Posted on 07/27/2014 12:13:59 PM PDT by markomalley
Citing federal regulations, the Missouri National Guard has refused to show up for an hour-long meet-and-greet with kids at a small Baptist church in the rural southwest corner of the state.
The kerfuffle went down during this summer’s vacation Bible school at Bible Baptist Church in Carthage, Mo., reports Fox News.
Vacation Bible school is sort of a rite of passage in the region — as common locally in the summertime as fireworks on the Fourth of July and sticky, sunny days.
For this year’s version, part of the Bible Baptist Church’s theme was “God’s Rescue Squad.” So, on Monday, some paramedics stopped by. On Tuesday, it was firefighters. On Wednesday, it was some lawmen and K-9 dogs from the Jasper County sheriff’s department.
Members of the Missouri National Guard were scheduled for a Thursday appearance (in a Humvee), but they failed to show up because, they said, federal regulations prevent military activities that could appear to endorse any religious or sectarian faction.
Specifically, the military regulation states:
“Army participation must not selectively benefit (or appear to benefit) any person, group, or corporation (whether profit or nonprofit); religion, sect, religious or sectarian group, or quasi-religious or ideological movement.”
Pastor Kent Hogan was disappointed.
“We are a very patriotic church,” Hogan told Todd Starnes of Fox News. “We love America. We love this country.”
Hogan explained that the plan was “to thank them for protecting our religious liberty” and to promote the good the U.S. military does.
“We were told it was against military policy for National Guard troops to participate in Vacation Bible School,” the pastor told Fox News. “They said if the National Guard had assets on church property it would look like the National Guard is sponsoring the Baptist religion.”
Interestingly, this June, the U.S. Department of Defense allowed an American military color guard to march in the annual gay pride parade in Washington, D.C.
Similarly, in 2012, the Defense Department overrode the Defense Department’s specific rules against uniformed service members’ participation in political events to allow uniformed service members to march in San Diego’s gay pride parade.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, local members of the National Guard expressed disgust with the decision to prohibit their appearance at a local church.
“I can tell you I’m ashamed and embarrassed right now,” one soldier told Fox.
“We had a lot of disappointed kiddos because of the National Guard being unwilling to allow a Humvee and a few soldiers to spend an hour at a Baptist church,” another soldier said. “It makes me wonder what I’m actually fighting for.”
Hogan, the pastor, noted a further irony.
“They said they didn’t want to offend anybody,” he told Fox. “Well, it’s offended our whole church.”
My older Brother built a shoe shine kit in vacation Bible school back around 1950. Not sure how I ended up with it but I still have it.
If a National Guard unit refused to go to a mosque the commanding officer would face a court martial and be accused of a hate crime.
That is some “equality” isn’t it??
There are a lot of people in this country who think the first amendment requires a hatred of Christianity and love of Islam.
Don’t you know it. The story would make a full week’s worth of news cycles, with each Main Stream Talking Head pretending to be ‘outraged’.
I have faith that this foolishness will lessen if not stop completely with the next president. Even a normal Dem President would not have a problem with this. Needless to say, Barack is not a normal President.
The NG should have shown up.
Sad thing is I know a few gays (including one I went to the Fire Academy with) who would probably support this kind of hypocrisy.
Looking at history, especially the Crusades, I think we can all expect another need to battle Islam.
Esy end run.
Any members of the Church that are Guard Members, just go on their own in Uniform.
This has Obama executive order written all over it and it is a direct assault on Baptists all across America.
We as a nation, also lose the chance to have the National Guard at Baptist and other Christian churches all across the country.
It is all part of Obama’s war on Christians.
The Liberty Council or Thomas More Law Center should be put in touch with this Pastor and followup with the Guard.
This is not constitutional and we should not let them get away with it. The only way we keep our freedom is fight for it every inch of the way. Shouldn't be that way but that's where we are right now.
The governor of the state runs the “National Guard” unless it’s “Nationalized” by the President. Who’s the governor of MO ? And of what party is he or she ?
Jay Nixon, Democrat. And disgusting.
In the News/Activism forum, on a thread titled National Guard Won’t Allow Its Own Troops To Be Honored At Vacation Bible School, : Answering my question to who runs a state National Guard which is its governor
Catdancer wrote;Jay Nixon, Democrat. And disgusting.
Blame Him, but he’s following policy set down by The Big Ear’d Perv...
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