New Op-Ed from MRFF’s Mikey Weinstein: “Fascism is here, and just as Sinclair Lewis predicted, it’s wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross”
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“So this was the first Fourth of July for the United States military since the orange, mentally ill, toddler, subhuman became the commander in chief of the United States military and a womanizing, alcoholic, fundamentalist Christian nationalist became its secretary of defense.
“With the holiday now behind us, I wanted to report an unprecedented number of reach outs from our MRFF clients all over the military regarding egregious violations of the separation of Jesus and state at a plethora of official and semi-official military formations designed to honor our nation’s birthday.
“Drilling down to the specifics is beyond the scope and intention of this brief op-ed, but suffice it to say that the disease of Christian nationalism is well represented throughout the sinew, muscles, bones, and cartilage of the body of our United States military.”
— MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein
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- January 14, 2026 | 3 comments
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Only someone like Weinstein would call the cross a “tarantula on a wedding cake”. I love the cross and what it stands for. To me God and country go hand in hand. One more thing Mister Weinstein, I am tired of you badmouthing our country and our God. America will ALWAYS be a great country, one nation UNDER GOD
My opinion of your anti-religious organization is lower than a snakes belly in a wagon rut. I’m an Old Soldier who had been Blessed with a Sure Knowledge that GOD is Real, and the JESUS is THE MESSIAH that most of the JEWS failed to Recognize, when HE walked the Earth. I have witnessed many Miracles during my time in the Armed Forces, and also since. To me, failure to Acknowledge HIM who Created the Universes is by like a dog trying to bite the hand that feeds it!
Richard Rogers, I’d like to ask you and Old Soldier to take a step back and try the foot on another hand for a moment. Have either of you had a Jewish or Muslim Commander telling you that you had to worship in their synagogue or mosque? Have you any idea what the increasing tide of Christian nationalism feels like to more mainstream Catholic or Protestant denominations of Christians in the armed forces? Because I do!
Before we were married, my Jewish fiancee and I decided to get married in the Chapel at Travis AFB. We’d met, fallen in love, and agreed to marry. there at Travis. We were both active duty Air Force members. While I was away at NCO Leadership School, she went to Chaplains at Travis AFB and asked them to conduct the ceremony for us. Most of them refused, citing the fact that we weren’t members of their denomination. One chaplain even told my wife-to-be that if she married me, I was destined for Hell! Why? Presumably because marrying a Jewish woman would condemn my (assumed) Christian self to Perdition. Never mind that I’d never expressed any religious conviction — the Protestant Christian chaplains all assumed that I was Christian!
Finally, my soon-to-be wife was left with only one option: ask the Catholic Chaplain to officiate. After hearing my sweetie’s story, he did two things: first, he agreed to officiate at our wedding. Second, being the Installation Chaplain, he brought all the chaplains together and read them the riot act! He reminded them, in no uncertain terms, that their jobs as Air Force chaplains, were to serve the needs of ALL personnel — not JUST those belonging to THEIR denominations! By refusing to serve our need to affirm our commitment to one another in the presence of our friends and family in the chapel where we served, those chaplains abrogated their duties — not just to us, but to all the people in the units they served.
THIS is EXACTLY why organizations like MRFF are needed! MRFF is FAR from “anti-religious”: it is openly PRO religious, standing up for the rights of ALL military personnel to practice their religions according to THEIR calling. YOU may disagree with other peoples’ faiths — or lack of faiths — but they still have a right to practice THEIR religions without commanders imposing upon them!
And if I may offer you a bit of perspective, Mister Rogers, there is a very good reason Jews do not recognize Jesus as “the Messiah”: He doesn’t fulfill ANY of the prophecies about Mashiach to be found in Tanakh. Ask any authentic Rabbi (NOT a “Messianic Jew”) and be prepared to learn about the one foretold in what Christians call “The Old Testament”.
Finally, a note to Old Soldier: you do realize that the Pledge of Allegiance was written without any reference to God, don’t you? Specifically, it was written by a Baptist minister, and it DID NOT include the phrase, “. . . under God” as it was originally written.
By all means, love the Cross; believe that ours SHOULD be “one nation, under God”; go with God according to your understanding — be faithful to your relationship with God. But, please, do not REQUIRE me to worship your god according to your understanding. God and I have our OWN relationship, and we aren’t ABOUT to have anyone impose THEIR ideas about how to be in right relationship with a deity upon us!
These arrogant theocrats think the government should help them push THEIR religion on the rest of us. Those attitudes have become so common that some younger people won ‘t believe me when I telI them I was in 3rd grade when the words “under God” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance.
