Sad but true at first glance you seem true to cause but deeper twisted and perverted in thoughts.

Sad but true at first glance you seem true to cause but deeper twisted and perverted in thoughts.

(name withheld)

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Dear (name withheld),

The media has left out some very important facts which have probably led you to believe we are “twisted and perverted.”

 

Let me clear up a few things for you.

 

We are not an atheist organization nor are we anti-Christian. Mikey is Jewish and prays 3 times a day to the same Father we do and 75% of the Board, Advisory Board, volunteers and supporters of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) are Christians. In fact, 96% of our 41,000+ soldier clients (1 soldier can represent up to 50 other soldiers and 1 represents 100 other soldiers) are Christians. So, we fight for the rights of Christians more than any other religion.

 

The National Day of Prayer was signed into law in 1952 and is for those of all faiths as a day of prayer and meditation.

 

The National Day of Prayer Task Force is a private, non-profit organization.

 

The National Day of Prayer Task Force is strictly a conservative evangelical Christian organization called the “National Prayer Committee” that was formed to coordinate and implement a fixed annual day of prayer (the same day as the original National Day of Prayer) for the purpose of organizing only evangelical Christian prayer events with local, state, and federal government entities.

 

The National Day of Prayer is sanctioned by the government where the National Day of Prayer Task Force is not.

 

If he had showed up in civilian clothes there wouldn’t have been a problem.

 

Parker v. Levy:

 

“This Court has long recognized that the military is, by necessity, a specialized society separate from civilian society… While the members of the military are not excluded from the protection granted by the First Amendment, the different character of the military community and of the military mission requires a different application of those protections. … The fundamental necessity for obedience, and the consequent necessity for imposition of discipline, may render permissible within the military that which would be constitutionally impermissible outside it… Speech [to include religious speech] that is protected in the civil population may nonetheless undermine the effectiveness of response to command.  If it does, it is constitutionally unprotected.” (Emphasis added) Parker v. Levy, 417 U.S. 733, 1974

 

Our military consists of those of other beliefs and by giving his speech on Christianity in uniform – which gives the impression to the world that we have a Christian military – demeans the morale of those of other faiths. His speech is constitutionally unprotected.

 

Air Force Instruction 1-1, Section 2.12:

 

2.12. Balance of Free Exercise of Religion and Establishment Clause. Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for their own free exercise of

religion, including individual expressions of religious beliefs, and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion. They 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. (emphasis added)

 

Major General Olson knows these laws and chose to disobey them. The violation of this – by speaking in uniform at a private event – is a potential felony under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

 

There have been military personnel who showed up at rallies in uniform that have been held to account for their actions. Just because he is a Commander does not give him an exception to the rules.

 

We fight for the religious rights for all of our soldiers as long as it is done in the right time, place and manner.

 

And if you’ve heard that Mikey works for the President or the Pentagon that is an outright lie.

 

The only people that are “twisted and perverted” are the media in withholding important facts to suit their own agenda.

 

Pastor Joan

MRFF Advisory Board Member