the military has created an atmosphere where those who do not approve of homosexual conduct “must remain disapprovingly silent or face reprisal --- and we don't even have hate speech laws ... yet.
On Monday, July 15, 2013 4:29:20 PM UTC-5, Travis wrote: > > > > > > ** > Dr. Eowyn posted: "Do you remember our Trail Dust's post of April 28, > 2013, "Christianity to be outlawed in U.S. military," on the Pentagon > consulting the virulently anti-Christian atheist Mickey Weinstein to > develop new policies on "religious tolerance," including a policy" Respond > to this post by replying above this line > New post on *Fellowship of the Minds* > <http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/author/eowyn2/> Obama military > really is persecuting > Christians<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/obama-military-really-is-persecuting-christians/> > by > Dr. Eowyn <http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/author/eowyn2/> > > Do you remember our Trail Dust's post of April 28, 2013, "Christianity to > be outlawed in U.S. > military<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/christianity-to-be-outlawed-in-us-military/>," > > on the Pentagon consulting the virulently anti-Christian atheist *Mickey > Weinstein* to develop new policies on "religious tolerance," including a > policy for court-martialing military chaplains who share the Christian > Gospel during spiritual counseling of American troops? > > 3 days later, on May 1, 2013, I posted a follow-up, "Pentagon may court > martial soldiers for sharing their Christian > faith<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/pentagon-may-court-martial-soldiers-for-sharing-their-christian-faith/>," > > about a statement from the Pentagon confirming that not only will military > chaplains be court martialed, *any* soldier who engages in “religious > proselytization” (i.e., who shares the Christian faith with another) will > also be subjected to court martial and “non-judicial punishments.” > > A day after, on May 2, 2013, Bob Unruh of > WND<http://www.wnd.com/2013/05/major-change-on-christians-in-military/>reported > that the Pentagon was backing off. Lt. > Cmdr. Nathan > Christensen<http://www.adfmedia.org/files/20130502PentagonEmail.pdf>issued a > statement saying that the Department of Defense “never and will > never single out a particular religious group for persecution or > prosecution.” > > Blah. Blah. Blah. > > All lies. > > *Christians in the U.S. military are being persecuted and prosecuted. *Below > are two examples of Christian servicemen being coerced to either embrace > the "gay lifestyle" or get out. > > [image: > persecution-of-christians]<http://fellowshipofminds.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/persecution-of-christians.jpg> > *1. The case of Technical Sgt. Layne Wilson, a 27-year veteran of the > Utah Air National Guard.* > > Todd Starnes reports for Fox > News<http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/airman-punished-for-objecting-to-gay-marriage-in-military-chapel.html>, > > July 11, 2013, that *last December, TSgt. Wilson wrote a private email to > a chaplain at West Point, stating his unhappiness about a "gay" wedding in > West Point's Cadet Chapel.* > > [image: > West_Point_Cadet_Chapel]<http://fellowshipofminds.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/west_point_cadet_chapel.jpg> > *West Point Cadet Chapel* > > Wilson wrote: “This is wrong on so many levels. If they wanted to get > married in a hotel that is one thing. Our base chapels are a place of > worship and this is a mockery to God and our military core values. I have > proudly served 27 years and this is a slap in the face to us who have put > our lives on the line for this country. I hope sir that you will take > appropriate action so this does not happen again.” > > Instead of responding to the private email, the Commandant of Cadets > notified the Utah Air National Guard. All of which led to *Wilson being > reprimanded for conduct inconsistent with the United States Air Force*, > which had brought disgrace and discredit upon the Air National Guard. > > In a letter to Wilson, *Lt. Col. Kevin Tobias *of the Air National Guard > reprimanded Wilson for failing “to render the proper respect to a > commissioned officer” and that “As a noncommissioned officer you are > expected to maintain a standard of professional and personal behavior that > is above reproach. You have failed!” > > *Col. Ronald Blunck* concurred with Tobias – noting that TSgt. Wilson's > “right to practice your religious beliefs does not excuse you from > complying with directives, instructions and lawful orders.” > > *After formally reprimanding Wilson, the Air National Guard then > terminated its six-year reenlistment contract with Wilson, in effect > telling him to retire.