Concerns

Published On: May 20, 2019|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|1 Comment|

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On May 19, 2019, at 1:38 PM, (name withheld) wrote:

Who judges us when we die? And who will represent us in the high courts of heaven?

Jesus is quoted in the Bible saying “I am the truth the light and the way” and “ no one gets to the father but by me!” Wow is that a bold statement.. but backed by what?

As far as I know, no one ever before or after has resurrected themselves from the dead as Jesus did, that is the focal point. Who would you want as a defending attorney in the spiritual court of Gods laws? Someone that died for your sins and forgives them or ? I know who I’m choosing….

I pray God gives you the wisdom and graces necessary for your salvation. Peace to you.

(name withheld)


Response from MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein

From: Mikey Weinstein <mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>
Date: May 19, 2019 at 2:16:26 PM MDT
To:  (name withheld)
Subject: Re: Concerns

(name withheld), I am not sure what prompted you to send this abject proselytizing email to me?… I am not a Christian… I am Jewish… Therefore I do not believe in Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior and in fact totally reject that concept… I am happy for you if it provides you a source of comfort and faith and peace… It’s a little arrogant of you to proselytize me out of nowhere since we don’t know each other…Even if we did, there are circumstances under which it could still be considered an affront and quite rude… Please take a good look at Matthew 7:1-3… Seems like you shouldn’t be judging people… Particular people like me but whom you don’t know at all…Anyway have a nice day but I still don’t know why you sent this to me?… Be well… Mikey Weinstein…


On May 19, 2019, at 2:46 PM,  (name withheld) wrote:

Hi Mike, the prompt was I saw a video about having a Bible removed from a ‘missing man table’ and you were on that video… so after watching I immediately proceeded to the MRF.org website and found your email….  So I apologize for not introducing myself and explaining my end, was not meant to be rude or arrogant in the least. I figured you weren’t Christian by what the video was about, but that was an educated guess on my end, I tend to err on the side of most people have forgotten about God these days…
Anyways, my intent was to define what being a Christian truly means and defending it with conceptual logic at its most primitive state. It was kinda in your face huh? I see it now.
I guess In hindsight, as a Christian, I was offended by the actions of your foundation.. that’s more than likely what prompted an email response. Im not a good writer or evangelizer, I can only try and hand out the good news for those that are open to it. Reject it? Free will is a gift from above, maybe take a second look… anyways,  my hope is that the Bible in question, imprinted with the soldiers name on it, can stay on that table. I can’t be a Christian and believe it should be removed or have non christian books added, it is what it is.
Again I apologize for not coming across as compassionate and being judgemental, forgive me.
(name withheld)

Response from MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein
From: Mikey Weinstein <mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>
Date: May 19, 2019 at 3:04:06 PM MDT
To:  (name withheld)
Subject: Re: Concerns

Thank you for your explanation… I think?… Anyway, (name withheld), please try to open your mind to the other side of the story here… We are representing 16 veterans who are patients at that facility… 10 of them are devout Christians especially our lead plaintiff as we are now suing the Manchester New Hampshire Veterans Administration; medical center in federal court… This isn’t about attacking Christianity… It’s about ensuring that those who want to proselytize the great commission do so in a time, place and manner that is in full accord with United States Constitution, it’s construing federal and state case law and all regulations of the agency involved; The veterans administration… you might find it of interest to know that over 64,000 armed forces active-duty and veterans constitute our current MRFF client load and, get this Paul, about 95% of them are practicing Christians… Over 80% of our full-time paid and volunteer staff of over 450 are also Christians… As is half of my own family…Our largest endorsing agency is the California Council of churches IMPACT organization which consists of 5500 protestant congregations, one and a half million protestants and over 20 distinct Protestant denominations… Please consider these facts as you take a look at the situation in New Hampshire… Thank you… Mikey…

Response from MRFF Advisory Board Member John Compere
May 19, 2019, at 3:35 PM, John Compere  wrote:

(name withheld), this will acknowledge receipt of your message expressing your personal faith & wishing fellow American & military veteran Mikey Weinstein, Founder & President of our Military Religious Freedom Foundation, wisdom, graces & peace. We wish the same for you.
 