All authoritarian totalitarian political movements try to suppress or co-opt religion because it’s a center of power and control. As the Roman empire learned in the 4th century AD, and
the Soviet Union in the 1990’s, the latter works much better than the former.
Can Old Soldier give us a specific example of Mikey W. “badmouthing our country and our God’?
There is not one representative of the MRFF badmouthing our country nor anyone’s deity or those who have no deity. Not one. Commentators? Oh hell to the yes because we represent the American people and we are a rowdy lot. But commentators are not official representatives of the MRFF. I’m surprised someone as full of information and opinion as the Old solder didn’t pick up on that difference. Hmmm…
For the record all the big law firms who tried to sue MRFF over such assertions either lost their case or they backed away carefully, never turning their back, like a puppy all too aware they transgressed their legal boundaries (aka a puppy who stepped over the line with their mom if you need a more visual representation of what I just said).
Old soldier never disappoints do they? Neither does Richard Rogers who came to this site to spew their libelous crap.
Once more for the fans in the peanut stand – MRFF stands firmly with the Constitution which states very clearly to me but perhaps not those who can’t understand basic legalese that the government can not and must not endorse one religion over another. First Amendment anyone?
I’d love for our trolls to gain an ounce of empathy to see their One faith/One deity/One country view is why the USA is where it is today. Yes, it’s my opinion troll, you don’t get to tell me what or how to think, yet.
Oh, yeah, the New Apostolic Reform priests want total control over our country and are currently feeling their oats as the SCOTUS just ruled that churches are allowed to back specific politicians to their parishioners. Guess they had to with all the video evidence of churches naming the current FOTUS as who they wanted to win.
Aside from the upcoming purity tests, I’m not sure the NAR and the Nationalist Christians fully understand the implications of the decision other than they get their own way.
The unintended consequences spill out of this decision like a feast from a cornucopia and I am here with my snacks and beverage to watch it all unfold.
“Only someone like Mikey would call the cross on what is a display of the flag a tarantula on a wedding cake?” paraphrased but Really?
How about this – the cross wrapped in the flag is what will end our country as we know it. Think the Robber Barons are concerned about ones faith? Have you met corporate America? If faith gets in the way of profits then the prophets will be removed. Not my words, just how they’ve acted in the past.
I foresee a future where if there is an expression of religion in the public square it will exist only to advance the interests of corporate. The religion practiced by our trolls will cease to exist.
My curiosity is if our trolls will stand the line and defend their faith as they’ve been free to practice all their lives or submit like the beta dogs they’ve shown themselves to be. Time will tell.
Oh, Tom O, there you go with history and facts. It is why I do enjoy your comments.
J.P. I had a few examples of religious substitution, I really wanted to bring in the Satanists but your examples rang true so I refrained. No sense in gilding the lily. I am delighted you and yours still enjoy the love you found back there/then. Love is always worth protecting.
I’ve been quiet due to a few milestones and health issues. Meditation seems to help and y’all know the catch phrase? When you don’t have time to meditate you need to meditate more.
Ugh, who thought of that other than the masters from back in the day (like WAY back) so they must have known something.
Mutters – it seems to be helping. Louder OK – it’s working so yeah, the old masters had a lock on the thing.
dang it.
According to my former pastor, who was a Chaplain’s assistant in the 90’s, there has always been a problem with at least some chaplains serving those outside of their denomination. The military doesn’t always function as perfectly as we might like it to.
The Old Soldier rails on about his God, you know, the old white bastard misogynistic, xenophobic, infanticidal, genocidal Christian God that he prays to. A Jewish savior during his time in the flesh, begotten from the Jewish virgin wife of another man, a “do as I say, not as I do” kind of guy. And Dick Rodgers parrots the narrative, both of them caught up in the cult worship of their imaginative thinking.
These are the same cultists that wouldn’t think twice about sending America’s sons and daughters off to fight in Iran on behalf of Israel, body bags part of the basic issue, a BYOBB kind of new American military, Iran already having handed the U.S. and Israel their asses.
The Old Soldier says “America will ALWAYS be great,” now, now, don’t piss off your Orange leader. He says he made America great! And it’s going to be even greater once we get rid of all the brown people in this country! You know, the ones feeding the nation and building the country.
It’ll be just like Gaza once we get rid of all their brown people – like a riviera on the Med.
And Christian? Oh, wait a minute, yeah, they don’t believe in your bastard Jewish savior. And, according to your Bible, bastard to the tenth generation, you know, “the sins of our fathers!”