* “Due to the fact that I expressed my views on > homosexuality in uniform; Lt. Col. Tobias stated that I was no longer > compatible with further military service,” Wilson wrote in a letter > detailing the discrimination allegations. > > *What is even more outrageous is that at the time of Wilson being > reprimanded, the Supreme Court had not yet ruled on the Defense of Marriage > Act (DOMA), which means DOMA was still the law of the land. In other > words, in objecting to the homosexual wedding in the West Point chapel, > TSgt. Wilson was merely expressing his disapproval of an act that was in > violation of a federal law!* > > Wilson maintains that the military has created an atmosphere where those > who do not approve of homosexual conduct “must remain disapprovingly silent > or face reprisal to our careers. It is evident those who refuse to affirm > homosexuality and openly oppose it are being severely punished.” > > [image: John > Wells]<http://fellowshipofminds.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/john-wells.jpg>TSgt. > > Wilson has retained the counsel of *attorney John B. > Wells<http://www.johnwellslaw.com/> > *, a retired Navy commander, who is asking the military to rescind the > reprimand and reinstate the original six-year reenlistment contract with > Wilson. > > “This was an executed contract,” Wells said. “But they just went in, tore > it up and issued a new one.” Wells said his client’s only “crime” was > registering his opinion that a gay marriage in a military chapel was a > violation of the law that existed at that time. “His actions were proper > within the scope of the Uniform Code and the Manual for Courts-Martial. > While his interpretation of the law may or may not have been correct, his > actions should not have given rise to the firestorm of reprisals that he > has suffered.” > > Wells believes that incidents like TSgt. Wilson's are just the "tip of the > iceberg" and that “The military is trying to make examples of people who > have religious beliefs that homosexual conduct in the military is wrong. > When these people assert their First Amendment rights, they are getting > slapped down and slapped down hard. *The end game is to force > conservative Christians out of the military.*” > *2. The case of Master Sgt. Nathan Sommers, a 25-year Army veteran.* > > Todd Starnes reports for Fox News > Radio<http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/army-reprimands-soldier-under-fire-for-religious-beliefs.html>, > > June 24, 2013, that Master Sgt. Sommers is a 25-year military veteran, a > decorated soloist with the U.S. Army Band, and a Christian conservative. > > *On June 9, 2013, one day after Sommers told Fox News he was facing > discrimination and persecution because of his conservative political and > religious beliefs, the master sergeant was found guilty of three Article 15 > charges*: > > 1. Failing to go to an appointed place of duty; > 2. Disobeying an order; and > 3. Making a false official statement. > > But according to attorney* John Wells, *the Army's charges against > Sommers stemmed from his giving a superior officer the wrong date for a > doctor’s appointment. As for the charge of Sommers disobeying an order, > Wells explains that in order to comply with that order, Sommers would have > had to disclose private information about his autistic son’s medical > records. “The timing does seem strange,” Wells told Fox News. “It’s > suspicious. It looks like a graduated attempt to build a case against him > on some really ridiculous charges.." > > > > > > Although Sommers received an oral reprimand and will not be reduced in > rank, Wells says he plans on appealing the non-judicial punishment and is > considering *a lawsuit under the Administrative Procedures Act and the > Religious Freedom Restoration Act*: “MSgt. Sommers wants to thank the > tens of thousands of Americans that have followed his case and offered up > prayers for his case. He has decided to put his fate in God’s hands and > continues to pray for those who are persecuting him.” > > > > > > *Retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin *believes the Army is trying to send a > message to not only Sommers but others in his unit: “Over my 36 years in > the US Army I saw numerous situations like this where a soldier is singled > out by the chain of command for punishment. The Article 15 proceeding may > be technically legitimate, but one must recognize that an Army Master > Sergeant with 25 years does not normally do stupid things that are easily > avoidable unless there is some mitigating circumstance.” > > > > > > > > MSgt. Sommers believes the real reasons why he was reprimanded are his > conservative political beliefs and Christian faith. > > His troubles began last year when *he was confronted about having > pro-Republican and anti-Obama bumper stickers on his personal vehicle. *The > stickers read: “Political Dissent is NOT Racism,” “NOBAMA,” "NOPE2012,” and > “The Road to Bankruptcy is Paved with Ass-Fault.” That last bumper sticker > included the image of a donkey. Sommers was told by his superior officer > that the bumper stickers were creating “unnecessary workplace tension.” > > > > *Sommers also came under fire for reading the works of conservative Mark > Levin, Sean Hannity and David Limbaugh.