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Posted on 05/12/2005 12:41:32 PM PDT by wagglebee
Here’s a story that will throw you for a loop: a "chaplain” at the U.S. Air Force Academy is complaining that the school’s administration has a "systemic and pervasive” problem of promoting religious religious values with a Christian bent.
The chaplain, Capt. Melinda Morton, a "Lutheran minister” spoke out publicly on Tuesday as an Air Force task force arrived at the academy to investigate charges that officers and staff members pushed their religious beliefs on cadets.
And she claimed that a tolerance program developed at the academy, called Respecting the Spiritual Values of all People (R.S.V.P.), was watered down after it was shown to officers.
Maj. Gen. Charles C. Baldwin, chief of chaplains for the Air Force, screened the 90-minute R.S.V.P. film in October, according to Capt. Morton, and asked her: "Why is it that the Christians never win?” in reaction to some of the program’s depictions of cadet interactions.
"Chaplain” Morton’s complaints about too much religion at the military academy is creating waves, and earned her hero status in a report in the New York Times Thursday.
Gen. Baldwin acknowledged in an interview that he felt too many scenes in the film portrayed Christians at fault for excessive evangelical proselytizing.
He also said he asked that the Air Force cut segments on non-Christian religions such as Buddhism, Judaism and Native American spirituality.
The problem in dealing with proselytizing and church-state issues at the academy, he explained, "always is, when is a person crossing the line, or when are they being a positive person of faith, like our president.”
Last year, the Colorado Springs academy invited Yale Divinity School professor Kristen Leslie and six Yale graduate students to visit the school and observe how the chaplains minister to the cadets.
A memo from the Yale team cited the "stridently evangelical themes” at a worship service attended by 600 new cadets.
Leslie said a chaplain urged cadets to pray for those who didn’t attend and "remind them of the consequences ... those not ‘born again will burn in the fires of hell.’”
But academy spokesman Johnny Whitaker disputed that account, saying several other chaplains told him that no one mentioned burning "in the fires of hell.”
Morton, a 48-year-old "Lutheran minister," said she was removed from her post as executive officer to the chief chaplain, Col. Michael Whittington, last week. She claimed the dismissal came after he pressured her to deny details of what happened at the religious service.
But Whitaker said Whittington sent Morton an e-mail on May 4 saying he was removing her "to ensure a smooth and complete transition” for new leaders.
Morgan said she had stepped forward because "it’s the Constitution, not just a nice rule we can follow or not follow. That includes not using your power to advance your religious agenda.”
She acknowledged that after speaking out, "I don’t think I have much future in the Air Force.”
True. Being a Christian doesn't seem to be required for being a minister anymore in many denominations.
In your present state of mind you serve neither yourself, or your country any useful purpose.
Bon voyage.
Berkeley Synod..
I went to a Contemporary Base Issues Course and heard one of these hyphenated last name chaplains speak to the class. She asked us if all we had in our Chaplain office were bibles. If so, we needed Prayer Rugs and other things. I told her she can find the prayer rugs in the POW camps.
See 163...I've been dealing with these people. Thank God we have good Christian Chaplains here.
I want to make it clear this is not the Missouri Synod Lutherans.
Nice to see another.
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
Read the thread, genius. Mr. Okie was on the Generals list.
The person I addressed calls himself "sarge." My husband is career Army, a combat pilot who did three tours in VietNam and he his very highly decorated.
Our eldest son is currently serving in the Navy.
I have never been in the military due to health issues. You?
Is this the poll given by Pew? If we take a good look at the statement of faiths of the churches polled such as Merican Baptists, it clearly show apostasy. This group is in direct contrast to typical southern baptists. It would be interesting to see if the polling efforts were directed by the same women who helped with Moveon.org.
The poll referenced is a false representation.
combat engineer (cbt., enlisted type) has-been
To say "sarge" was forbidden.
Feminism is behind most of the demoralization in our military--especially the feminist victimology that is the foundation of our anti-family divorce laws.
Someone tell this brainless little bitch (she's certainly not a Christian, despite her "Chaplain" monicker) to stay the f**k out of MY school. This well and truly pisses me off.
RightOnline
USAFA, Class of '77
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