When you send our sons and daughters off to fight for your precious military disability compensation, you know, sleep apnea – poor babies, throw in a little PTSD for cult delusions, pretty soon you’re 100% disabled and drawing big money, tax free – I dunno, send them with a rosary? What do Protestants use? Crusader tattoos? Yeah, that’s it. Tattoos. Just ask SECDEF Petey Hogsbreath, you know, Commander’s intent! Except for the ladies. Maybe put their crusader tattoos on their, I dunno, ass cheek?
And keep wearing them red MAGA hats. Makes it easier to spot stupid in a crowd!
Grey One, I was introduced to the word “chuntering” a few days ago. Not knowing what that means, I searched the Oxford English Dictionary and came up with a related gem — “grutch”! I’m just itching for the chance to use it!
As for Katie and me . . . we’re in our 42nd year of marriage. Please don’t ask if we’ve found the answer to the question of Life, the Universe and Everything — at this point, we’d like the answer to most anything!
Trumptie’s tariffs looking like a multi level marketing invitation. Must be that Christian alignment, but, here we go again, stocks, again, on the down swing, threatening the world with screwing over the American people if anyone counters his tariffs. The Orange man in 7th grade? So juvenile. Puts a 50% tariff on Brazil because they’re prosecuting the former dictator Bolsanaro, his MAGA buddy? And the U.S. currently running a trade surplus with Brazil? A “Staple Genus” for sure – minus the genus part. Dumber than a bag of hammers. But you Christian’s voted for the dumbass.
Houthis just sunk two ships in the Red Sea, and ….. crickets out of the White House after he bombed Yemen for a month and a half. What’s up Donnie? Aren’t we there to ensure international shipping? Two of them Israeli affiliated ships just sunk! You gonna do anything about it? Oh, wait a minute, you bombed the shit out if them and they’re still sinking ships? Now I get it, playing two dimensional checkers.
Round up some brown people Donnie! Quick before the Epstein files get a hold on the news cycle!
China flying air defense assets into Iran. In other words, China has entered the fray. They’ve also built a rail line straight into Iran. Next time U.S. backed Israel launches an unprovoked attack on Iran, yeah, ain’t looking too good for the U.S. and Israel! The Israelis set up a Command center under a hospital. Well, Iran blew up the defense ministry building and Mossad’s headquarters. I mean, you got to have command and control. Put some human shields in front of it, viola, protection, amirite?
Iran ready to mine the straight of Hormuz. Plenty of hyper sonic ballistic missiles with Israeli addresses on them! Israel on the ropes, had to clamp down on their own people leaving the country. Many now leaving by boat, anything to get the fuck out of the center of Christian Zionism.
Ain’t looking too good for the home team Donnie!
“Clowns to the left, jokers to the right,” here we are stuck in the middle with you! Good song.
Israel’s Paper Dome no match for Iranian saturation barrage, the Achilles heel of U.S. air defense – Iron Dome a spin off of U.S. Patriot, three tiered but limited simultaneous engagements. Oops! And not fast enough for hypersonic attacks.
But hey, you can always pray! Yeah, that’ll do it. That Judeo-Christian malevolency, you know, the “don’t get me mad” old white guy in the clouds, he’ll protect you!
Round up some brown kids with cancer Donnie. That’ll control the news cycle for a while! Maybe show a landscaper or two getting eaten by alligators in Florida! Yeah, that’s the ticket.
You’re gonna need something to detract from the recession that’s on the way. Didn’t you bring Apple back to America? I thought we had millions of jobs putting tiny screws into iPhones. My bad, Apple went to Vietnam! Goddamn it! What’s wrong with them? They were s’posed to come back to America. Wasn’t it Arkansas they were going to?
Keep at it Donnie. Those hull-popping noises? Naw, we got this, perfectly normal.
Oh, got any more red hats? We’re running low out here. Maybe one that says, “Make America Christian Again?”
Any more of them Trump watches made in China? Make sure they spell your name right this time. The last ones just said “Rump!”
Let us know when Israel’s gonna attack Iran again. Gonna be some real fire works this time! Tel Aviv by night. Maybe do city tours? See all the stars? Oh, wait a minute, those aren’t stars! OK, everyone off the bus – run!
Have at it MAGA. Careful what you ask for. You just might get it!
I’m an old atheist (so-called soft atheist, I don’t see good evidence for deities but I don’t insist that they don’t exist). Currently I’m studying Buddhist philosophy, but I doubt I’ll ever become a true Buddhist. The philosophical end identifies some real truths about how humans think, and how to get beyond the modes of unproductive thinking.
I coexist happily with just about everyone who doesn’t insist I must believe as they do.
