)


To Whom It May Concern,

I normally do not engage in responses to criticisms of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF); but, felt compelled to here.  I am a Military Chaplain and have been for a very long time.  There have been numerous occasions where I have been approached about things that MRFF has done or are accused of doing, and as such, I have developed a friendly relationship with the director/founder (due to my desire to see for myself).  First off I must assure you that he is not trying to crush Christians.  He and his organization have sought to assure all religious and non-religious practices be maintained and enforced.  He is a strong supporter of the First Ammendment so accusing him of spitting vile hate is ludicrous.  I can assure you that he has never spit on me and he has a great deal of respect for me and my position as I have of him.  The idiom that I recommend is: research the positions before you lash out as not doing so will leave you in a precarious position.  Criticism is good when provided in a non-threatening way.  Your position is easier to consider when not filled with anger.
Respectfully,
Lt. Col. Chaplain (name withheld)

Dear (name withheld),

My heart goes out to you because you are so angry over the things you’ve heard and read about us that are untrue. You’re being used to further an agenda that is operating by deceit and so many Christians are drawn into. The term for lying, twisting and omitting facts is Jehovah Sneaky because they believe the end justifies the means.

 

The first thing I need to clear up to you is that we are neither anti-God nor anti-Christian. Mikey is Jewish (not an atheist) and prays 3 times a day to the same Father we do. A full 75% or more of the Board, Advisory Board, volunteers and supporters with MRFF are Christian. Out of our 42,200 military clients 96% of them are Christian – Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, Lutherans, Baptists, Evangelicals, etc… If anything, we represent Christians more than any other religion but you won’t hear about it because that wouldn’t make a Christian angry against us.

 

Our military has been hijacked over the past few decades by an extreme form of Christianity better known as Evangelical Fundamental Dominionist “born-again” Christians who believe they are the only true Christian faith and all other Christians that are not the “right kind” are doomed to hell and burning in the lake of fire for eternity. They have been promoted over the years to now have command over the Pentagon and only the “right kind” of Christian has been given priority over Command assignments and leadership. The Dominionist Chaplains make up 85-90% of all Chaplains in our military.

 

They believe as premillenialists that that our soldiers are “Warriors” for Christ and “government paid missionaries” and must cleanse the world of all mainline Christians, those of other religions and those of no religious beliefs so that Jesus can come back and rule for a thousand years – which throws out the book of Revelations where Jesus said He is coming back with His Heavenly Army and then rule.

 

This is what the military thinks of the faith of those Christian denominations listed above:

US Army chaplain MAJ James Linzey, who, in a 1999 video, described mainstream Protestant churches as “demonic, dastardly creatures from the pit of hell “that should be “stomped out.”

 

Though this video is from 1999 it is the pervasive thinking in our military all the way up the chain of command towards mainline Christians; they should be stomped out.

One way to stomp them out is by harassment, poor performance ratings, denied advancements, put on “point” in battle and kicked out of the military on trumped up charges…all in the name of Jesus.

 

If R C stands for Roman Catholic then you should be stomped out according to the military.

 

This is the hostile environment the mainline Christians deal with on a daily basis. Their Constitutional rights of religious freedom are being trampled on without any help from those in the chain of command.

 

We DO NOT act on our own but on the complaints from soldiers who contact us because their chain of command has failed them under the Constitution.

 

The religion of the majority in our military does not rule over other religions or those of no religious preference, under the Constitution:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment (Establishment Clause) of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise (Free Exercise Clause) thereof . . . “(1st Amendment)

 

The Establishment Clause comes before the Free Exercise Clause for a reason; the Free Exercise Clause is subservient to the Establishment Clause – not the other way around as some Christians would like it to be.

 

Jefferson’s concept of “separation of church and state” first became a part of Establishment Clause jurisprudence in Reynolds v. U.S., 98 U.S. 145 (1878). In that case, the court examined the history of religious liberty in the US, determining that while the constitution guarantees religious freedom, “The word ‘religion’ is not defined in the Constitution. We must go elsewhere, therefore, to ascertain its meaning and nowhere more appropriately, we think, than to the history of the times in the midst of which the provision was adopted.” The court found that the leaders in advocating and formulating the constitutional guarantee of religious liberty were James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. Quoting the “separation” paragraph from Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists, the court concluded that, “coming as this does from an acknowledged leader of the advocates of the measure, it may be accepted almost as an authoritative declaration of the scope and effect of the amendment thus secured.

