Posted on 09/07/2005 8:40:47 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) - The Air Force Inspector General's office has cleared a top Air Force Academy general of proselytizing non-Christian cadets, Air Force spokeswoman Jennifer Stephens said Wednesday.
Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Johnny Weida had faced seven allegations that he improperly shared his faith. The inspector general in June cleared him of six of the seven allegations, including his June 2003 "guidance" to cadets that said they are "accountable first to your God." He also urged cadets and staff to pray.
The academy said the final allegation of which he was cleared Wednesday was "using a religious communicative code to facilitate the proselytizing of non-Christian cadets."
"Gen. Weida has readily acknowledged that his actions were inappropriate and has taken positive, visible corrective actions that reflect his true character," Stephens said.
Last month the Senate dropped Weida off a list for military promotions. The academy said his elevation to major general is still supported by the Air Force.
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State said it conducted an investigation at the academy that revealed the academy forced cadets to pray at certain functions and urged cadets to evangelize.
The Air Force set up a task force to investigate the claims. It said in June that it found no overt religious discrimination at the school but there was a lack of sensitivity and confusion over what is permissible in sharing one's faith.
New religious tolerance guidelines that clarify the rules have been issued by the Air Force. The guidelines are expected to become permanent later this year.
How in the Hell are you expected to win wars, when you can't even ask for the help of the One who decides the outcome?
Academy having a difficult time finding qualified leaders, last few not having much luck. For some it is a career ending stop.
Not to worry. I doubt that the prayers of those "who are forced to pray" get any higher than the ceiling.
....he was cleared Wednesday was "using a religious communicative code to facilitate the proselytizing of non-Christian cadets."
Maybe he got some ideas from reading the bestseller?
How does an Evangelical Christian "improperly share his faith"? Isn't that like blaming a lion for roaring instead of meowing?
Is it permissable to share his faith in the Chapel? Or might that offend the hoards of Jewish and Muslim cadets? What about in the dormitory? If they have to leave the door open to preclude accusations of rape (policy at the academy) does that mean they're proselytizing to everyone that might happen to walk down the hall? Such problems these Christians are.... maybe they should just crucify them all to prevent them from spreading their beliefs.
These are not "religious tolerance guidelines"; they are "intolerance of religion guidelines", sponsored by the least tolerant of government lackeys; inspired by the ACLU.
For seven humdred years mankind has been trying to put God to rest; who would have thought that it would take the actions of the indefensible guilty and the insecure innocent to slay him with Allah and political correctness?
Man doesn't really need a god as much as god needs man; the death of one is likely to be the death of all for tomorrow carries no promise.
How about withholding promotions? or poor performance reports?
Coming out of academy at the bottom of your class simply because of your religious belief ( or lack thereof ) is a sure sign that your military career will be a "dead end" job..
It's a real "moral booster" to know your greatest military acheivement will be guarding a fuel depot in Alaska, simply because you were a Jew..
There's nothing wrong with professing one's faith, but as a predominantly Christian nation, we're responsible for the respect and tolerance of other religions as well..
You make a reference to Jewish and Muslim cadets, "in the chapel" so I don't want to think I am taking you out of context here..
Outside of that chapel where everyone is just a cadet, that Jewish or Muslim or Hindu or Buddhist cadet has the right not to be exposed to quotes from the christian religion as "examples" of behaviour, rules for living, and other facets of daily life..
Your religious belief should have no bearing on whether you become a competent or even outstanding cadet and officer..
Those cadets are there to learn military discipline and strategy and tactics, etc..
It is not a religious academy..
And don't give me a tirade about how Christians are being persecuted..
Christianity is still the largest religious belief in the world.. And definitely the largest in the U.S.A...
When you're 10th, and your followers are being fed to the lions again, maybe I'll listen..
Now go dream up some more unsubstantiated accusations!
It's a real "moral booster" to know your greatest military acheivement will be guarding a fuel depot in Alaska, simply because you were a Jew..
