U.S. Soldiers Punished for Not Attending Christian Concert

[Judi Lynn]

Chris RoddaSenior Research Director, Military Religious Freedom Foundation; author, "Liars For Jesus"
Posted: August 19, 2010 04:50 PM
U.S. Soldiers Punished for Not Attending Christian Concert

For the past several years, two U.S. Army posts in Virginia, Fort Eustis and Fort Lee, have been putting on a series of what are called Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concerts. As I've written in a number of other posts, "spiritual fitness" is just the military's new term for promoting religion, particularly evangelical Christianity. And this concert series is no different.

On May 13, 2010, about eighty soldiers, stationed at Fort Eustis while attending a training course, were punished for opting out of attending one of these Christian concerts. The headliner at this concert was a Christian rock band called BarlowGirl, a band that describes itself as taking "an aggressive, almost warrior-like stance when it comes to spreading the gospel and serving God."

Any doubt that this was an evangelical Christian event was cleared up by the Army post's newspaper, the Fort Eustis Wheel, which ran an article after the concert that began:

Following the Apostle Paul's message to the Ephesians in the Bible, Christian rock music's edgy, all-girl band BarlowGirl brought the armor of God to the warriors and families of Fort Eustis during another installment of the Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concert Series May 13 at Jacobs Theater.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/us-soldiers-punished-for-_b_687051.html

(Soldiers' accounts follow this excerpt)

[drm604]

1. K&R

:kick:

[HowHasItComeToThis]

92. B.S.

CHRISTIANS TOXIFY ALL THEY TOUCH

[11 Bravo]

98. Pretty broad brush you wield there, Sparky.

[AlbertCat]

106. CHRISTIANS TOXIFY ALL THEY TOUCH

RELIGIONS TOXIFY ALL THEY TOUCH

How's that for a broad brush.


Moderates just reject 85% of the religion they profess to follow.

[Quantess]

111. How about all religions?

[fascisthunter]

2. boot the religious fanatics out of the military

never give one any authority... they are nut cases.

[Initech]

15. I swear we live in bizarro world. We have DADT in place but nothing for the god warriors.

IMO - the god warriors are way more dangerous and scary.

[riderinthestorm]

37. But many on DU don't have a problem with a mosque at the Pentagon!

Which I presume to mean there are religious spaces for all the other faiths there too.

Get them ALL out of the military!

[MattBaggins]

67. Night and Day.

Having chapels, churches and centers for the soldiers is fine. Forcing soldiers to go to them is something else entirely.

[Capitalocracy]

75. I don't have a problem with a church being there

I have a problem with a giant, mandatory megachurch, though.

[donquijoterocket]

82. Islam rock band

As soon as soldiers are punished for not attending a performance by a Muslim rock ban I'll complain, loudly.
Having spaces for faiths is a bit different than compulsory attendance at a proselytizing event.However your recommendation is sound just eliminate any military sanctioning of any religion.Allowance for personal practice ought to be enough.

[NeedleCast]

101. Missing the Point

It's not a matter of having a religious space or religious concerts/shows/etc. on post. It's a matter of forcing soldiers to attend and only allowing for one religion.

[and-justice-for-all]

113. I agree, the Government should not be promoting any religion..nt

[fascisthunter]

117. not me... religion shouldn't be in the military

it should be completely independent... there is nothing spiritual on a battlefield. People can pray anywhere anytime, their choice.

[PufPuf23]

41. Boot religious fanatics out of military, politics, and government

They do not uphold the Constitution when they bias their actions by their brand of faith.

Religious fanatics cause harm and increase social division.

Magical thinking for life and death decisions sucks big time.

Pandering to magical thinking extremists is dangerous and against the purpose of the USA.

[whathehell]

74. Can't miss a chance to malign religion as "magical thinking" can we?

I am COMPLETELY against "forced" religion of any kind.

I'm also against forced NON-religion...and people who used threads like these to spout anti-theist insults.:eyes:

[mitchum]

107. The poster is being generous by including "thinking" in that description...

and that's the thanks they get from you?

[whathehell]

119. I don't know what Ignored said...but then

I kinda planned it that way.

[mitchum]

122. Replying to yourself is a great deal like...prayer...isn't it?

No surprise there

[PufPuf23]

127. Note I referred to "fanatics" and "extremists"

I am not an atheist and not against magic in one's life for that matter.

