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.”
In light of how much time you spend on the religion threads, that's hardly surprising.
You and Torie both hang out on these "offensive" threads so you can bait people who find them interesting. Then you play the pouty victim when someone calls you on it.
Eighty percent or more of the threads at FR have nothing to do with religion. Hang out on one of them and chill.
I could have said worse. Maybe I will at some future time. BTW, I am polite only when it's called for. Otherwise I prefer to exhibit a rather grating personality.
Apparently the posting guidelines of no personal attacks, eg, godless soul-less hell-bound don't count when it comes to you and your posse.
You grate enough. Don't try harder.
Annie, in your case it's simply not personal. You are a whole class of folks all on your own ~ you know, the ones referred to as "Legion".
If it isn't personal, why do you do it?
OCD
I wonder if Christ would want her out of the Air Force Academy? That whole money changers incident... thing from the Bible, any all.
Your one sentence is key to solving so much... there are no words enough from me possible to thank.
mental pause
Why would you inflict her on those poor souls in such a remote location? Sheesh! They can't even (really) go OUT for a beer.
I have a better idea. Send her to a solitary observation post at McMurdo.
When, oh when, will this separation of church and state s**t STOP.
I'm beginning to think that any time this phrase is used, the user should be inundated with several kazillion emails, letters, and phone calls informing said user that THERE IS NO SUCH THING IN THE CONSTITUTION.
rant off
This thread has gotten way off track. I would urge posters to stick with the issues raised by this story.
One reason conservatives lose is that they take their eyes off the ball ... or never get them on the ball.
Having superior musculature and upper body strength, a body type better suited to life in the "field", and tending to be more linear in their thinking makes men superior in those functions . Rank is irrelevant.
Next they'll want to change the words to "Lord and guide the men who fly..." When I was at USAFA (many years ago), we all attended Chapel. Firsties got to go off campus to the Church of their choice. The Chapel can accommodate Protestants, Catholics, and Jewish Cadets. I am sure if we had had Muslims at the Academy there would have been an accommodation made for them.
I believe if this Chaplain were more concerned about why she was there instead of trying to effect change, there would be less of some of the other problems the Academy had in recent years.
Lord guard and guide the men who fly...
Spell check doesn't catch missing words.
Have you found a purpose in life yet? Or the ability to be honest about why you are attacking Freepers who have never done anything to you? You got problems with people here? Why not take it directly to them and cut the troll stuff out. This is not an oversight on your part- since you have been doing this for quite sometime now.
You got a point to make about your disdain for religion- run a thread about it- make a web site about it-tell it to the newspaper...but you are dishonest to troll here to piss people off just so you can run over to other websites and post it up there.
What a ridiculous waste of time.
You are not even honorable enough to write an Opus....What a joke.
Sure clowning around, like you do, is really serious business alright... (Eye roll)
It may change the world, save a soldier's life or give hope to a child!
You must be so proud.
She's a false pastor: Any true pastor knows that you can NOT get Christ out of anywhere. He is where He is.
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