 

The Supreme Court heard the Lemon v. Kurtzman case in 1971 and ruled in favor of the Establishment Clause.

 

Subsequent to this decision, the Supreme Court has applied a three-pronged test to determine whether government action comports with the Establishment Clause, known as the Lemon Test:

 

  1. Any law or policy must have been adopted with a neutral or non-religious purpose.
  2. The principle or primary effect of any law or policy must be one that neither advances nor inhibits religion.
  3. The statute or policy must not result in an “excessive entanglement” of government with religion.

 

If any government entity’s actions fit into one of these three, then it is a violation of the Establishment Clause.

Then there’s 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

 

There are 40,000 Christian denominations in the world and if you were tolerant of Christians then you would be telling these Evangelical Fundamental Dominionists to back off and leave the mainline Christians alone to think, believe, and worship how they please!

There are also several honorable and distinguished military personnel who are involved with MRFF:

 

Board Member:

Major William E. Barker

 

Advisory Board Members:

Brigadier General (ret) Robert S. Dotson

Captain Eagle Man, Ed McGaa (ret) – Oglala Sioux tribal member

Air Force Brigadier General (ret) A.A. “Tony” Verrengia;

Lt. Colonel (ret) John Whiteside

Lawrence Wilkerson – Secretary of State Colin Powell’s Chief of Staff (2002-05)

 

As soon as I finish this response to you, it will go out to our military liaisons on almost every base in the world to be distributed to the soldiers, volunteers and supporters of MRFF in their respective areas. I’m sure they would be more than happy to know that you said:

 

Keep pushing you agenda on us and we will stand up against you. Our sheer numbers will be nomatch for your whining ways and you know it! BACK OFF! We are done with this and the push back is beginning!

 

Oh, really! Well, R C, you’re going to be famous around the world but not in the way you expected.

If anyone should do research before spouting off garbage without knowing the truth, it is you who should do it on our website and Supreme Court rulings.

 

I’d also suggest you read the whole book of Revelations and see that it is Jesus coming back with His Heavenly Army and then rule…not our military cleansing the world for Him.

 

Pastor Joan

MRFF Advisory Board Member


 

Hilarious! They gave one to Barry Soetero, I mean Barack Obama, the absolute WORST president in our history! Only a mindless idiot would be proud of that

And keep your shitty unprofessional e-mails coming! I am posting them online to further show how nasty you people are!

(name withheld)


 

Oh, and yours are being posted, too.

Pastor Joan


 

Please shove your fake patronizing concern! YOU and your PC bullshit is what is wrong with our country, and thats about all I read from your crap e-mail.

Adios

(name withheld)


 

So long…it was fun!

Pastor Joan


 

Wow! Pure professionalism! No wonder your “agency” is so reviled!

(name withheld)


 

Well, (name withheld), we don’t roll over and take stuff from people like you and give it right back. I really feel sorry for you.

Why are you using the name (name withheld)…the backer of the Georgia Guidestones?

Pastor Joan


 

You are such a wonderful representation of your illegitimate little hate group!
You really are spending a lot of tome being so upset that someone disagrees with you and calls out your lame hypocritical agenda! Don’t you have better, more “nobel” things to do than argue with a stranger- like try to ruin a military members career?

Toughen up sister! Its gonna get a lot more difficult for you since those Christians, especially Evangelicals, that you express so must disdain for are not going to continue rolling over either! Your vile evil ways wont be tolerated! The sleeping giant is waking up and seeing the truth and banding together!

(name withheld)


 

Actually we have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 7 times in 6 years. Apparently they think we are doing a “Nobel” job.

http://militaryreligiousfreedom.org/press-releases/2014/NOBEL_2015.html

Pastor Joan


 

Wow! Resorting to trolling! Be proud! I have enough examples of your vileness! Buh bye now!

(name withheld)


 

 

Where’s the link to your posting of our conversation you said you were doing?

 

Remember, you started this by contacting us. I’m just responding to your emails.

