Army getting evangelizised

[hal2kilo]

Is this becoming a pattern in the US Army or armed forces in general? This is in my opinion is getting alot closer to establishment of a state religion. Not just a separation of church and state issue.

http://freethinker.co.uk/2010/08/12...t-a-dose-of-christian-fundamentalism-instead/

US soldiers needing treatment get a dose of Christian fundamentalism instead

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38792399/ns/us_news-life/

Troops say they were punished for skipping Christian concert
Army probing claims that dozens of soldiers were banished to their barracks

 

[manimal]

simply an individual overstepping their authority.

this is in no way a systemic problem. chaplains of multiple faiths as far as I know operate within the military.

unless some smoking gun-memo-is found and the illmuminati through the Rosicrucians are infiltrating high ranks in the military to stage a coup on new years even when the ball drops in times square... hey dan brown I just wrote your next book....

 

[sandorski]

wow

 

[Infohawk]

Those individuals responsible for this absurdity should be dishonorably discharged. Maybe if they're lucky they can join Hutaree.

 

[her209]

Remember those Bible references on the rifle scopes.

 

[nonlnear]

The chaplaisn aren't supposed to be proselytizing, so that is a discipline issue more than anything. As for PTSD beign sent ot chaplains in the first place, that's the military cutting their ranks short on mental health care. Nothing new there. Yes it's tragic, but to look at that story and think the biggest problem is the religious BS that's happening at the end of the line is ot miss the underlying problem. If they devoted proper resources to mental health, the PTSD cases wouldn't be refered to chaplains in the first place. THat's the bigger tragedy. (Imagine if the chaplains were going by the book and just trying their best to counsel - inadequately - without proselytizing. This story wouldn't be getting headlines, but there would still be many broken families as a result.)

As for the mandatory concert, well that's just weird. I hope the officer responsible gets raked over the coals, or at least gets his name put in the "bad assignments" pile.

 

[Double Trouble]

How many religion threads do we need at one time?

 

[Kirby]

sucks about the concert thing, but the other issue seems there aren't enough mental health people, so the only thing left is chaplains.

 

[UberNeuman]

Seems like an overzealous person in charge.... still, I'd like to see more information before Brietbarting it....

 

[Double Trouble]

Seems like an overzealous person in charge.... still, I'd like to see more information before Brietbarting it....

Oh, common, the word of a site as zealous as any Christian site isn't enough for you?

 

[classy]

This ain't even about religion honestly. If the commander tells you he wants out of the barracks and to attend some function, you go. One weekend I didn't want to leave base and go into town for the day, fine. That saturday morning Captain came and said since you don't need some relaxation, clean the damn overhang curbs. They were full of pidgeon crap.

 

[cubby1223]

This is in my opinion is getting alot closer to establishment of a state religion.

Paranoid much?

 

[Elfear]

From my experience with the military as a DoD employee, soldiers are allowed to worship where they want. There are multiple churches on the posts I've been to and soldiers are allowed time on Sunday (maybe on other days too for those religions that don't worship on Sunday) to go to the church of their choice. Very poor judgment on the commander's part to penalize the troops for not attending the evangelical concert.

 

[hal2kilo]

From my experience with the military as a DoD employee, soldiers are allowed to worship where they want. There are multiple churches on the posts I've been to and soldiers are allowed time on Sunday (maybe on other days too for those religions that don't worship on Sunday) to go to the church of their choice. Very poor judgment on the commander's part to penalize the troops for not attending the evangelical concert.

I've never seen this with the Navy, as being in a similar situation except I'm a contractor that supports both DOD and ships force personel.

IIRC the Air Force academy has had issues with this in the past.

 

[Elfear]

I've never seen this with the Navy, as being in a similar situation except I'm a contractor that supports both DOD and ships force personel.

IIRC the Air Force academy has had issues with this in the past.

I'm not very familiar with the Navy or Air Force. I'm under the Army umbrella. I'm looking at a guest information booklet right now for one of the lodging facilities on post. It lists Protestant, Lutheran/Episcopalian, Islamic, Church of Christ, Catholic, Jewish, and Latter Day Saints under the "Worship Services" section. All available on post from what I can tell. The installation I'm on is in the Bible-belt so I'd assume the other Army bases would have at least the same options available.

 

[hal2kilo]

I'm not very familiar with the Navy or Air Force. I'm under the Army umbrella. I'm looking at a guest information booklet right now for one of the lodging facilities on post. It lists Protestant, Lutheran/Episcopalian, Islamic, Church of Christ, Catholic, Jewish, and Latter Day Saints under the "Worship Services" section. All available on post from what I can tell. The installation I'm on is in the Bible-belt so I'd assume the other Army bases would have at least the same options available.

Roger.

 

[Craig234]

It happens quite a bit.

The Air Force Academy had a big issue with this. There is an organization of military officers who support this.

Read this article on one group, 'Christian Embassy', who seems to have free reign to proselytize at the Pentagon:

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/58866/

The Pentagon Inspector General recommended punishment for several people including senior officers for appearing in uniform in their Pentagon offices for their video.

