Repent

Hello,

I encourage to rethink your efforts regarding Operation Christmas Child. What is wrong with you? Would you have done the same thing if this was a Muslim organization? I sincerely doubt it. What a bunch of Grinches you all are. I also encourage you to repent. Shame on you.

(name and location withheld)

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Hi (name withheld),

Thank you for contacting the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) concerning “Operation Christmas Child.”

First and foremost, we are not anti-Christian. In fact, there are many mainline Christians that volunteer with MRFF. I am one of them and am also an ordained minister in the Assemblies of God. The California Council of Churches IMPACT with 5,500 churches supports us besides many individual churches, ministers and lay people. We also have many active duty and retired personnel and Chaplains from all branches of the military. We are the most ardent supporter of the Constitution and the separation of church and state under the articles within it.

We at MRFF have absolutely no problem with the Chaplains instituting a call for gifts within the confines of their church affiliation parishioner soldiers. What we do have a problem with is the Commander and other high ranking military endorsing an email to ALL soldiers – regardless of their religious beliefs or non-belief – against the Constitution.

The USAFA KNOWING that they cannot support one religion over another, deliberately mislabeled the event as “Operation Christmas Child” when it is really the “Samaritan’s Purse” run by Franklin Graham. The shoebox that a person fills with Christmas presents is not to be wrapped so the Graham association can put a Christian message in it. This is endorsing one religion over , which is un-Constitutional, and they did it deceptively.

As a Christian I have filled and given many shoeboxes to Samaritans Purse. It filled my heart with joy knowing that some child was getting things he/she needed.

The Gazette –

“The academy, which initially stood by its promotion of the charity, changed its tune Thursday evening, with an email to cadets that retracted an earlier missive asking for help with the program. The academy’s commandant of cadets Brig. Gen. Richard Clark called Weinstein Thursday with an apology.

“We agree that it was inappropriate,” said Lt. Col John Bryan, an academy spokesman.

The project has been handed over to the academy’s chaplains, who can legally take part and recruit support for religious endeavors.”

Brig. Gen. Richard Clark even admitted that it was inappropriate (illegal) and the academy’s Chaplains are now in charge, as they should be.

“Commanders have put “religious respect” training in place. In September, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz issued a memo to commanders that told them to avoid mixing religion with their military roles.

They must refrain from appearing to officially endorse religion generally or any particular religion,” Schwartz wrote.”

General Schwartz even issued a memo that supports our position.

We are not trying to take Christianity out of our military. If MRFF was attempting to do that I wouldn’t be volunteering for them. We are just trying to put religion back where it belongs – in the hands of the Chaplains.

The Marines do a Christmas drive called “Toys for Tots” the right way – nonreligious and compliant with the Constitution.

As far as being grinches, that is the furthest thing from the truth. Last year Kean University students collected 650 toys for children in the Gulf whose parents could not afford Christmas presents. What these students lacked was a way to get them to the Gulf. When Mikey, the founder of MRFF, heard about their problem, he stepped forward and paid for the air shipment. https://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/2010/12/mrff-steps-in-to-ship-donated-gifts-to-children-affected-by-bp-oil-spill/

I hope this clarifies what seems to be perceived as an attack on Christianity. We are more than grateful that those in charge at the USAFA have seen the illegality of their original position. Now the Chaplains are in charge and they can send the message on about their Christian activity to his/her parishioners.

My God bless your socks off!

Pastor Joan