A watchdog group that monitors inappropriate proselytizing in the military has renewed calls for a Pentagon probe after a recent Al Jazeera English news segment showed U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan preparing to distribute Bibles printed in the Pashto and Dari languages.
“These inciteful actions are grossly offensive to not only Muslims in Afghanistan and across the world, but to all those who hold faith in the U.S. Constitution,” said Mikey Weinstein, an Air Force veteran who launched the Military Religious Freedom Foundation four years ago.
“The United States armed forces are not on a mission to impose a Christian God on those who believe in Muhammad.”
Military guidelines prohibit proselytizing, but numerous accusations have surfaced in both Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003, chronicled in a recent cover story in Harper’s Magazine. Army officers have denied approving or encouraging the practice, noting the Al Jazeera English footage was a year old, and said the Bibles had been confiscated before they could be distributed.
Nevertheless, former Afghan prime minister Ahmed Shah Ahmedzai has called for an inquiry into chaplain practices, along with Weinstein’s ongoing demands for federal probes into alleged incidents of religious coercion and discrimination in the armed forces.
Although the Pentagon reports fewer than 100 complaints have been filed regarding religious discrimination in the military since 2005, Weinstein said more than 11,000 service members and families — predominantly Christian — have contacted him for help.
His group is currently involved in a federal lawsuit filed by a soldier who complained that his superiors forced troops to participate in prayers and other religious activities, and that opposing views faced harassment and career retaliation.
“It is a travesty and an utter outrage that the Pentagon does nothing to end these practices and refuses to punish those in blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution and military ethics,” Weinstein said.
“We once again demand the Pentagon put an immediate stop to these outrageous practices that threaten our national security and hope, in the interim, these actions do not inspire current and future terrorists.”
Nicole Neroulias
Religion News Service
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted May 5, 2009 at 7:05 pm
I hope whoever was behind distributing those Bibles was punished and booted. That would be awfully counterproductive to our nation’s goals, though maybe not to some missionary’s own, private goals.
There really seems to be some confusion about what master some in the services are serving and that needs to be straightened out in no uncertain terms.
posted May 5, 2009 at 7:21 pm
It sounds like Mikey Weinstein, that formed the Military Religious Freedom Foundation is staying on top of incidents. Didn’t this start because of the Air Force Academy forcing Christian faith on students there?
posted May 5, 2009 at 7:44 pm
I wonder why some folks have the urge to push their religion on others! Not the job of anyone in the military for sure.
posted May 6, 2009 at 10:39 am
Now everyone should know the Big Joe’s don’t believe in Christ… Now why would they do such a thing? Must have been an agitator in the bunch.
posted May 6, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Tarha what are the Big Joes’s who don’t believe in Christ? I don’t know what you’re saying.
posted May 6, 2009 at 7:03 pm
You’d be surprise at some of the praying you’ll hear on the front line. It’s funny that all of the wars we won there was open prayer, open Christianity, and acceptance of faith and shared faith.
Not so much in the wars lately since the atheist has forced the military’s hand against God. In these wars we have not won, nor been effective or did little more than lost lives. Is it working for us? NO.
posted May 6, 2009 at 7:33 pm
What wars have we been ineffective in Cknuck? Are you saying the right prayers weren’t prayed and that’s why we’ve been ineffective? Actually I don’t understand your comment.
posted May 6, 2009 at 7:51 pm
cknuck: “Not so much in the wars lately since the atheist has forced the military’s hand against God. In these wars we have not won, nor been effective or did little more than lost lives. Is it working for us? NO.”
Well, I’m only an agnostic myself, but that’s bad enough I guess. It’s kind of sad knowing the countless deaths my uncertainty had caused. I’ll be sure to burn extra hard in hell to make up for it, though.
posted May 6, 2009 at 8:05 pm
“since the atheist has forced the military’s hand against God”
What atheist is that cknuck and how has he or she “forced the military’s hand against God”? I believe you are trying to blame our failed military missions on atheists, with no documentation or proof. That’s about as low as it gets cknuck.
posted May 6, 2009 at 8:37 pm
nnmns I’d say you have proved that is not as low as it gets.
I’m not saying anything other than noting our success in wars is changing since we have become a nation devided by religious differences. Even when there was racial divison we never failed as much as now with our new approach to God and Country. Who spearheaded the change? Atheists and some others.
posted May 6, 2009 at 9:04 pm
I thought it was the far right and President Bush.
posted May 6, 2009 at 9:25 pm
I agree, Henrietta…I thought it was the far right and Bush!
cknuck, it sounds like you’re one who feels “God is always on our side” when it comes to war. Don’t all countries feel that way? Enough wars have been fought in the name of their superior religion. So I guess if there are too many non-believers then the war isn’t won??
posted May 6, 2009 at 10:10 pm
When did we start measuring our success as a country by how many wars we won, anyway?
posted May 6, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Very good question, Mordred08. That isn’t exactly a great way to measure the success of any country.
posted May 6, 2009 at 11:08 pm
pagan sounds like is not fact, don’t try to put words in my mouth and I will not do the same to you, that in an endless game of nonsense.
Mordred quote: “When did we start measuring our success as a country by how many wars we won, anyway?”
Well one certainly would not measure seccess by wars lost. Think.
posted May 6, 2009 at 11:09 pm
sorry about the spelling I’m in a hurry.
posted May 7, 2009 at 3:02 pm
“I’m not saying anything other than noting our success in wars is changing since we have become a nation devided by religious differences.”
Ah, but our computers have gotten a lot better. Which is at least as related to atheists coming out or whatever you are referring to as is your claim about wars. In fact we’ve taken on wars we never should have, including Vietnam and Iraq for sure. We think we are smarter and more powerful than we are and we come up short sometimes. And that thinking is surely more likely to be done by those like Bush who think they and God are on the same side. Back in the day we didn’t so much view ourselves as world leaders and we were less likely to jump into pointless wars half a world away.
posted May 7, 2009 at 8:53 pm
cknuck, the statement was from the impression I got from reading your posts on this subject. So, do you think that “God is on our side” when we enter a war (or as in Iraq…start the dam thing!)? If so, she/he must be teaching us a lesson…war is wrong…thus “you lose”.
posted December 18, 2011 at 5:21 pm
Do you feel that Syria spying on dissidents?
posted January 2, 2012 at 6:56 pm
Where can I get into gear as of yet nachos discount voucher codes? We’re seeking a price cut rule intended for dominos.
posted January 4, 2012 at 4:40 am
Happy New Year to All!