Especially with the closeness with which members of the armed forces must operate in and out of combat, I don’t understand why mission readiness training doesn’t include a whole lot of “live and let live” regarding other service members’ religious inclinations. But our current situation reminds me of the Roman Emperor Constantine’s support of Christianity, which might or might not have been a true religious inclination on his part (at least not to the exclusion of other deities), but was perhaps a tool for trying to unite an empire that was far-flung and struggling with issues associated with the limited communication technology at the time.
Unfortunately, the current US emperor-in-chief isn’t hobbled by that issue.
I’m 65. This is NOT the US I was born into. Talking with a friend today about political compromise, I suggested that the word “compromise” might actually be banned in most houses of government, and especially in DC. He agreed.
J.P.,
My parents married at an army base in Southwestern Oregon (my mother took the bus there from the San Francisco Bay Area at his invitation). Mama remembered that they had to wade through mud to get to the base chapel. (Oregon! February! rain!) This was 1942. A Catholic chaplain married them, Mama being Catholic, Dad being Lutheran. It was wartime, nobody blinked at what the Catholic Church now fusses about an inter-religious marriage.
Dad was shipped out to the Philippines a couple of days later.
They were still happily married when Mama died at the end of 2002. Dad followed her in 2006, and grieved his loss deeply. They shared core values, loved each other, and who the heck cares what church they attended?
Spot on Karen, good comments. We live in a complete dystopia but, it ain’t like at least some of us didn’t see it coming.
Course, the MRFF has been in the fight for years now. Many didn’t take notice or knew that their political future (Congress) relied on their parroting of the Christian story and protection of Israel. Which leads us to where we are today, the body politic having abandoned the American working class as far back as Reagan. Party affiliation didn’t matter, it’s how you stayed in office in those plush representative jobs, power the drug that it is.
America, IMO, is a dying empire and what you see today is not unlike Constantine’s giving us Christianity to control the minions, to keep hold of the empire.
And look what we have! Fast forward, on steroids, a complete Oweillian dystopia, reality TV B-list celebrities and many billionaires running the country, the right hand not knowing what the left is doing, all of them trying to out do each other in guessing what the Orange Man’s gonna say and competing to lick his diaper-covered ass! At the expense of the country to include his own base. He flat out told them during the campaign, “I don’t care about you, I just need your vote,” and off they trotted, their jobs at stake in a global economy as they promote home-schooling for good Christian values and watching the gutting of public and post-graduate education in this country.
Yeah, I think it’s over. Completely unrecoverable. Whether we come out of it like the UK in their post global-empire or turn into a banana republic is the question. I’m betting on the latter. I think the damage is too severe. The rest of the world is way ahead of us.
They’re betting on a strong military to continue American hegemony, but it’s past its shelf life, just proven in our latest and on-going military forays.
Iran handed us our asses, Israel is on the ropes, we have air power but that’s about it and even that’s weak. Shifted some sand around in Iran, the Iranians attacked our base in Qatar – a message, and the air campaign on the Houthis called off while they continue to sink ships.
Yeah, it’s over. The base defense budget up over a $ Trillion dollars now. The DOD unable to pass an audit – a free for all with Hogsbreath leading it? We’re done!
New tariffs – again. BRICS on the rise, growing, the world transitioning off the dollar.
Trump telling Iran they can sell oil to the Chinese – as if they wouldn’t have anyway – knowing they could block the Straight of Hormuz and end his presidency.
While America works toward a new shining Gilead on the Hill, the rest of the world moves on. Wheat farmers in the U.S. decimated, Canada picking up the slack with new Chinese contracts. He decimated soy farmers his last go round, Brazil and Argentina picked it up.
He literally fucks up everything he touches.
The American dream? Laughable. More like the worst nightmare you ever had!
The only way to get ahead in America is to have been born to rich parents – I got in the wrong line. Would have chosen a Royal vagina!
Absolutely astonishing how stupid Trump supporters really are.
In terms of so-called illegal immigrants, Trump rails on about how he’s “deporting” murderers as if that’s a good thing.
Let me say it again for benefit of the MAGA morons, he’s, right out of his own mouth, deporting MURDERERS! And his MAGA minions are OK with it!
In other words, it’s not about the murders, it’s about them having committed murder and remaining in the United States. They seem to agree that that’s the right punishment for committing murder – but only if you’re an illegal immigrant!
He obviously knows they’ve committed murder and obviously knows who they are and where to go get them.
So the message to the world is, “ If you come to the United States and commit murder, we’re going to round you up and …………….. send you back to where you came from!
Trump being stupid is one thing, but his base is off-the-hook fucking stupid! Well beyond bag-of-hammers stupidity! I mean, we’re talking fucking rock stupid! You know, like him!