* Last summer he was quietly > reading Limbaugh’s *The Great Destroyer* backstage at a concert when a > superior officer told him that he was causing “unit disruption” and was > offending other soldiers. “I wasn’t reading aloud,” Sommers told Fox News. > “I was just reading privately to myself. I was told they were frowning on > that and they warned me that I should not be reading literature like that > backstage because it was offensive.” > > > > > > But *the incident that led to an official investigation of Sommers came > late last summer when he served Chick-fil-A sandwiches, paid for with his > own money, at his promotion party.* > > > > “My family likes Chick-fil-A and we like what they stand for,” he said. “I > can make a statement and at least express a religious point of view at my > promotion party – theoretically without any fear of reprisal.” The soldier > also tweeted about the party: “In honor of DADT repeal, and Obama/Holder’s > refusal to enforce DOMA act, I’m serving Chick-fil-A at my MSG promo > reception for Army today.” > > > > The tweet came under fire from his superior officers, according to an > official military document that states: “As a Soldier you must be cognizant > of the fact that your statements can be perceived by the general public and > other service members to be of a nature bordering on disrespect to the > President of the United States.” > > > > > > Attorney Wells believes Sommers is being discriminated against not only > because of his Christian faith, but also because of his objections to > homosexuality: “There’s no question about it. Because he is religious, > because he feels that homosexual conduct is wrong for religious reasons, he > is basically being persecuted." > > H/t Western Center for > Journalism<http://www.westernjournalism.com/christians-need-not-apply/> > > *~Eowyn* > *Dr. Eowyn <http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/author/eowyn2/>* | > July 15, 2013 at 2:13 pm | Tags: Col. Ronald > Blunck<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?tag=col-ronald-blunck>, > John Wells <http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?tag=john-wells>, Lt. > Cmdr. Nathan > Christensen<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?tag=lt-cmdr-nathan-christensen>, > > Lt. Col. Kevin > Tobias<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?tag=lt-col-kevin-tobias>, > Lt. Gen. Jerry > Boykin<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?tag=lt-gen-jerry-boykin>, > Master Sgt. Nathan > Sommers<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?tag=master-sgt-nathan-sommers>, > > Mickey > Weinstein<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?tag=mickey-weinstein>, > Technical Sgt. Layne > Wilson<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?tag=technical-sgt-layne-wilson>| > Categories: > Christians/Christianity<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?cat=111409284>, > > Culture War <http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?cat=20812>, > Gays<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?cat=35219924>, > Liberals/Democrats/Left<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?cat=115894710>, > > Military <http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?cat=33806753>, Obama's > America <http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?cat=12285619>, > persecution <http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?cat=79343>, > Religion<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/?cat=4983159>| URL: > http://wp.me/pKuKY-mtV > > > Comment<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/obama-military-really-is-persecuting-christians/#respond> > > See all > comments<http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/obama-military-really-is-persecuting-christians/#comments> > > > Unsubscribe or change your email settings at Manage > Subscriptions<https://subscribe.wordpress.com/?key=80d8873ee52adffe4e178d01c25562cf&email=goosepickles%40gmail.com>. > > > > *Trouble clicking?* Copy and paste this URL into your browser: > > http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2013/07/15/obama-military-really-is-persecuting-christians/ > > Thanks for flying with WordPress.com <http://wordpress.com> > > > -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. 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