President Obama Is ‘Hostile’ To Christians In The Military? Really?
That conservative tabloid masquerading as a legitimate news provider, The Washington Times, is stoking fear in the hearts of Christians in America. Based on no concrete evidence, no statistics and no data, with a little help from the legal team at Liberty University, this article claims that our Kenyan Muslim President is “hostile” to Christianity, and ruining the military while he’s at it. Who is making this earth-shattering pronouncement? It’s a lawyer from Liberty University named Michael Berry.
Michael Berry, senior counsel at the Liberty Institute, a Texas-based legal organization dedicated to defending religious liberty in America, said recent high-profile cases of military chaplains facing punishment for private counseling sessions that reflected the teachings of their religion could cause devout Americans who are qualified for military service to think twice about joining the military.
Mr. Berry said he thinks the “hostile work environment” that is forcing the most religious persons out of the military is only getting worse, and that while in the past problems were mainly in the Air Force, religious liberty issues have spread throughout all the services.
Berry’s worldview is based on two cases he is personally handling. It would seem that after over thirteen years at war, the enthusiasm for our military would naturally diminish. But Liberty University has made sure rational thought would be discouraged while it preaches that religion is the only remedy. Liberty University’s legal eagles are sounding the alarm over a couple of incidents where secular military members file complaints over the violation of the Establishment Clause. One such case involves Wes Modder, a Christian chaplain who offended a gay officer by his pronouncements that homosexuality is a sin. His chaplainship was suspended until the matter was resolved. The right-wing crusaders came to Modder’s aid en masse.
Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, defended Modder in a Facebook post.
“It’s a sad day in America when military chaplains have to choose between being true to their faith and keeping their jobs,” he wrote. “But this is what’s happening at every level under the Obama administration.”
These “persecuted Christians” are deeply offended by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), which operates under the idea that soldiers should serve one entity, their country, The United States.
You may be interested to know that the vast majority of clients and supporters of the MRFF are people of faith… but that does not make us a ‘religious’ organization. We are joined in our efforts by good, honorable people who are non-believers… but that does not make us an ‘atheistic’ organization. Rather, we are a pro-Constitution organization, and take no official stand on the efficacy of any particular matter of faith or belief. Our position is the same as that of the US Constitution itself — that all American citizens, including the brave men and women of the US military, are equally entitled to the full protection of the Constitutional regardless of their specific religious belief (or non-belief).
Soldiers, no longer brainwashed and malleable because they are free-thinkers, pose a new problem in an institution that demands strict compliance. To allocate blame on this matter to POTUS is preposterous, but since they’ve outlawed the term “Climate Change” in Florida, nothing should surprise any of us. It’s projection of fear because the Christian military-hierarchy is deeply afraid because,
Soon there may only be atheists in the foxholes.
Copyright 2015 Liberaland
By: VegasJessie
A resident of Las Vegas Nevada, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma as a Political Science major. Very motivated to get people to participate in the electoral process.
17 responses to President Obama Is ‘Hostile’ To Christians In The Military? Really?
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Uncle Frank April 20th, 2015 at 08:31
The attempt by the adherents of Christian Dominionism to create a ‘Christian Army’ is abhorrent in it’s blatant disregard for our Constitution. Of course this is just part of the plan to create a theocratic state governed by their strict biblical interpretation. Ted Cruz has already been anointed King of this theocracy by his daddy, zealot pastor Rafael Cruz.
Larry Schmitt April 20th, 2015 at 09:00
Fisher Deberry, while football coach at the AF Academy, did his best to turn it into a branch of Liberty U. There were mandatory prayers, banners in the locker rooms with “inspirational” (read religious) quotes, all kinds of things that would make you forget it was a taxpayer funded school. These people keep claiming that the president is forcing chaplains to do this or do that, but they don’t work for him. He has no authority to tell them what to do, and I see no evidence that he wants to.
Budda April 20th, 2015 at 09:01
The military doesn’t want or need Christian or any other type of religious fanatic. Your first and only obligation is to the Constitution.
