Two recent incidents with the U.S. Army have indicated that freedom of religion is at stake.
In August an Army officer sent an email to subordinates, labeling conservative Christians organizations as “domestic hate groups,” and stated that their values don’t align with “Army values.”
Click here to read the 14-page email sent out by Lt. Col. Jack Rich, in which he told other officers and soldiers at Fort Campbell, Ky., that, specifically, the American Family Association and the Family Research Council are “domestic hate groups” because they oppose homosexuality.
“When we see behaviors that are inconsistent with Army Values, don’t just walk by—do the right thing and address the concern before it becomes a problem,” he wrote.
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, told Fox News he was disturbed by the contents of the email.
“It’s very disturbing to see where the Obama administration is taking the military and using it as a laboratory for social experimentation—and also as an instrument to fundamentally change the culture,” he said. “The message is very clear: If you are a Christian who believes in the Bible, who believes in transcendent truth, there is no place for you in the military.”
The American Family Association is asking its supporters to investigate Rich’s statements and to advise Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to insure the military ceases its anti-Christian rhetoric. Click here to take action.
“There are thousands and thousands of people enlisted in the United States Army who are themselves Christian and would resent the fact that this one lieutenant colonel is purporting to speak for the whole Army by saying AFA and FRC don’t represent ‘Army values,'” AFA President Tim Wildmon wrote in an email to supporters Thursday.
George Wright, Army spokesman at the Pentagon, said they are checking into the origin of Rich’s email, and denied that there is any attack on Christians or those who hold religious beliefs.
“The notion that the Army is taking an anti-religion or anti-Christian stance is contrary to any of our policies, doctrines and regulations,” he stated. “Any belief that the Army is out to label religious groups in a negative manner is without warrant.”
But Liberty Counsel Action says otherwise.
“Make no mistake about it, religious freedom is under attack in this country,” said Mat Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel Action.
The organization sent a letter Thursday to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives, urging support for Rep. Doug Lamborn’s (R-Colo.) letter to John M. McHugh, Secretary of the Army, calling on him to rescind, apologize and investigate an Army Reserve training brief that labels evangelical Christians and Catholics as “religious extremists.”
“The news of an Army Reserve training brief labeling evangelical Christians and Catholics as ‘religious extremists’ is insulting,” Staver noted. “To lump evangelical Christians and Catholics in with Hamas, al-Qaida or the Ku Klux Klan is outrageous. Such false labeling is dangerous and unacceptable.
“A full investigation is necessary to determine which sources the Army used in formulating this briefing and what remedial measures the Army will take to prevent this atrocity from happening again. A full apology is in order,” he concluded.
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