But I do think that individuals should not be qualified for positions of public service where their actions are overly influenced by their brand of faith and magic (the fanatics and extremists).

I may have posted too blunt.

I grit my teeth when a pol talks religion. Separation of church and state and all that.

Public service decisions should be based on science and best available data and analysis.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

108. they STILL haven't fixed the Air Force Academy

mess that the evangelicals have created.

[MrScorpio]

3. This is utterly ridiculous

I hope that this bible thumping general gets canned.

[w8liftinglady]

4. That doesn't surprise me..."Onward Christian Soldiers" and all that.

when my son was in,however,there was more tendency to listen to Slayer(“Jihad”" Lil' Jon (“I Don’t Give a Fuck") Drowning Pool ("Bodies")
Those were the songs that cleared their minds for freaking battle.Somehow,Jesus wouldn't have approved.

[niyad]

5. how do we stop the christianizing of the military? this is an extremely scary prospect

[JoePhilly]

9. Don't elect the GOP ...

[elleng]

80. Take it to the top, immediately!

Gates, Mullens, Clinton, Obama, Senators, Reps.

[FiveGoodMen]

6. Our military is poised at the edge of theocracy.

Xtianity will be the death of America.

[gratuitous]

10. Odd formulation

It looks more to me like militarization and the unbridled use of force and violence will be the death of America. It's dressed up in some religious garb, but that's part and parcel with the High Church of Redemptive Violence, the national religion of these here United States.

[FiveGoodMen]

12. The national religion of these here United States owes a lot to the religion of the Bible Belt

The SBC pre-approved Bush's war.

They said God would like it.

Their poor deluded followers took their cue from that.

Dominionist/Reconstructionist Xtians are all about taking the country by force.

They've made major in-roads in the military and in DC.

Violence-for-violence sake doesn't pack the punch of violence for the invisible sky hater.

[gratuitous]

16. Well, Bush's own Methodists were against the war

As well as the Catholics and the usual peaceniks (Quakers, Mennonites and Church of the Brethren). So it seems that there wasn't one singular voice from that quarter; certainly nothing like the HCRV, which spoke with one, unified, and vengeful voice. They're a pretty jealous bunch, too. Walk past a church without tipping your cap, and nobody's likely to get too exercised. Fail to show the proper respect for the Holy Relics of the HCRV, and you're liable to get punched:

http://www.kmbz.com/Firefighter-assaults-man-for-wearing-hat-during-na/7905666

[FiveGoodMen]

25. I'll give the Methodists, Quakers, etc credit.

Not everyone who believes in the Bible is a threat to freedom and diversity.

But the ones who are a serious threat (in this country) nearly always claim inspiration/justification from Jesus.

The Catholic Church might not have been enthusiastic about the wars, but they didn't threaten to excommunicate anyone who supported the invasions. They did, however threaten ex-com for politicians who support a woman's right to choose. So you can see what they really care about and it's not protecting the innocent victims of useless military conflicts.

I've tried searching a few sites (including this one) for the meaning of HCRV and come up with nothing.

[scarletwoman]

30. HCRV = "High Church of Redemptive Violence" (see post #10 in this thread) nt

[shimmergal]

40. EVERY major religious group

except the Southern Baptists were against the Iraq invasion.

But Bush/Cheney inc. were hell-bent to do it no matter what.

[AlbertCat]

109. EVERY major religious group

except the Southern Baptists were against the Iraq invasion.



Oh yeah? Prove it.

And a few of their leaders or spokespersons might have been, but the majorities of congregations are another matter, I'll bet.

[PufPuf23]

43. The Assembly of God sect was an automatic CO in WWII

if that was the desire of the believer.

Now Assembly of God and other Pentacostal offshoots are the group most pro religious war and bigotry based on religion.

[newspeak]

123. remember after the invasion of Iraq

a minister was baptizing in a swimming pool--in was so damn hot and with little water. Soldiers couldn't swim in it, it was only for those who were to be baptized. This action was by a military cleric.

[newspeak]

125. I agree, they just USE religion

like Constantine, Napoleon used religion for war. Religion can be used as a tool to keep the plebes in line.

[USArmyParatrooper]

118. Not even close

I've spent many years in two different branches of service, and most of those I've worked with weren't even particularly religious.