Oooohhh, pah-leeeaaasse...Perhaps a Freudian slip, but I think you meant "morale"; now you're accusing this good General, who was CLEARED of the accusations, of exiling non-Evangelical Christians... that's quite imaginative of you. Someone pass me a tissue.... with that pathetic persecution complex you could get a job in Hollywood writing scripts for Martin Scorsese, if you know what I mean (go look it up)!
Those cadets are there to learn military discipline and strategy and tactics, etc..It is not a religious academy..
Right! There's no room for character building at the service academies! They are only there to learn to kill people and break things! So let's just convert the whole place into a clearing house for military correspondence courses! Since those religious whackos aren't there to learn about religion, we must tear down that chapel! Deprogram them with sensitivity training! Maybe build another stadium in its place!
When YOU'RE 10th, and YOUR followers are being fed to the lions again, maybe I'll listen..
Aaahhh, your true colors emerge, albeit unwittingly-- such a casual gesture toward a Christian holocaust-- spoken like a true committed atheist!
Maybe you didn't read the article..
"Gen. Weida has readily acknowledged that his actions were inappropriate and has taken positive, visible corrective actions that reflect his true character," Stephens said.
Last month the Senate dropped Weida off a list for military promotions. The academy said his elevation to major general is still supported by the Air Force.
the academy forced cadets to pray at certain functions and urged cadets to evangelize.
New religious tolerance guidelines that clarify the rules have been issued by the Air Force. The guidelines are expected to become permanent later this year.
Although the General was "cleared", he himself admitted to "innappropriate" behaviour...
Evidently the only reason he was cleared was that the academy had no rules against what he was doing..
The academy now has rules..
If nothing were wrong, then there would be no use for a new set of rules..
As for the rest of your frothing at the mouth, "morale" was a mis-spelling..
If spelling errors are your only response, it is pathetic..
On April 16, 2003, while I was acting as the academy's superintendent in the midst of the sexual assault crisis, I issued a Commander's Guidance entitled "Culture, Communication and Commitment." The culture portion of the document contained the following guidance to the entire academy team:
"We must ensure a climate exists that allows each Air Force Academy team member to reach their full potential mentally, spiritually and physically. We must ensure a climate exists that is free of discrimination, harassment, intimidation and assault of any kind."
In the last two years, I have dedicated myself to creating and advancing this environment of excellence at the Air Force Academy.
Together, the academy's entire leadership team has made great strides in fostering just that kind of environment as evidenced by the culture and climate surveys administered over the past two years. The surveys show we have made positive progress in virtually every area of cadet life.
One area in which we fell short, and in which I fell short, is the topic in question today: religious respect. We discovered we fell short, we worked it, and we put a plan in place to correct it. I am convinced our efforts will make the academy the model for the nation in this area, just as our efforts to foster sexual respect has become a model.
Unlike the area of sexual assault, however, it was harder to develop the right course of action and strike the right balance. We have, I have, learned a lot about the delicate balance between living one's personal faith and respecting the beliefs of all members of the profession of arms. Striking the right balance becomes more difficult as you move up the ranks, but the greater the rank the greater the responsibility to get it right. If I could do the last two years over again with the benefit of hindsight, there are some things I would do differently.
One of the core principals of the constitution is religious freedom. Every American has the right to believe or not to believe, and those that believe can exercise their faith in the way they deem appropriate. As members of the armed forces, we take an oath to support and defend the constitution and I have devoted my adult life to upholding that oath.
My faith is no secret and I have relied upon it throughout my life. Just as my faith is an important part of my life, it is also important to many cadets. As we worked through the difficulties that followed the sexual assault crisis, faith was, for me and for others, a source of comfort and strength. My actions were intended to offer encouragement to those that relied upon their faith, but I did not appreciate that encouraging some discouraged others. I believe in the uniqueness and potential of every cadet regardless of race, sex or religion and I would never intentionally do anything to discourage any of them. To the extent that my words and actions did that, I offer my sincere apology.