Pastor Joan


 

And with a name like “joan” i would expect you to be crusty and old, but you act like a childish schoolyard bully! You are such an enigma! Run along now, go ruin careers!

(name withheld)


 

Where’s the link you are posting this on? Why the secrecy? You can find your emails on our website under “inbox.” If they’re not there now they will be soon.

Pastor Joan


 

Dear (name withheld),
You confirm that standard discriminatory religious activity still exists, even at this late date in time.Your threatening language is par for the course of today’s militant Christian community.MRFF does not spew hatred against Christianity but rather offers alternatives for those trapped in religious hegemony.For centuries certain religious practice has been the foundation of war, civil unrest and other civil disobedience. Religion has been and remains it’s own government often thumbing its nose at civil law.

Today certain elements of the US military attempt to express and expand their faith using the  power of rank and position to require subordinates to be subject to religious proselytizing.
Our mission is to provide relief from the structured proselytizing so prevalent in today’s military and allow our young men and women to pursue their own beliefs without fear.
We consider this an important goal to maintain a well formed, trained  and effective military. 

I can also guarantee you that there was many a brave Atheist in foxholes in America’s conflicts.So rather than attempt to elevate one group over another by virtue of religious belief let us bring them together with common goals and objectives using the charter of freedom of and from religion given to them by our Constitution.SincerelyRick Baker
Capt. USAF (MedRet)
MRFF Volunteer

 

Joan,

I don’t owe you shit! And i am not sending you anything you demand!

 

And NO, you already replied, now you are just being a nasty stalker who has nothing better to do but pester those who see you for the scumbags you are! You freaks are evil trash and I am soooo happy that i have this proof to show others!

(name withheld)


 

FYI I am an Evangelical but I am not a Dominionist. Mikey and his lawyers have a copy of my ordination.

 

No, you don’t owe me anything.

 

There are other Pastors involved with MRFF…I just happened to be the one who responded to you.

Pastor Joan


 

Dear (name withheld),
You confirm that standard discriminatory religious activity still exists, even at this late date in time.Your threatening language is par for the course of today’s militant Christian community.MRFF does not spew hatred against Christianity but rather offers alternatives for those trapped in religious hegemony.For centuries certain religious practice has been the foundation of war, civil unrest and other civil disobedience. Religion has been and remains it’s own government often thumbing its nose at civil law.


Today certain elements of the US military attempt to express and expand their faith using the  power of rank and position to require subordinates to be subject to religious proselytizing.
Our mission is to provide relief from the structured proselytizing so prevalent in today’s military and allow our young men and women to pursue their own beliefs without fear.
We consider this an important goal to maintain a well formed, trained  and effective military. 


I can also guarantee you that there was many a brave Atheist in foxholes in America’s conflicts.
So rather than attempt to elevate one group over another by virtue of religious belief let us bring them together with common goals and objectives using the charter of freedom of and from religion given to them by our Constitution.SincerelyRick Baker
Capt. USAF (MedRet)
MRFF Volunteer


Wow! Do you freaks talk to each other or do you ALL just love fighting with people who dislike you? I feel like i am being attacked by satans demons! Yikes! Get use to it dick, people are getting sick of you nonsense and will be expressing this more to you! Time to toughen up!

(name withheld)


Dear (name withheld),
I see exactly the opposite happening. I think people are finally getting tired of religion being used as a  tool to gain position and wealth while at the same time diminishing people who do not subscribe.I’m afraid it is not an atheist or non-believer who is the freak but rather those who  attempt to prevent people from practicing their own beliefs or absence thereof.The number of people who participate in a belief system is no guarantee of its validity.

Rick

Dear (name withheld),
I am writing in response to your August 14, 2015 email to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF).  I assure you we are no joke, but you are sadly misinformed about our work.  The mission of MRFF is to ensure the religious freedom of ALL soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, veterans, and cadets – regardless of religious faith or no faith.
MRFF works tirelessly to ensure the Constitutional rights of the brave men and women who sacrifice so much to protect our rights.  Contrary to your claim that MRFF “spews vile hate for Christians,” over 96% of MRFF’s clients are Christians suffering from religious discrimination and persecution.  If MRFF were to “leave Christians and all non-atheists alone,” as you suggest, such religious discrimination would be allowed to continue.
Despite MRFF’s work protecting the rights of all men and women in uniform – including thousands of Christians – many so-called “Christians,” such as yourself, falsely claim that MRFF is “intolerant.”  However, you are the one who is intolerant – so intolerant of those who protect non-Christians just as vehemently as they protect Christians that you resort to juvenile threats of a “push back.”  MRFF receives letters every day containing tantrums similar to yours and they only give us the strength to continue our fight.  We will not allow our service members to suffer because people like you refuse to learn the mandates of the Constitution.
Blessed be,
Tobanna Barker
MRFF Legal Affairs Coordinator