[JBoy]

7. He's good buddies with Rep Randy Forbes (R-VA)

http://www.fortleetraveller.com/articles/2010/02/26/news/top_stories/top01.txt

Forbes was the keynote speaker at one of these "concerts" back in Feb 2010

and

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/randy-forbes-wants-congre_b_172772.html

in 2009, Forbes tried to introduce legislation that would effectively have Congress declare "The Holy Bible is God's Word".

[Blue_Tires]

21. figures

Forbes is a rat bastard jerkoff....

[Judi Lynn]

24. Rep. Randy Forbes? Never heard about that. Unbelievably stupid.

He clearly hopes to exploit the profound ignorance of his area voters. What an insult,

Had to go find his photo. Truly awful! He looks like such a sleazeball.


Thanks for letting us know this vision-in-white pestilence is out there!

[geardaddy]

90. They look like they...

either

1) Belong to a cult

or

2) are a group of valet parkers

[EC]

8. Since these all seem to be "Christian Soldiers" trying to

get converts and $$$ - it makes me wonder...are these high ranking Christians trying to build a real army of Nutcase Christians and using these concerts to help finance it?

[HillbillyBob]

14. Most of them are armed and not a few

have what amounts to a small armory.

One kreestian came up to me one day and started in on I have 3 machine guns, rocket launchers, and a whole list that sounded like the entire inventory of a terrorist black market. He also started in on how Jews and fags and N were the ruin of this country then started on latinos. I said well I have to be somewhere (anywhere, but right here I was thinkin) and stepped around him wishing him have a nice day. I should have turned him in to the cops, but I had no proof and I did not even know the guys name and I also did not want to see the inside of a jail cell. I have been wrongly dragged in 2x now, once i got turned loose when they had no proof of wrong doing(duh because I was not a dope dealer I was selling refinished furniture. Once when I had a b&e that clobbered me in my own house. ..I don't have much use for cops.

I don't know why he started talking to me, its happened all my adult life.
Strangers will come up to me tell me the most unlikely things then i find out later they were who they said they were and what they said was at least nominally true.

I have heard the We will have a revolution and those seeeners that don't convert will die for the glory of gawd..this makes them the enemy of our country. Why was the nsa after me for speaking out about what I saw election night 2000 and yet these people have been at this for at least 30 years that I have been witness to. To paraphrase R.A. Heinlein. The USA has a penchent for religious hysteria..he wrote that as far back as the 30s.

[olegramps]

59. Maybe it the NRA hat and Red Flannel Checkered shirt. Just Kidding you.

[HillbillyBob]

11. Spreadin the luv o'jeezzuz at the point of a gun

or at the cost of your job.

Does everyone now understand that the correct spelling is EVILGELICAL?
Fundamentalists putting the MENTAL back in public eye.

[Ignis]

13. "Spiritual Fitness Concerts" have no place in our military.

I'd like to see our President speak out strongly against this practice, and use his powers as CIC to stop it.

I'm probably dreaming, though. :argh:

[geardaddy]

17. The Commanding General

needs to either resign or be fired. He's using tax dollars to push his religious views on people who don't want to be converted.

[Enthusiast]

48. Yes. It would be justified.

But we now look the other way in this country in the face of many abuses. Especially, it seems to me, when abuses involve Republicans or right wing Christians.

[geardaddy]

79. I would ask that any person using tax dollars trying to convert

the unwilling to anything be fired: Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, or whatever.

[newspeak]

126. why haven't some of these generals been replaced after Obama was elected?

remember how many generals stepped down after Little Boots got his war hard on? Those who questioned his preemptive strike or Rummy's battle plans were dismissed and replaced with "yes" man religious zealots. So, why are these generals still in command--these are Little Boot's replacements.

Since Little Boots purged CIA and the military, why are the same people there? To me, it seems that it would be threatening to this administration, unless you're sticking to the same agenda and ideology.

[nc4bo]

18. I find this to be extremely disturbing. Is this standard operating procedure?

How many other military posts do this?

[KamaAina]

102. Lots

the practice is said to be especially widespread in the Air Force, where the fundies have even taken over the Air Force Academy (conveniently located in Colorado Springs).

[awoke_in_2003]

19. is there any music...

that is as atrocious as christian rock?

[Nostradammit]

26. Emphatically "NO!"

I am forever impressing my wife by identifying "Christian Rock" within two measures
of hearing it on the radio. It is a soul-less blend of uninspired performance and best-money-can-buy
over production. Jesus must hate that shit with a passion.

