Statement From: Mike Farrell
As a member of the Board of Advisors of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation I frequently respond to ignorant, angry, vulgar, bigoted, often specifically anti-Semitic, completely baseless attacks on the work of the MRFF from people who identify themselves as Christians. Because we support the freedom of thought, the freedom of choice, the freedom of belief or non-belief, as is guaranteed every American by our Constitution and its expanded body of laws, these people evidently feel that because their particular belief system is the only “right” one, thus the one to which everyone must subscribe, they are threatened by the thought that other belief systems or none may be, for some, as valid as their own is to them.
When a self-described “Christian extremist” who claims that those who suffer from PTSD do so because they lack the proper faith, the “right” belief system, is invited to address our troops, his presence and his message carry with them the imprimatur of their commanding officer. When that happens, the rights of the women and men he addresses are being grossly violated, as are the laws of the land and the regulations of the U.S. Military. Because the law and military regulations require the separation of church and state, it is urgently important that someone who arrogates to himself the right to discriminate on behalf of God cannot be given the forum to do so by those in command of our troops.
I urge Major General Pete Johnson to withdraw the invitation tendered Kenneth Copeland to speak at Fort Jackson’s 2018 National Prayer Breakfast.
Mike Farrell, Veteran, USMC
Actor and Human Rights Activist
Military Religious Freedom Foundation Advisory Board Member
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