Take a look at the situation at Ft. Hood:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/just-how-christian-is-for_b_582503.html

It also mentions another group, the "Navigators', organized among the military, their own description of their group:

We envision a movement of thousands of courageous men and women passionately following Christ, representing Him in advancing the Gospel through relationships where they live, work, train for war, and deploy. This movement includes men and women of all races and ranks, and permeates the military community on and around every U.S. installation and foreign military around the world.

Or military involvement with Christian broadcasting:

http://pubrecord.org/religion/837/military-deeply-involved-in-christian-reality-television-show/

Last year, U.S. military personnel launched a major initiative to convert thousands of Iraqi citizens to Christianity also by distributing Bibles and other fundamentalist Christian literature translated into Arabic to Iraqi Muslims.

An article published on the website of Mission Network News reported that Bible Pathway Ministries, a fundamentalist Christian organization, disclosed that the organization provided thousands of a special military edition of its Daily Devotional Bible study book to members of the 101st Airborne Division of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, currently stationed in Iraq...

Chief Warrant Officer Rene Llanos of the 101st Airborne told Mission Network News, “the soldiers who are patrolling and walking the streets are taking along this copy, and they’re using it to minister to the local residents.”

“Our division is also getting ready to head toward Afghanistan, so there will be copies heading out with the soldiers,” Llanos said. “We need to pray for protection for our soldiers as they patrol and pray that God would continue to open doors. The soldiers are being placed in strategic places with a purpose. They’re continuing to spread the Word.”...

 

[jackschmittusa]

I've read many stories of this kind of thing happening. When I was in boot camp, our CC informed us that there would be 100 percent attendance at religious services. Anyone electing not to attend would wish they were never born. I assume that someone not going would reflect badly on our company.That was a long time ago and I have always hoped such BS would go away. Guess I'll have to hope longer.

 

[manimal]

I've read many stories of this kind of thing happening. When I was in boot camp, our CC informed us that there would be 100 percent attendance at religious services. Anyone electing not to attend would wish they were never born. I assume that someone not going would reflect badly on our company.That was a long time ago and I have always hoped such BS would go away. Guess I'll have to hope longer.

Wow hard to believe this is a common occurrence.

I need to read more about this thx for the links craig.

 

[Nintendesert]

What a load of crap. I've never had any religious beliefs forced on me. The only thing that was ever forced on me religious wise was the removal of the bible verse from my rifle site.

Now it has a big ugly gash in it instead of a very unnoticeable tiny print of numbers.

 

[Infohawk]

What a load of crap. I've never had any religious beliefs forced on me. The only thing that was ever forced on me religious wise was the removal of the bible verse from my rifle site.

Now it has a big ugly gash in it instead of a very unnoticeable tiny print of numbers.

myeahh... so now removal of something religious is religious? Sounds like you liked having that biblical verse on your site...

 

[madeuce]

I've read many stories of this kind of thing happening. When I was in boot camp, our CC informed us that there would be 100 percent attendance at religious services. Anyone electing not to attend would wish they were never born. I assume that someone not going would reflect badly on our company.That was a long time ago and I have always hoped such BS would go away. Guess I'll have to hope longer.

I was in USMC bootcamp in 98. No one was forced to go to any services then. You could go to whatever denomination you wanted to, or hang out in the barracks for a couple hours.

Over the 9 years I was in I did see many situations of "mandatory fun." Maybe it was a concert, or a family get together or whatever. You didn't have to go, but if you decided not to you were more than likely going to get screwed over somehow. It wasn't that bad, they just did it for morale and to get Marines out of the barracks and doing something for a change.

I'm guessing that's what this was about. The command wanted to get the troops out to a concert and there were some whiners because it wasn't a band they wanted to listen too. The best excuse is the religion one so they jumped on it.

As for chaplains treating those having mental issues it's been like that for a long time. Maybe it needs to change, /shrug. As America gets softer we are going to have more and more troops needing a shrink.

 

[uli2000]

This ain't even about religion honestly. If the commander tells you he wants out of the barracks and to attend some function, you go. One weekend I didn't want to leave base and go into town for the day, fine. That saturday morning Captain came and said since you don't need some relaxation, clean the damn overhang curbs. They were full of pidgeon crap.

I had several friends that wern't overly religious, but when they joined the military, they decided to attend religious services regularly. I asked one why once, and this was pretty much his answer. Because if you are sitting around the barracks, someone will find something for you to do.

 

[Nintendesert]

myeahh... so now removal of something religious is religious? Sounds like you liked having that biblical verse on your site...

I didn't even know it was there until this whole thing came out into the media. The only thing I care about on it is the serial number.

I'd wager you've never even seen one of the sights before let alone after they carve the writing off it.

 

[werepossum]

I didn't even know it was there until this whole thing came out into the media. The only thing I care about on it is the serial number.

I'd wager you've never even seen one of the sights before let alone after they carve the writing off it.

This is what we've come to, that a manufacturer putting nearly invisible cryptic references to Bible verses on an ACOG is somehow establishing a state religion.

Come to think of it, how DO they get that off? And why does it leave such a scar? I don't think I've ever handled a post-2003 ACOG, so I'm not familiar with the location or size, but I was under the impression that the citations were tiny.