[keroro gunsou]

34. hank hill speaks...

on the matter of christian rock....

"you're not making christianity better, you're making rock and roll worse."

[Enthusiast]

50. Good quote. nt

[louis-t]

100. Jeez, I just keep picturing the all-girl band

with armor and spikes and swords.

[Heywood J]

121. In any other context, that would sound like a band I'd love to see in concert.

Sounds hot... ;)

[awoke_in_2003]

105. Hank nailed it. nt

[Enthusiast]

49. You got it.

I never want to hear a single note of it.

[chemenger]

60. I see Jesus as more of a Jim Morrison fan myself.

or maybe a Deadhead.

[quinnox]

20. This is so wrong and goes against freedom which

is what America is supposed to stand for. Fighting in the name of religion is just so stupid and yet humans can't learn and keep doing it over and over for hundreds of years. Oh well, we are screwed I guess.

[RamboLiberal]

22. Reading down to the end of the article to add to the outrage

these religious zealot commanders are spending multi-millions on these Christian events. Gates needs to investigate and stop this crap!

[Solly Mack]

23. k/r

[slampoet]

27. Somebody needs to STOP calling themselves and American.

[Joe Chi Minh]

28. Political, unjust and crazy.

[L0oniX]

29. Ya just can't get much more hypocritical than killing for Jesus!

[indepat]

31. Onward Christian Soldiers, forever onward doing Jesus' work throughout the whole wide

world in preparation for the rapture, that must be our mission, that must be our goal, Americans on patrol. :P

Edited to add final phrase

[Raster]

32. I guess someone did not get the "Prince of Peace" memo.

Here's an oldie but a goldie: "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."

They probably did not get that memo either.

[ejpoeta]

58. they were killed by the warmakers. then the warmakers took over.

i believe jesus turned the other cheek. according to the bible, i think if i remember correctly, he hung on a cross with nails in his hands and feet and forgave the people who did it to him. now, do i believe the bible? no. but the people who claim superiority claim to, and this is what i remember of it from growing up going to catholic church and catholic school.

[indepat]

85. While Jesus turned the other cheek and forgave his killers, the amount of hate and wrath shown

by seemingly so many millions of true-believers against maybe a billion people who had nothing to do with 9-11 is seemingly so plainly un-Christian and neither is it kosher. :P

[KakistocracyHater]

120. but that"s a red part and therefor is COMMUNIST!!! don't you know?

:sarcasm:

[jimmil]

35. You may think you are kidding indepat

But this sort of shit people actually believe in and want it to happen no matter what may get in their way...

[Axle_techie]

33. That's bullshit, no one should be forced to go to this

[Odin2005]

36. *VOMIT*

[webDude]

38. WWJD? He would not do this. "I stand at the doorway and knock", not "I come...

...in and start playing loud music against your will."

[Kurovski]

39. Thanx Mr. Bush, for all the empty religiosity you dragged into government,

when you never really gave a shit other than the political value it afforded you.

[amborin]

42. knr

[on point]

44. Another instance of wignnut tyranny. Court martial them all immediately

[TheMadMonk]

45. Simple sollution. The soldiers should when ordered to take their lumps...

...reply: "I respectfully refuse your illegal order sir/sargeant."

[grahamhgreen]

46. Why do fundamentalists love war so much? Sad.

[DeSwiss]

47. K&R

They need to clean this religious bullshit out of the military. Dumbass fuckers!!!

:mad:

[voteearlyvoteoften]

51. rec

[The Wizard]

52. Jesus was a good magician (NT)

[SpiralHawk]

53. "We have always been at war with non-swallowers." - Evangelical Fascists (R)

"You are either with us, or you are dead meat."

- Evangelical Fascists (R)

[florida08]

54. this happened in May

and apparently the general was relinquished of his command in June having been reassigned(promoted) as the director for logistics, J-4, U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. Brig. Gen. Jesse R. Cross is filling in until the man who has been tapped for the job, Maj. Gen. James L. Hodge, arrives and takes on those duties.

http://progress-index.com/news/chambers-encourages-innovation-as-he-departs-fort-lee-1.842426

It's always the border-line finatics that advance. Let's hope he's too busy in Florida to repeat the mania

[Ganja Ninja]

55. Nothing instills "faith" like threats and intimidation.

:eyes: The people behind this need to be kicked out of the military and given dishonorable discharges. And maybe a little time in the stockade wouldn't hurt either.

