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The Pentagon is vetting its guidelines on religious tolerance with a group that has compared Christian's sharing their faith to "rape" and advocated that military personnel who "proselytize" should be court-martialed.
They have called sharing one's personal faith in Christ "horrible, horrendous, dehumanizing behavior."
Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation---an atheist organization, met privately with Pentagon officials on April 23.
The Obama administration is seeking their counsel on religious freedom in the military.
Here's what they discussed.
Fox News is reporting that Weinstein and others from his organization have told the Pentagon that US troops who proselytize or share their faith in Christ, are "guilty of sedition and treason and should be punished---by the hundreds if necessary." He says this would stave off a "tidal wave of fundamentalists."
Weinstein is insisting that "someone needs to be punished" for this kind of activity, saying that sharing one's faith in Christ is "horrible, horrendous, de-humanizing behavior."
This, while the President, the press and secular humanists across the country celebrate the personal testimony of NBA player Jason Collins for his "brave" and "courageous" stand in telling the world this week he is now a homosexual.
You tell me what's wrong with this picture.
This consultation between the atheists and the administration is based on a review of a policy called "Air Force Culture, Air Force Standards"---specifically Section 2.11 of the policy that requires government neutrality regarding religion.
Do they believe Weinstein is advocating a "neutral" position?
Weinstein told Fox, "We would love to see hundreds of prosecutions to stop this outrage of fundamentalist Christian predators."
He said, "It is a version of being spiritually raped and you are spiritually raped by fundamentalist Christian predators."
Tony Perkins with Family Research Council, himself a former Marine, says that Weinstein's fingerprints are all over the military's policy and wondered to the press why President Obama would place so much trust in someone like Weinstein.
The answer is more frightening than the question.
It appears our military is being forced to march away from the very freedoms they are sworn to protect.
Lt. General Jerry Boykin (Ret.) says he is deeply concerned by a pattern of attacks on Christianity within the military.
He says if this Air Force policy is implemented, "Christians who speak their faith, could now be prosecuted as "enemies of the state."
Boykin says, "This has the potential to destroy recruiting across the services as Americans realize that their faith will be suppressed by joining the military."
Weinstein says he and his organization will continue to push for full implementation of this policy and a full ban on proselytizing.
The Obama administration has told America that eliminating the "Don't ask, Don't Tell" policy will make America stronger and more secure. I suspect he believes the same about this matter.
In a separate, but related situation, Barry Black, the US Senate Chaplain and former military chaplain told the Heritage Foundation this week that while military chaplains cannot be forced to do something that they are opposed to doctrinally, he can see chaplains finding themselves in a bind if they teach Scripture passages that describe homosexual behavior as sin.
He said, "I can see many military chaplains having some problems because, to teach the passages of Paul with exegetical integrity, would probably mean being accused of engaging in hate speech."
And some still say they don't think Chrisitians should be engaged in speaking truth to our culture---or electing and un-electing politicians.
These things matter.
A pastor friend of mine sent a link to me just a few minutes ago. The link is to The Patriot Post. It is about this very topic. Take a moment and read it.
The Patriot Post begins with a quote from George Washington. I am quite sure our first President would have considerable disagreement with our 44th President.
"While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian." --George Washington (1778)
God help us.
Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Informed. Be Prayerful. Be Active. Be Blessed.