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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
Fundamentalists in the American military are persecuting other soldiers who will not convert to their twisted form of spirituality. Air Force lawyer Mikey Weinstein, said he has documented 6,800 testimonies by military personnel -- nearly all of them Christians -- of sometimes punitive or humiliating attempts to make them accept a fundamentalist evangelical interpretation of Christianity.
The truth is, there should not even be one such instance where our men and women in uniform act as Christian versions of Al Qaeda - forcing their religion on "infidels". It appears the culprit of such zealotry is the the Officers Christian Fellowship (OCF), which represents 15,000 US military personnel around the world. OCF's aim, as stated on its website, is to achieve "a spiritually transformed military, with ambassadors for Christ in uniform, empowered by the Holy Spirit."
It is clear that this group needs to be disbanded immediately because it is a threat to national security. It is difficult to tell the difference in mission between OCF and our enemies in the Middle East. Both are fighting for a warped view of religion and are actively working to impose it through force on dissenters. The U.S. military should be purged of such fanatics who don't seem to get the concept of the Constitution and freedom.
I have no problem if a group's goal is to transform individuals. But, when the goal is to "transform" an institution that is designed to protect all Americans, a bright red line has been crossed. If these zealots want to serve God, I suggest they turn in their stripes and become televangelists. However, if they are paid to serve this secular nation, they have no business acting as preachers. It is time for OCF to be put out of business, so they no longer serve as a genuine and immediate threat to America.
17 Comments:
The coaliton of christian rightists and conservatives who are hell bent on overthrowing the constitution and instituting a theocracy are committing treason to the constitution.
Military officers who promote theocratic activity do so in violation of military, constitutional and civil law. They should be put up for a court martial, stripped of rank, pay, privileges and pension and then jailed. In addition their program of encouraging violence against GLBT folks, their racist The promotion of islamophobia and the genocide in Iraq should be forbidden.
It would be a mistake to think that because part of the military brass has gone this far that we live in a fascist state. We’re not even close. But when fascists make a move to acquire a mass base this is how it will start.
I've heard the Air Force Academy is the worst with these fundo whack-jobs. Jewsonfirst.org has been documenting this problem since the beginning of bush's reign of terror. If they really want a 'better' military, besides keeping religion a *private* matter, they should stop scraping the bottom of the barrel when recruiting, by letting in criminals, neo-nazis, and people whose education and IQ are substandard beyond belief. Gary (NJ)
posted by Anonymous, at
2/14/2008 1:40 PM
I doubt if any politician will step in to put an end to this. We've got to get religion out of politics once and for all starting with the candidates themselves. No politician should have to declare his or her belief system as a means of getting elected either. Its absurd and irrelevant. No other western country behaves like this and none of their leaders has to state his or her religious affiliation, if any. Keep religion where it belongs, locked behind closed doors in the home, not in the public arena.
posted by Robert, NYC., at
2/14/2008 1:57 PM
These religious people are sick Notsees. Not only are they sabotoging our military, but they got us in to Irack. These scum bums make me sick.
Ahoy Chrsitians - it is time to bring back the hungry, mean LIONS and get rid of your poredatory asses once and for all.
It seems to me that Christian fanatics are a threat to military cohesion and readiness. However, I'm not holding my breath in anticipation of the hope that one day, this country will wake the hell up and realize that it's the fundamentalists who are the problem in these types of situations, not the gays, the agnostics, the atheists or anyone else. It's always these Christian kooks who try to infringe on everyone regarding something like faith which is so personal. Seriously, they have absolutely no respect. Who are they to tell someone what to believe, or to even THINK that they have a right to behave in such a way? Truly gross behavior.
posted by Chris L., at
2/14/2008 2:28 PM
You Christians can't take any criticism, can you? This story illustrates how these so-called "God fearing men and women" don't respect others in the military, haranguing them on the most personal of matters. If you can't even behave with basic decency and respect, your organization should not be allowed in the United States military.
If this story were about Wiccans who were harrassing Christians, I doubt that you would be so tolerant of such outlandish behavior, nor would it be just or even logical to call you "anti-Wiccan". The days of Christians being beyond criticism are long gone. Calling Wayne an "intollerable bigot" merely because he objects to their boorish behavior is just ridiculous.
posted by Chris L., at
2/14/2008 3:05 PM
Time to outlaw gangs in the military, period.
posted by Anonymous, at
2/14/2008 3:25 PM
David, these groups are NOT real Christians, that's the point!! Wayne is not anti-christian, he's anti-assholes! Dont align yourself with the sphincter crowd.
posted by Anonymous, at
2/14/2008 4:20 PM
David:
I did not object to the Christians having an organization for worship. I do find it unpatriotic to have an organization with the goal of Christianizing a secular institution with guns (the military). That is simply unacceptable and a major threat to national security. I like American the way it is and have no desire for the Christian version of Iran.
Far from intolerant, what I have called for are religious organizations that focus on individuals. However, there is no place for any groups whose goal is to transform the American military in its image. By supporting such a system, it is you who is being highly intolerant of those who support a secular military.
The problem is, religion should have NO influence, coercion in the workplace or in government funded organizations or the military. Keep your belief system where it belongs, in the home and don't harass others who choose not to become entangled in another's beliefs. Religion is a choice, learned behavior, don't compel others to fall in line because you think they should be like you. Its arrogant and unchristian.
As long as there is a republican party, religion will always be a focal point and a weapon to use against us and to justify discrimination and oppression, its a party that engenders and fosters repression and is non-inclusive. Its no wonder these proselytizers are now infiltrating the military with Bush at the helm. I've no doubt Huckabee, Romney and even McCain and their ilk support it. To oppose it would be spun as unpatriotic and anti religion of course and definitely not politically expedient.
posted by Robert, NYC., at
2/15/2008 8:24 AM
David, you dummy, Wayne is talking about groups that are coercing others. Coercion = the opposite of religious freedom.
And also, your "friends" who think you are a sinner - they're not very good friends. I would suggest finding more enlightened people to hang out with.
I also have to take issue with anonymous who said: "David, these groups are NOT real Christians"
Because yes, actually, they are Christians. A different denomination or sect, but they're still Christians.
posted by Eshto, at
2/15/2008 2:06 PM
No, Eshto, they're cultists.
The same cultists who goes around saying "gays are trying to indoctrinate/enlist your children into homosexuality".