[pgodbold]

56. It's not just in Virgina. Here is the rest of the story from Colorado Springs Air Force Academy....

http://www.onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_363.shtml

[LostinVA]

128. The Air Force Academy is notorious

There is also that huge megachurch built across the street, ON PURPOSE. It's interesting to me the that AFA pushes such a Fundie environment, yet has such a bad track record of sexual assaults and abuse against female cadets.

[chat_noir]

57. (2008) Petraeus Endorses "Spiritual Handbook," Betrays 21% of Our Troops

KEEP IN MIND, THIS ARTICLE IS FROM 2008


While perusing the rest of the Air Force Times issue, Weinstein noticed a half-page ad for a book by Army chaplain Lt. Col. William McCoy, titled Under Orders: A Spiritual Handbook for Military Personnel. With a title like that, MRFF, of course, had to find out just what this book was about, and this is what we found -- a pro-Christian, anti-atheist book heartily endorsed by none other than Gen. David Petraeus, a slap in the face from the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq to the 21% of the men and women fighting there who define themselves as atheists or having no religious preference. Contrary to the old "no atheists in foxholes" movie line, the percentage of non-theists in the military, according to a report from the Population Reference Bureau, is actually somewhat higher than it is among the civilian population. For Petraeus to endorse a book disparaging this segment of our military population is a reprehensible betrayal of all of the non-theists who are putting their lives on the line for our country with every bit as much bravery and dedication as their religious comrades.

This isn't the first time MRFF has taken issue with an endorsement by Gen. Petraeus. Last November, while looking into the completely unconstitutional practice of mandatory Christian concerts being foisted upon our soldiers during basic training at several of the Army's largest training installations, we discovered Petraeus's photo and endorsement of these concerts on the Eric Horner Ministries website. After a story about Horner's military base concerts appeared on Mother Jones, Eric Horner Ministries quickly began scrambling to make changes to its website, including altering Petraeus's quote, which originally read "I appreciate your performances for our soldiers...," to add the word "patriotic" before performances. Eric Horner Ministries made many other track covering changes to its website in the few days following the Mother Jones story, which were detailed by me (as they were happening) in the comments section for the story after both Horner and his wife posted comments accusing the story's author, Josh Harkinson, of being a liar. To update that story, Eric Horner continues to perform at military bases, although now listing these concerts as "private events" in the schedule on his website. Photos from a June 2008 concert for the basic trainees at Fort Jackson indicate that Horner's Bible Ministry representatives were once again set up with a table in an unavoidable location at this concert, contrary to Horner's claims that religion is only promoted at his military chapel concerts. Petraeus's photo and endorsement still appear on both the Eric Horner Ministries website and a second "Patriotic" website quickly set up by Horner after the Mother Jones story to give the appearance that his military base concerts were separate from his religious ministry.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/petraeus-endorses-spiritu_b_119242.html

[anachro1]

61. Religion designed

to keep soldiers stupid.

[TheKentuckian]

62. Major General Chambers ought to be busted down to private and drummed out. He is willfully violating

the establishment clause and abusing his authority in the process.

[Lucky Luciano]

63. I would like to take a piss on the asshole general's bible. nt

[burnsei sensei]

64. This is a bad practice that has

no place, should be given no dignity, in the American army.
To force soldiers to go to it is a violation of the 1st Amendment right on its face.
This Commanding General should not be commanding anything.

[Spheric]

65. While it's fun to kill and all...

it's definitely more fun to kill for Jesus.

We want our military to have fun, don't we?

[Alcibiades]

66. And it's not just "Chritianity," but the right kind of Christianity

Snip

"I was surprised to find out that a couple of the most offended soldiers were actually Christian themselves (Catholic)."

This shouldn't be surprising. These soldiers have been dealing with this sort of Christian, and they know that, as Catholics, they are not even considered Christian by the evangelicals.

[Overseas]

68. link to Jeff Sharlett's article about the crusade for a Christian military

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2009/05/0082488

[geardaddy]

91. Good, but terrifying article

Thanks for sharing.

[newspeak]

124. so, while some are bagging on countries like Iran

for their theocracy-we've got the zealots here attempting to proselytize to the so-called heathens. We've got our own religious nuts attempting to turn our country into a fascistic theocracy. It looks scary having these zealots in top military positions. Our forefathers of the enlightenment are rolling in their graves.

[d_r]

129. this is a very interesting article

I recommend it.

