US Soldiers punished for not Attending Christian Concert

[jclalor 12]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100820/ap_on_en_mu/us_christian_concert_soldiers_4


The pratice of forcing Christianity on US service members is growing.

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/

[theonlyski 8]

Its called 'Mandatory fun'. Happens alot, doesn't matter that it was a christian concert, I've seen it for model shows, baseball/football games... whatever.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[D22369 0]

lol, nothing new, in bootcamp I got thrashed for not attending a christian concert on a sunday back in 84'

Roy

They say I suffer from insanity.... But I actually enjoy it.

[funjumper101 15]

Anyone in the military, who was told to attend a "Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concerts", headliner the Christian rock group BarlowGirl, and punished for not doing so, was totally screwed by the US Government.

This is total bullshit. No US Military leader should be permitted to abuse their position to force their particular version of religion on their subordinates. That is completely against the First Amendment. The general should be forced into retirement ASAP, as an example to the others who may try to pull that evil on their subordinates.

The entire story reads >>>

RICHMOND, Va. – The Army said Friday it was investigating a claim that dozens of soldiers who refused to attend a Christian band's concert at a Virginia military base were banished to their barracks and told to clean them up.

Fort Eustis spokesman Rick Haverinen told The Associated Press he couldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation. At the Pentagon, Army spokesman Col. Thomas Collins said the military shouldn't impose religious views on soldiers.

"If something like that were to have happened, it would be contrary to Army policy," Collins said.

Pvt. Anthony Smith said he and other soldiers felt pressured to attend the May concert while stationed at the Newport News base, home of the Army's Transportation Corps.

"My whole issue was I don't need to be preached at," Smith said in a phone interview from Phoenix, where he is stationed with the National Guard. "That's not what I signed up for."

Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for helicopter electrician training when the Christian rock group BarlowGirl played as part of the "Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concerts."

Smith said a staff sergeant told 200 men in their barracks they could either attend or remain in their barracks. Eighty to 100 decided not to attend, he said.

"Instead of being released to our personal time, we were locked down," Smith said. "It seemed very much like a punishment."

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation first reported on the Christian concert. The foundation said it was approached by soldiers who were punished for not attending or offended by the religious theme of the event.

The group's president, Mikey Weinstein, claims Christian-themed events are "ubiquitous" throughout the military, and he credited the soldiers for stepping forward.

"Whenever we see this egregious, unconstitutional religious tyranny our job is to fight it," he said.

Smith said he and the other soldiers were told not to use their cell phones or personal computers and ordered to clean up the barracks.

About 20 of the men, including several Muslims, refused to attend the concert based on their religious beliefs, he said.

Smith said he went up the chain of command and traced the concert edict to a captain, who said he simply wanted to "show support for those kind of events that bring soldiers together."

While not accepting blame, the officer apologized to the soldiers who refused to attend the concert and said it was not his intent to proselytize, he said.

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith said.

<<< End

[shropshire 0]

What if someone throw a good ol' christian war ........ and nobody turned up

If you're on the company Euro, you do the company bidding... and in the military you are ALWAYS on the company time..

Suck it Up cup cakes

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[usedtajump 1]

Hey, like it or not RHIP.

The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

[RonD1120 62]

Quote

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100820/ap_on_en_mu/us_christian_concert_soldiers_4


The pratice of forcing Christianity on US service members is growing.

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/

When I was in the USAF, the similar scenario was, "Men you will line up and sign up for a payroll deduction to support the United Way. The KP list is also being filled for those who don't."

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[RonD1120 62]

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Suck it Up cup cakes

I am really starting to like you.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[RonD1120 62]

Quote

Anyone in the military, who was told to attend a "Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concerts", headliner the Christian rock group BarlowGirl, and punished for not doing so, was totally screwed by the US Government.

This is total bullshit.

Not necessarily, our enemy is predominantly Muslim and it is a counterfeit. Therefore, this could be construed as legitimate training.

When money handlers are instructed to recognize counterfeit money they examine the real thing. When you are thoroughly familiar with the genuine article it is very easy to spot the fake.

You get my point. It is far reaching, rational, justifiable, and flame producing.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[ryoder 1,590]

Quote

[

Not necessarily, our enemy is predominantly Muslim and it is a counterfeit. Therefore, this could be construed as legitimate training.

When money handlers are instructed to recognize counterfeit money they examine the real thing. When you are thoroughly familiar with the genuine article it is very easy to spot the fake.

Right, like being introduced to the real Santa Claus, so you can better spot the fake Santas.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[ryoder 1,590]

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When I was in the USAF, the similar scenario was, "Men you will line up and sign up for a payroll deduction to support the United Way. The KP list is also being filled for those who don't."

That crap was going on when I worked for a defense contractor, (General Dynamics).
If you didn't "voluntarily" sign up, you would taken off your real job and be sent off to assorted charitable "volunteer" events, until you either got the message, or quit.
Since I was doing co-op terms in between college semesters, I really didn't have time/money to fight it.
Then just 3 years later, this came out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Way_of_America#Criticism_and_scandals

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[jclalor 12]

Quote

Quote

Anyone in the military, who was told to attend a "Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concerts", headliner the Christian rock group BarlowGirl, and punished for not doing so, was totally screwed by the US Government.

This is total bullshit.

Quote

Not necessarily, our enemy is predominantly Muslim and it is a counterfeit. Therefore, this could be construed as legitimate training.

When money handlers are instructed to recognize counterfeit money they examine the real thing. When you are thoroughly familiar with the genuine article it is very easy to spot the fake.

You get my point. It is far reaching, rational, justifiable, and flame producing.

