On Jesus and Jump Suits Posted by Lorelei Kelly

Congratulations to Congressman David Obey (D, WI) who yesterday offered a Sense of Congress amendment to the Defense bill concerning inappropriate proselytizing of US Air Force Academy Cadets.

This action comes in the wake of numerous complaints about Academy officials granting preferential treatment to cadets who hold the “right” religious views and turning a blind eye toward harassment of those who hold minority beliefs or aren’t religious at all. Here it is:

(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS. - It is the sense of Congress that -

(1) the expression of personal religious faith is welcome in the United States military, but coercive and abusive religious proselytizing at the United States Air Force Academy by officers assigned to duty at the Academy and others in the chain-of-command at the Academy, as has been reported, is inconsistent with the professionalism and standards required of those who serve at the Academy;

(2) the military must be a place of tolerance for all faiths and backgrounds; and

(3) the Secretary of the Air Force and other appropriate civilian authorities, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and other appropriate military authorities, must continue to undertake corrective action, as appropriate, to address and remedy the inappropriate proselytizing of cadets at the Air Force Academy.

See details here.  It was voted down, but not before Rep. John Hostettler (R-Ind.) accused colleagues of continuing their “Long war on Christinianty … ” and, “demonizing Christians.”

Mr. Hostettler,  just quit it. There are few things as unhealthy for the military institution in American democracy as a culture of religious intolerance--extremism interferes with the kind of pragmatic, cautionary values that we need in military professionals.  I went to Sunday school.  Jesus definately did NOT say "Follow me"  ("and force everyone else to follow me too") .

One hopeful development on the religious left is a group called Christian Alliance for Progress--these are religious folks who are tired of seeing their faith used to promote a political agenda they don’t agree with, and don’t think is consistent with their Christian values. Their "Jacksonville Declaration" has been a long time coming. Many good wishes to this crowd.

Comments

[Stygius]

Denver's 'Rocky Mountain News' has a vile write up of the incident, which has been picked up by Scripps-Howard. The "War on Christianity" line is the headline.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/
0,1299,DRMN_21_3870975,00.html

[Stygius]

It raises the question, is it really an act of religious persecution to NOT want to be "coercively and abusively" proselytized at? Since that appears to be the behavior Hostettler is defending.

[doc]

...the allegations at the academy are not surprising, nor the gop congressional response.

i‘ve worked for the federal government for nearly 15 years. i also served in the military for 6 years. so believe me when i say that as the WH goes, so goes some of government.

it is not always lock-step, but close. i found this to be more true within the military where
the chain of command is the first bible: troops go along to get along.

on the civil side of it, agency heads, division and branch chiefs must be quite careful lest they fall afoul the fair labor act, eeo regs and other nondiscriminatory legislation, but the background hum of proselytizing has increased since george the younger was reelected.

…which makes some sort of twisted “let’s end the world!’ sense if you think this article correct - http://www.truthout.org/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/38/8664 . Got the reference from this site while going through past posts…

[Exit 145]

Here is a post on Chris Hedges' discussion of his latest book on war and religion.

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