[Soylent Brice]

69. K&R

[Joanne98]

70. Whoever's idea this was should be thrown out of the military!

[pasto76]

71. We called it "Fort Useless" when I was there.

1996. truly, it was the worst post I ever had to endure.

SGT PASTO

[barbtries]

72. this shit cannot be legal.

what can be done? it's outrageous!

[SCantiGOP]

73. I thought we were fighting religious extremism (nt)

[smirkymonkey]

97. Our religious extremeism is better than theirs.

:hide:

[Shining Jack]

76. K&R

Those freaks remind me of the pod people.They end up being everywhere.

[Nordmadr]

77. This was done when I was in boot camp too back

in 1990. Ft. Dix had a christian band called "Fighter" that would do shows for the recruits. We weren't forced to go though.

[Permanut]

78. Navy in the 60's

Norfolk Virginia, and on board a tin can, the USS Sampson. No forced religious activities of any kind, all voluntary. This forced participation is really weird.

[AlbertCat]

114. Navy in the 60's

In the 60's, people like Sarah Palin and even Dubya, and "end time" people, and "Jesus freaks" were laughed at and ridiculed (as they should be), not elected to or spokespeople for high office. Science was da shit in the 60's! Remember? We went to the Moon!

The rise of moronic evangelicals is DIRECTLY due to the Right Wing. The GOP has brought the USA down. We all saw it in 2000 when the president of the United States was selected, not elected.

[krabigirl]

81. The evangelicals in the military need to be put back into their place. It is disgusting.

Holy warriors..makes me sick.

[deaniac21]

83. I hear they also teach soldiers how to kill people.

[truebrit71]

84. Killing for Christ!!! FUCK YEAH!!!

:eyes::puke:

[dipsydoodle]

86. K & R

.

[Roland99]

87. But yet those scary muslims are the evil religious warrior fanatics?

oy vey.

[AsahinaKimi]

88. I wonder

how many of those soldiers were Jewish? Or some other religion? Seems like stepping on a lot of toes by people who only wish to fill their "flock" quota with mandatory volunteers. This has to be illegal.

[peacetalksforall]

89. We were told our military was for our defense. If our miltiry becomes the Christian Pentagon with a

Christian Marines Division, a Christian Air Force, a Christian Navy, etc. ------ WILL THEY ONLY DEFEND CHRISTIANS?

This development is apalling.

[penndragon69]

93. Reich wing christian FACISM !

May they all burn in hell.

[DirkGently]

94. Insanity. No doubt a component of why we can't get out of the ME

[smirkymonkey]

95. Because one must be spiritually fit (and preferably a member of

Christianity's lunatic fringe) to go out and KILL people.

Do I need the sarcasm thingy?

[backscatter712]

96. What a crock of shit!

That general needs to be drummed out ASAP!

[NeedleCast]

99. As a Veteran, I find this particularly infuriating

This shit makes my blood boil. I was lucky in that I only experienced a sort of religious pressure one time in my five years in the military and it was quickly squashed. I hope that the Army deals with this, but cosidering the rank of the offending officers, I doubt it will.

Same old Army...RHIP.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

110. the festering lives far up the chain.

Not only in the army. Air force is in trouble, too. The Navy? not so much. Luckily there was an election in 08.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

103. Show this to everybody who's not a talibornagain and is considering enlisting. -nt

[sabrina 1]

104. This one of the reasons why DADT

is being held up. The Religious Fanaticism in the military.

[and-justice-for-all]

112. Fuck that, I would not go either....

and being punished for not attending that crap fest is ridiculous, and the military has no right to be pushing religion; the military is not a free enterprise, it is tax payer funded and therefore such actions are in violation of church and state. So, if anyone is to be punished, it should be the military as a hole.

[USArmyParatrooper]

115. In all my years I've never had a problem with this

Unfortunately all I can find on this is MRFF's publication of an anonymous anecdote, and I always like to verify the facts. If true, this is a classic case for an EO or IG complaint.

[AlbertCat]

116. Jesus H. Christ on a cracker!

From the article:

"One contract, for example, awarded to an outside consulting firm to provide "spiritual fitness" services, was for $3.5 million"

The military is the biggest money waster there ever was! Wanna balance the budget and reduce the deficit? Go thru every military expenditure with a fine toothed comb and cut the waste. We'd save BILLIONS!
This is total BULL SHIT!