Evangelizing In The Military - A Troubling Trend

[TheMastersNemesis]

The teabagging Marine exposes some troubling trends in the military. We had a scandal at the US Air Force Academy a while back about Christian harassment and proselitizing at the Academy a couple of years ago. There was an investigation about complaints from non believers about the evangelical form of religion being aggressively pushed. Things seem to have died down but the problem may not have been solved.

As a Vietnam veteran I can see that service is not like it used to be and that religion has actively infiltrated the military. I was watching some news reports of some missions. And I noticed there was a prayer before one mission.

For one we kept our faith to ourselves. Even as a company clerk I never knew what any soldier I dealt with believed. There was only a notation of preference of chaplain in case of injury or death. I can honestly say that the issue NEVER came up the entire time that I was in Vietnam. And it did not come up the entire time I was in the military. If a soldier had a problem or was troubled he was referred to a chaplain appropriate to his faith. That was the end of it.

We never prayed before any mission. We had a secular non denominational military when I served. And it was the correct way to be.

This open religious affirmation is BULLS--T. The teabagger Marine is a sign of a larger problem that I believe we have. We are a secular country damn it. We ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION. And we never were. Most of the founders were not religious and Jefferson was a deist.

This country will fall because of religion. The GOP is deliberately dividing this country by your religion or lack of it.

I know that we are not supposed to discuss religion in this forum. But it is very difficult because almost all of our politics now is immersed in religion.

[brewens]

1. These theocrats need to be careful what they wish for. It actually has always

meant government running your church. It's exactly the kind of thing they usually hate.

As if by breaking down the seperation of church and state you could somehow trust the government to leave it alone, except for the stuff you approve of. The frenzy of activity by Congess, the churches and their lobbyists to gain an advantage would really be something to behold!

We'd end up with another civil war before it was over.

[freshwest]

2. You're discussing the military more than religion so I say it can stay. We've got several cults

Last edited Thu Apr 5, 2012, 12:11 AM - Edit history (1)

Who are now acting in the name of our armed forces. Prince and his Blackwater group, which keeps changing its name to avoid liability, come to mind first. They may not be totally religious, but they have a mind set that says they are above the regs you served under.

Back in the VW, I guess you had VOA but now they're listening to Rush and Beck and Boortz. They are not an established church, but are pushing a cult that matches all the lists of fascism. It is very disturbing to see that these are the influences on the troops and some go into law enforcement on their return.

They certainly are not all Dittoheads, but conservative memes are dogma. No reason or tolerance, with saviors, prophets and demons who should be gotten rid of including the CIC. This is in our face now and I'm glad you spoke of it.

[RKP5637]

4. You summed that up well IMO! "We've got several cults who are now acting in the name

of our armed forces ..." IMO it's highly dangerous, cult behavior in the military.

[RKP5637]

3. Excellent! BTW, I would never hesitate to discuss religion on DU. I never

knew there were any restrictions on that. Religion today has injected itself into mainstream politics and tax free. IMO religion can and should be discussed. It seems to be a major factor in todays politics.

[Bigmack]

5. I can't agree more...

... the Marine Corps I served in was without religious references...

except...

"Yore soul may belong to Jeeeezus, yore heart may belong to yore mama, but yore ASS belongs to the Corps!"

This is a very alarming change.

[Initech]

6. Really gives new meaning to the phrase "onward Christian soldiers" doesn't it?

[lunasun]

7. well they are trying to bring us back to the europeon middle ages so the crusades

again will fit in just fine

.........."almost all of our politics now is immersed in religion".... yes, either that or racism (or is that supposedly in the bible too?)