DOD Counters Internet Posts on Religion Issue

[rug]

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2013 – Internet posts making the rounds claiming that the Defense Department will court-martial service members who espouse Christianity are not true, a Pentagon spokesman said today.

“The Department of Defense places a high value on the rights of members of the military services to observe the tenets of their respective religions and respects, [and supports by its policy] the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs,” Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen said in a written statement on the issue.

“The department does not endorse any one religion or religious organization, and provides free access of religion for all members of the military services,” he added.

Internet posts are attributing a statement that superior officers who try to convert those under their command should face court-martial to Mikey Weinstein, president of the Albuquerque, N.M.-based Military Religious Freedom Foundation, and are identifying him as a Pentagon advisor, Christensen noted.

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=119931

[longship]

1. It's about time this was made clear from the top.

Take a trip to Military Religious Freedom Foundation for details on the issues that started all this.

Apparently things were not always so ecumenical as is portrayed by the current DOD. Atheists especially found things difficult under some commands.

[LostOne4Ever]

2. Thanks for this

I have been seeing this story posted on FB by my more RW friends and I always appreciate a good rebuttal.

You already have this but here is the story from the Stars and stripes:

http://www.stripes.com/news/pentagon-ok-to-talk-about-faith-but-not-to-push-beliefs-on-others-1.219261

[rug]

3. Thanks for th link.