Not far reaching at all.
I can just picture a remote Marine outpost in the mountains of Afghanistan where a jittery marine is on watch in the middle of a cold night and hears approaching foot steps getting closer in the dark, he shouts: " hey you out there, stop and before you come any closer tell me what the first chapter in John says.

Ron you usually make a bit more of a convincing argument.

PS, Believe it or not the US military does have Muslim soldiers serving.

[jclalor 12]

Quote

Quote

What if someone throw a good ol' christian war ........ and nobody turned up

If you're on the company Euro, you do the company bidding... and in the military you are ALWAYS on the company time..

Suck it Up cup cakes

We do things just bit different here, If they had been told to attend an Atheist concert, someone would have been kicked out of the Army.

[jakee 1,489]

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Not necessarily, our enemy is predominantly Muslim and it is a counterfeit. Therefore, this could be construed as legitimate training.

When money handlers are instructed to recognize counterfeit money they examine the real thing. When you are thoroughly familiar with the genuine article it is very easy to spot the fake.

Good point. Now, when the next wave of Al Qaeda operatives try and infiltrate a US military base disguised as a Christian rock band, these guys will be able to see right through them.

Quote

You get my point. It is far reaching, rational, justifiable, and flame producing.

Yes. Very rational.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[Binkus 0]

This is fairly typical military stuff. Organized unit fun days designed to either provide some sort of entertainment, stress release or unit cohesiveness. With these events it is usually mandatory to attend as a way to show support towards the rest of your unit not necessarly showing support to the event itslef. Also in the article it says ***"Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for helicopter electrician training"*** This leads me to believe he was still in his basic training phase of the military. During this phase there is absolutly no real free time and if his chain of command did decide to organize something like this Any non attenders would of course be assigned to the barracks and ordered to clean something.

[quade 4]

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Hey, like it or not RHIP.

I was unaware one of them was ignoring the Constitution they're sworn to protect.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[usedtajump 1]

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Hey, like it or not RHIP.

I was unaware one of them was ignoring the Constitution they're sworn to protect.

It is in a subtile sort of arm twisting way. Those who expect strict constitutional guarantees need not apply.

The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

[quade 4]

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Quote

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Hey, like it or not RHIP.

I was unaware one of them was ignoring the Constitution they're sworn to protect.

It is in a subtile sort of arm twisting way. Those who expect strict constitutional guarantees need not apply.

Those in governmental positions of power that consciously ignore the US Constitution are in violation of the public trust and their sworn oaths, and ought to resign.

Having "rank" is a pretty shitty excuse.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[usedtajump 1]

Totally agree Quade but when it's your ass under their hammer you pretty much just go along.

When you enlist, somewhere during the process, you check the hunk of your brain matter that contains that logic thing in for storage and its returned when you're discharged.

The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

[quade 4]

Quote

Totally agree Quade but when it's your ass under their hammer you pretty much just go along.
When you enlist, somewhere during the process, you check the hunk of your brain matter that contains that logic thing in for storage and its returned when you're discharged.

I've mentioned that to other people over the years and generally speaking they don't like to admit it.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[tkhayes 348]

practice of Christianity in the military has been there for a very long time - very disturbing, but c'mon - is anyone surprised by this?

I am disgusted by it, but it has been there for decades, if not centuries.

The Christians are well-entrenched in the military - reason number 387 why I am an atheist and reason number 152 why I would support disbanding a LARGE part of the military 'standing army'.
http://www.forceministries.com/whoweare.html
http://scholarsandrogues.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/lawsuit-alleges-mandantory-christianity-in-us-military/
http://newhumanist.org.uk/1681/backward-christian-soldiers

just a couple things I found in seconds on google....

[RonD1120 62]

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Quote

Quote

Anyone in the military, who was told to attend a "Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concerts", headliner the Christian rock group BarlowGirl, and punished for not doing so, was totally screwed by the US Government.

This is total bullshit.

Quote

Not necessarily, our enemy is predominantly Muslim and it is a counterfeit. Therefore, this could be construed as legitimate training.

When money handlers are instructed to recognize counterfeit money they examine the real thing. When you are thoroughly familiar with the genuine article it is very easy to spot the fake.

You get my point. It is far reaching, rational, justifiable, and flame producing.

Not far reaching at all.
I can just picture a remote Marine outpost in the mountains of Afghanistan where a jittery marine is on watch in the middle of a cold night and hears approaching foot steps getting closer in the dark, he shouts: " hey you out there, stop and before you come any closer tell me what the first chapter in John says.

Ron you usually make a bit more of a convincing argument.

PS, Believe it or not the US military does have Muslim soldiers serving.

That sentry challenge is excellent. Paraphrase, In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God. Then the Word became flesh.

I was making more of a joke than an argument.

Muslim soldiers in the US ARMY, oh yes, one tossed a grenade into a tent where his fellow soldiers were sleeping during OIF. Another even worked as psychiatrist at Ft Hood.

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[tkhayes 348]

I seem to remember a 'good Christian soldier boy' named Timothy McVeigh.....

touche

[RonD1120 62]

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I seem to remember a 'good Christian soldier boy' named Timothy McVeigh.....

touche

It's a swing and a miss, STIIIRIKE.

Timothy McVeigh: A CHRISTIAN TERRORIST?
http://www.tektonics.org/guest/mcveigh.htm

Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them.

[kallend 2,026]

Quote

Quote

I seem to remember a 'good Christian soldier boy' named Timothy McVeigh.....

touche

It's a swing and a miss, STIIIRIKE.

Timothy McVeigh: A CHRISTIAN TERRORIST?
http://www.tektonics.org/guest/mcveigh.htm

Quoting an "Apologetics Ministry" is as lame as quoting the Bible to prove anything.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.