MRFF Condemns Air Force Academy’s “Spiritual Fitness Month” — A Month of Command-Sponsored Religious Proselytizing
In blatant violation of Air Force Instruction 1-1, which clearly and unambiguously states that “leaders at all levels … must ensure 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,” leadership at the Air Force Academy designated the month of August as “Spiritual Fitness Month,” which not only gave the perception of “endorsing” religion and “disapproving of” the non-religious, but subjected the non-religious to inescapable religious videos playing in the main academic building and promotions of the month-long proselytizing-fest by Air Force chaplains over general USAFA public address channels.
While the Air Force claims that “Spiritual Fitness” doesn’t mean religion, everything about the Academy’s “Spiritual Fitness Month” was undisguisedly religious, with nothing at all offered for the non-religious cadets, or even for those of minority religions.
Recent Posts
- December 6, 2023 | No comments
- December 5, 2023 | 2 comments
- December 5, 2023 | No comments
- December 2, 2023 | 1 comment
Mikey: This post reminds me: In another century, I was in the midst of a divorce, needing spiritual support, & was directed to the military chaplain building. A few sessions wtih a chaplain and I managed to get my “sea legs,” aka acceptance of the breakup of my family.
(I shoulda known something big was up, when the sailor I married bought me a station wagon and an MG for himself. Talk about clueless!) To be honest, I’d been feeling a bit rootless for awhile, but there were our 2 children to consider.
Back to the chaplain. With the support of a new book by a feminist writer, in a few weeks I was upright and and oriented– and told this chaplain that I was okay to manage without his help.
On my way out of the building, in a reception area full of other religious guys in uniform, this one encouraged a good-bye hug and when i agreed, he turned and stuck his tongue in my mouth. Back then, run like Hell was the way to handle THAT! There’s only so much hanky-panky one can deal with on a good day, even. Especially from a “spiritual” Christian marriage counselor.
IMO, it’s best to avoid military chaplains, etc., since they, too, back then, were part of a select male community of all men, all the time , and all in it together. The same goes for today’s “spiritual warriors” for THEIR Christ. And damn all those who stand outside–looking in on the devotion to a Christian Army, stripped clean of outsiders/non-believers/other faiths.
Mix in a heaping spoonful of this century’s religious fervor, and we have pastry. During this one more storm–this one in the AFA–I realized that some people will do whatever it takes to have their cake and deny others even a saucer of crumbs.
So long, religion, hello, freedom. Make religion a private matter, not discussed outside of the church or temple, and have a federal dept. full of free thinkers to keep reminding, checking on, reporting about, schedule-checking, and squashing religious malfeasance. Esp. w/ the people who will have the nation’s safety in their sights (oops, I mean: “hands).
But –from what I read– all the academies have been brain-washing students and staff for awhile, so keep ’em all on a short leash. Sorry if this might wipe out a big part of your job).Thanks for all you do. Keep up the good work.
I’m hoping someone names a star “MRFF”. Whom should I call about that? BG