Shaw Air Force Base Nativity Set

Dear Mikey,

Shame on you for not standing up for this countries Christian values. Values that have been handed down for centuries. If other religions want to put something up that is not offensive and supports their religious beliefs then let them but don’t take down the Nativity Set. Stand for something for pete sake!

(Name withheld)

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Dear (name withheld)

Mikey is busy helping our soldiers and asked me to respond to you.

We do “Stand for something for pete sake!” We stand for the Constitution and military law.

The Nativity scene was put up at Shaw AFB by an outside church – as the base calls them a “volunteer group” – not the Airmen. The only way this could have happened was if the Commander allowed it. By bringing in this non-military church group to put up the Nativity scene by the lake, they were hoping to skirt the Air Force directive on religious neutrality.

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
Air Force Instruction 1-1
7 August 2012

2.11. Government Neutrality Regarding Religion. Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for an individual’s free exercise of religion or other personal beliefs and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion. For example, they must avoid the actual or apparent use of their position to promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates or to extend preferential treatment for any religion. Commanders or supervisors who engage in such behavior may cause members to doubt their impartiality and objectivity. The potential result is a degradation of the unit’s morale, good order, and discipline. Airmen, especially commanders and supervisors, must ensure that in exercising their right of religious free expression, they do not degrade morale, good order, and discipline in the Air Force or degrade the trust and confidence that the public has in the United States Air Force.

Our military is a government entity and must remain secular. All religious holidays, feasts and obligations are to be in the hands of the Chaplains on Chapel grounds – not Commanders. This is legal and we encourage it. The Christians can put up a tree, a Nativity scene and any other decorations they want on their grounds – not just any place on base they want.

We DO NOT act on our own but on the complaints of our soldiers. The Nativity complaint came in from 41 Officers at Shaw AFB of which 39 of them are Christians.
The Nativity scene is now on Chapel grounds where it always was until this incident.

We are not an atheist organization nor are we anti-Christian. Mikey is Jewish and 75% of the Board, Advisory Board, volunteers and supporters of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) are Christians. In fact, 96% of our almost 36,000 soldier clients (1 can represent 50) are Christians. So, we fight for the rights of Christians more than any other religion.

I am sorry that you have been deceived by the media into thinking that the MRFF attacks Christians when in reality it starts with the soldiers who know military law.

Please go to our website, click on “About” and then click on “Foundation Voices.” Scroll through and you will see many distinguished military personnel that support the MRFF. We rely on them for their expertise concerning what can and cannot be done on our bases under military law.

Pastor Joan
MRFF Advisory Board Member

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Pastor Joan I can understand a father being upset if he feels his sons are being persecuted and wanting to protect them. I really can as a father myself. It appears that Mikey Weinstein has successfully waged a one man war against anyone who he feels is a threat to his perception of religious freedoms. Really using the First Amendment to take down a Nativity Scene is a stretch something that I don’t believe would have happened under the Reagan administration, unfortunately we have spineless men who bend like a tree in the wind if challenged by a potential lawsuit. They lack conviction! I too am looking for the Messiah to come and one day each one of us will stand before Jesus Christ and confess that He is our Savior.

It is unfortunate that we have people who call themselves Christians today and yet continue to persecute those of the Jewish faith for what happened 2000 years ago. We are all brothers and sisters of a loving Heavenly Father, who created this earth for us to come and be tested to see if we would live by commandments given to us by prophets of God. If we all lived by the First and Great commandment, which is to love the Lord thy God with all our heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind and the second is like unto it to love our neighbor as thyself, then hatred and wars would cease to exist but unfortunately until the King of King returns we will have to put up with imperfect men and women and what God asks us to do is forgive them.

I salute Mr. Weinstein and his family for their distinguish careers in our military but kindness goes much further in trying tochange behavior. I am sure if we could sit down and look at the Nativity scene by the lake it really wasn’t about the Nativity scene but about power. The rush one feels that comes with seeing how much power they think they yield to be able to call the Pentagon and have the Nativity scene removed in less than three hours, but really what did the Nativity scene hurt anyone?

(name withheld)

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Brother (name withheld),

Military bases are secular and anyone – no matter what religion or lack thereof – that wants to don the uniform of our military and fight for our rights under the Constitution is free to do so. NO religion can put up anything in a secular area that is open to all soldiers. That’s why there are designated areas for the Chapels and other religious buildings.

Again, all complaints dealing with religion on bases come from the soldiers. We rely on our distinguished military personnel that know what can and cannot be put up anywhere on bases better than any of us do. To place the blame on Mikey instead of where it really belongs is wrong.

If the Pentagon and the Asst. Commander of Shaw AFB felt it was within military law to put the Nativity scene up by a lake – which is secular area – it wouldn’t have been taken down so quickly and moved to the Chapel grounds.

When our soldiers join the military they give up some freedoms that we take for granted. Free speech is one of them. There are military rules that must be obeyed and they are written for the common good.

Following the rules and laws has absolutely nothing to do with any President.

There is no power rush in having the Nativity scene put back where it belongs under military law.

Pastor Joan