Hi ,  (name withheld),

My name, which I’m not afraid to use, is Mike Farrell. I’m on the MRFF’s Board of Advisors. Except for proper nouns and the beginning of sentences, I usually manage to avoid capital letters, but I take it that you’re one of those folks who thinks certain words need emphasis.

Since Mikey stays very busy protecting the religious freedom of the women and men in the military, some of us who are supporters of the MRFF respond to the heavy email traffic that comes our way. Some of the messages are supportive, of course, and a great many express appreciation for the protection and assistance the MRFF offers.

However, many people, mostly those who don’t fully understand the situation and thus the need for the protections offered by the constitution and military regulations, write in with criticism or expressions of confusion and a wish for better understanding. Some messages, sadly, are simply vile, filled with hatred, insinuation, evidence of a grotesque level of ignorance and, all too often, a pretense at being devout Christians while spewing some of the most atrocious antisemitic and unChristian nonsense imaginable.

I’d be tempted to list yours among the simply confused, but the threats you include leave me a bit uncertain as to your true intentions, thus unsure just how to classify your message. So let me offer a few thoughts and ask you for some clarification.

I’m glad you’ve come to realize the MRFF is not a joke, though I’m unclear about how you could have initially thought it was and in fact assume that’s an intended sarcasm.

We do not oppose real Christians and we certainly do not hate Christians or Christianity. In fact, over 95% of our organization and its members and supporters are themselves Christians. Unlike the detractors, ours are actual Christians who understand the need to honor the beliefs of everyone, even those who have a different faith or hold a different belief system.

Despite your considerable confusion, try to understand that we do not “spew” hate or anything resembling it. We not only do not declaim against “anyone else who had any sort of religious beliefs,” we actually champion the right of all people to have any belief system they choose. We do vigorously campaign against breaches of the constitution and military regulations by those who subscribe to a totalitarian belief system, one that claims to not only be the “one true faith” but brutally condemns all other belief systems while at the same time trying to insist itself into the military. That is a violation of the separation of church and state as well as military regulations.

I would like to know what you mean by the statement that you “are NOT going to tolerate much more of your pushing your Godless ‘do what I say’ agenda!” Aside from the fact that we have no such agenda, I’m curious as to whether that part of your message is the prelude to a serious threat. I ask because the next paragraph amplifies what I can only interpret as a threat: “we will stand up against you!”

Now, if your standing up means shouting out more confused twaddle, it doesn’t worry me. Any serious discussion with you or those who think like you will be a cinch for us because your premise is false and the law is on our side. But I would like to know if there is anything more sinister intended by your somewhat veiled threats because, if there is, we’d be obliged to inform the authorities and that could prove seriously embarrassing to you.

So please take the time to clarify your intention here. If by “the push back is beginning!” you mean I should expect to have to deal with more boastful nonsense, I’m not concerned. If, on the other hand, you have some plans in mind that intend harm to those associated with the MRFF, we’ll get back to you.

Count on it.

Mike Farrell

(MRFF Board of Advisors)


 

To Mike Farrell (via Mikey),

Your response to this narrow-minded brain-washed individual is nothing more than absolutely inspiring and I was almost touched to tears.  Mikey is the bravest person I have ever met, to stand up against this insanity.  He is my hero and role model, not to mention kindred spirit, even though my beliefs may be different (I am an atheist activist Democrat).
Thank you so much, Mike, for giving Mikey the kind of support he really needs and deserves.
(name withheld)

 

 

 

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One Comment

  1. Ilene August 14, 2015 at 5:32 pm

    Wow, there are some truly sick, deranged individuals out there. MRFF, I am so sorry you have to deal with people who speak the way this person does. Hang in there, you are doing such important work.

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