Dwendt44 April 20th, 2015 at 18:12
You would think so. But religion and military have much in common and tend to re-enforce each other. Both demand blind obedience and ‘don’t ask questions’.
Jeffrey Samuels April 20th, 2015 at 09:18
seems like every time you resist evangelicals from forcing their beliefs on you, it is you that is being unfair and discriminatory. How can you argue with a mindset that insists that their beliefs MUST be given preference over all others or else you are anti Christian.
Larry Schmitt April 20th, 2015 at 09:47
And your intolerance of their intolerance toward non-Christians makes you the intolerant one. Hence the “Christians are being persecuted” litany. It’s very tedious.
Dwendt44 April 20th, 2015 at 18:11
Persecution is a one way street in right wing world.
Larry Schmitt April 20th, 2015 at 09:53
In the story, The Times claims that retention in the military is “devastated.” Retention always takes a major hit during a good economy, because the soldiers don’t need to stay in, they can find other jobs. During times of high unemployment, the recruiters don’t have to work as hard. It’s been that way since there’s been a military.
Dwendt44 April 20th, 2015 at 18:07
Coming down from two wars doesn’t help any either. Especially when the constant drum beat of another war is on the horizon (Iran).
Guy Lauten April 20th, 2015 at 10:02
Maybe the military signup has been “devastated” because people are finally catching on to what is going on and they are getting tired of fighting the rich-people’s fight.
Bunya April 20th, 2015 at 15:00
Most people learn about the teachings of their respective holy books (indoctrination) starting at the age of 6. If their religious beliefs do not permit them to serve in the military, they know well before their 18th birthday not to enlist.
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Once somebody joins the military, a sudden attack of conscience isn’t acceptable, so this, IMO, is a non-issue.
Dwendt44 April 20th, 2015 at 18:06
In some cases it starts even earlier. Day care and pre-schools start the bible stories and picture books then.
bpollen April 20th, 2015 at 15:40
When I was in the service, in boot camp, I was REQUIRED to go to a Protestant service every Sunday. Protesting that it wasn’t my religion accomplished nothing. Seemed to me that the military was hostile to non-believers.
Dwendt44 April 20th, 2015 at 18:04
yup. You were either Catholic, protestant or Jewish. No other option.
It wasn’t until the 1980’s that grave markers in our national cemeteries could have any religious indicator other than Christian, Jewish or Muslim.
StoneyCurtisll April 20th, 2015 at 18:28
This is just more delusional fundamentalist christian ranting…
SteveD April 20th, 2015 at 18:38
“It’s a lawyer from Liberty University named Michael Berry.”
Frankly, I see no connection between one Michael Berry, Liberty Institute (Texas) and Liberty University, a private, non-profit Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia, that describes itself as a “Christian academic community.”
(Other than of course both institutions are run by wackadoodle religious nut jobs…)
From Liberty Institute’s own website::
Michael Berry, Esq.
“Michael Berry is Senior Counsel and Director of Military Affairs for Liberty Institute. He joined Liberty Institute in 2013 after serving for seven years as an attorney with the U.S. Marine Corps. From 2009 until 2013, Mr. Berry served as an appellate litigator, arguing numerous cases before various federal appeals courts. In 2008, Mr. Berry was selected for a high-profile combat deployment to Afghanistan with a Marine Corps infantry battalion. From 2009 – 2012, Mr. Berry served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the United States Naval Academy.
As Director of Military Affairs for Liberty Institute, Mr. Berry’s practice focuses on religious liberty within the armed forces. A recognized subject-matter expert, Mr. Berry has testified before Congress on matters affecting religious liberty in the armed forces and is routinely invited to speak before audiences across the nation about matters affecting religious freedom within the military.
Mr. Berry earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University in 1999. He attended law school at The Ohio State University, graduating in 2005.”
mea_mark April 20th, 2015 at 19:15
Something does seem to be a little off.