Please be advised the Foundation (composed of over 80% Christians) opposes Christians putting their religious scripture version in the middle of non-religious POW/MIA remembrance displays to publicly proselytize their private religious beliefs in government hospital facilities for many valid reasons, but primarily because it violates the US Constitution & American law.
 
All POWs, MIAs & military veterans are not Christians & proselytizing Christian scripture exclusively in government facilities is a violation of the 1st Amendment prohibiting our government from endorsing & promoting one religion over all others or & requiring government neutrality regarding religion (neither pro-religion nor anti-religion, but religion-neutral). Religious scripture can be placed in hospital chapels for those who wish to see them.
 
It brings to mind the wise words of American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson – “God enters by private door into every individual.”
 
Most Sincerely,
Brigadier General John Compere, US Army (Retired)
Disabled American Veteran (Vietnam Era)
Advisory Board Member, Military Religious Freedom Foundation

Response from MRFF Advisory Board Member Mike Farrell
On May 19, 2019, at 5:49 PM, Mike wrote:


Hi (name withheld),

I’m not quite sure of the meaning of your message. Your perspective is quite obvious, of course, but what’s not at all clear is whether you intended it as a general statement of your own religious conviction for the world to see or, since it was addressed to Mikey Weinstein, if it was meant for him personally. Or perhaps it was meant for someone else here? Or it’s possible, I suppose, you meant it for everyone associated with the MRFF and just sent it in care of Mikey. Could that be the case?
I trust you comprehend my confusion. Perhaps you can help. You see, I’m trying to respond on Mikey’s behalf as he’s kept busy fighting off attacks from zealots and bigots and I want to respond appropriately in your case.
To begin at the end, you pray that “God gives you the wisdom and grace necessary for your salvation.” Is that meant to suggest neither Mikey nor anyone else here has wisdom and grace, or perhaps enough wisdom and grace? If so, that’s a rather strong judgment, wouldn’t you agree? On what, do you suppose, such a judgment would be based? And is it your personal position, vis-a-vis your religious belief, that you have the right to so judge Mikey or anyone else here?
In my opinion, there is no lack of wisdom and grace here, but I’ve been wrong before, so I’d appreciate your clarifying your position on wisdom and grace, who has it and who needs more.
“Salvation,” of course, is a whole other thing we can touch on later. But maybe you can spell that one out for me too, just so it’s clear where you’re coming from?
Your message begins with a couple of questions and proposes an answer to them with quotes from the Bible, attributed to Jesus. You characterize these statements as “bold,” and then raise another question, “backed by what?” Here you are apparently raising the question of their authority or legitimacy, which is always a good idea.
But apparently that latter question is only a rhetorical flourish that allows you to pose a conjecture that Jesus’ rising from the dead is a unique event in the world’s history, but you  do add the qualification “(a)s far as I know”.
Pointing to this now-qualified fact as “the focal point,” you go on about a “defending attorney in the spiritual court of God’s laws” and suggest Jesus is your choice. Further, you seem to be arguing that it should be Mikey’s, or all of ours, or everyones and imply, with the addition of your final prayer, discussed above, that it’s the road to “salvation.”
Am I getting your drift?
Well, a couple of questions:
1) Are you suggesting no one here is a Christian?
2) What makes you assume Mikey is not acquainted with Jesus and his teachings?
3) If Mikey or anyone else here is Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Wiccan, Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, atheist, Rosicrucian, Native American, non-sectarian, humanist, a follower of Jesus’ teachings but isn’t sure about the resurrection-thing or a follower of the many other belief systems extant today and lives by the principles thereof, does that not suffice, in your mind, that they are welcome into whatever happens next?
Peace to you.
Mike Farrell
(MRFF Board of Advisors)

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One Comment

  1. A.L. Hern May 25, 2019 at 4:46 pm

    “Jesus is quoted in the Bible saying ‘I am the truth the light and the way.’”

    The above calls into question both the anonymous correspondents scholarship and his chest-pounding piety, since in John 14:6 Jesus ACTUALLY says “I am the way, the truth, and the LIFE: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

    It never fails to astound just how stupid these people are, to the point that they make perpetual fools of themselves defending that which they do not even comprehend.

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