ABQ JEW – Onward, Christian Soldiers!
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The ABQ Jew article has an incredibly amusing video in it. DON’T miss it!!!!
Amendment 1 of the Constitution guarantees that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” As an American, it does not offend me for anyone to have a religious book, or anti-religious book, on his or her desk. Why? Because I 100% believe that Americans have freedom of religion. While I’m a Christian, it does not bother me when Muslims pray at work, or read the Qur’an at work. It does not bother me when Atheists read militant atheist books at work. Satanists as well can read their book at work; I’m all for the Golden Rule. I respect the right of every American to freely exercise their faith or no faith, and I’m sad that this Air Force person is being persecuted for freely practicing his faith at his work. He has the right to have the Bible at his work, same as Atheists have the right to have a Richard Dawkin’s book at their work!
You apparently don’t understand the difference between displays of religious faith in a civilian workplace and displays of religious faith by military commanders who have
FAR more power over their subordinates than a civilian employer has over employees. When a military commander has that much power over subordinates, the mere display of his/her religious beliefs inherently pressures those subordinates to accept those beliefs. Using government authority to promote religious beliefs is by definition “establishment of religion.”
This is explained in more detail many times in MRFF’s replies to many of the emails in the Inbox section of this site: for the most recent one, see Joan Slish’s reply at
https://mrff2.local/2016/08/chaplain-in-trouble/
which includes this:: AFI (Air Force Instruction) 1-1, section 2.12, which reads in part: “…leaders at all levels in the Air Force must ensure that 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.”
Hi Tom, thanks for explaining your point of view to me and quoting the AFI. While my Papaw (Mom’s Dad) was in the Navy, I’m a woman who has never fought in her life, and probably never will (I don’t own a gun and don’t plan on it, though most of my male relatives and my sister do). I respect authority, though I disagree with some decisions that leaders in authority make (as do most people).
So Atheists in the Air Force cannot have a Richard Dawkin’s book lying open on their desk? In my opinion, that’s taking away the rights of Atheist Americans in the Air Force. Personally, I am fine with Atheists in the Air Force having the freedom to express their lack of belief in the divine.
I respect and appreciate my Atheist friends and think it is wrong to not let them have books that disapprove of my belief in their work space. Similarly, I appreciate that while they think my faith is “crazy”, they respect my right and freedom of religion. They understand that my faith is a part of who I am. I cannot leave my faith at home, since it’s a part of me.
Personally, I think the AFI needs to allow all Americans in the Air Force the right to display their lack of belief or belief, as long as they don’t force their comrades to believe the same. Again, I respect, love, and appreciate my Atheist friends, and I would never dream of forcing my belief on them. They know I’m a Christian, and while they tease me about it, they respect my freedom of religion. Some even quote the famous saying, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
Since the USA is a nation of diverse people with diverse beliefs, it’s so important for people of different beliefs and no belief to respect each other and to agree to disagree. So, I am for the AFI to allow Atheists to show books that disapprove of Christianity same as I am for Christians being allowed to have the Bible in their work place. The Golden Rule is why, and respect for my Atheist friends. (If I didn’t truly believe in Jesus, I’d be an Atheist too, so I understand their logic.) :)
Blessings, and thanks for taking the time to respond to my opinion.
Again, you apparently don’t fully grasp some basic differences between civilian and military life. One is the difference level of power that superiors have over their subordinates’ lives: the most extreme example is that military commanders have the power to put someone in a situation where they’re likely to die. Another is that combat effectiveness of a military organization requires near-total trust that each soldier will ALWAYS support ALL his/her comrades, and that everyone will put mission success above ANY personal feelings about their comrades. Because many people have very
strong feelings about their religious beliefs, there’s a significant potential for religious differences to cause negative feelings about a fellow soldier, which threatens that mutual trust and unity of purpose which the military needs. This is explained more fully in the MRFF’s reply at https://mrff2.local/2016/08/maj-steve-lewis-2/