I have reflected on where I have fallen short and how I can do better. I am actively engaged with the faculty, staff, and cadet wing in making sure the entire team has the right sight picture in the area of religious respect. Also, I will work diligently with the senior leadership team to correct the findings and implement the recommendations of the Air Force Task Force. Working together with all of those who care about the academy, we will continue to make it one of the nation's premiere institutions.
you're going in circles-- I already responded with post #9
Try doing it if you are a Chinese in China.
"Gen. Weida has readily acknowledged that his actions were inappropriate and has taken positive, visible corrective actions that reflect his true character," Stephens said.
You're wasting your time expanding on the fourth paragraph of the article that is the subject of this post. We already knew about his apologetic posture-- probably a condition of his continued service to his country, as his counsel undoubtedly advised him. Nobody makes or keeps flag rank without conforming to the politically accepted views of his superiors-- that said, I believe he is an honorable man, and therefore his "apology" is heartfelt and true, as he answered to his superiors; but ultimately as a man of faith there is only one Superior.
...or Sudan, or Indonesia....
"There have been more Christians killed in the 20th century than in the previous nineteen centuries combined." --U.S. House Resolution. Scripps-Howard News Service, September 28, 1996
Oh yeah, Christian persecution on the West Bank (you listening yet Drammach?)
For years, media outlets have largely refused to report one of the most troubling aspects of the Mideast conflict -- Muslim intimidation and violence against Christians in Palestinian-controlled areas.
The latest shocking episode again made its way to very few news consumers: Late Saturday night (Sept. 3), hundreds of armed Palestinian Muslims crying 'Allahu Akbar' descended on the West Bank Christian city of Taibe. For the next few hours, the mob terrorized the community, setting sixteen homes and multiple businesses on fire, looting valuables from both, and destroying a statue of the Virgin Mary.
Said one eyewitness: 'It was like a war, they arrived in groups, and many of them were holding clubs.'
The mob's 'provocation'? A Muslim woman from their neighboring village had had a relationship with a Christian man from Taibe. The woman was poisoned to death by her own family in an 'honor killing', and soon after, the pogrom against Taibe commenced.
Something tells us this incident would have made international headlines had Jews been responsible for this type of violence.
HISTORY OF MUSLIM ABUSE, CHRISTIAN FLIGHT
Incidents such as this, largely ignored by the western media, have been the leading cause of massive Christian flight from the Holy Land over the past few years.
The historical Christian towns of Bethlehem and Nazereth, once home to large Christian populations, have seen that population flee en masse due to Muslim intimidation and violence. As HonestReporting has documented:
-- Over 100 Palestinian terrorists took over the Church of the Nativity in 2002, using it as a fortress from which to fire upon Israeli troops, while holding nuns, priests and monks hostage, and looting or destroying virtually everything of value inside the building.
-- During 2000-2002, the PA's Tanzim militia chose the Christian town of Beit Jala as a base for unprovoked shooting at Jerusalem. The Tanzim were specifically positioned in or near Christian homes, hotels, churches, and the Greek Orthodox club, knowing fully well that these sites would be hard-hit by Israeli return fire.
-- In 1995, Bethlehem was 62% Christian, but today is less than 20% Christian. Before 1995, Bethlehem had a majority-Christian municipal council, but when the Palestinian Authority took over the town, Yassir Arafat replaced the municipal council with a predominately Muslim council, and Christian Arabs fled Bethlehem in droves after a radical Islamic wave began inciting against them.
-- On February 6, 2002, the Boston Globe reported "a rampage of Palestinian Muslims against Christian shops and churches in Ramallah... Police made no attempt to stop the mob, which besieged and damaged a widely respected youth center associated with the Boy Scouts of America after torching the Christian properties...'The truth is this is a problem between Christians and Muslims,' said one Christian businessman."
For more on Christian persecution under the PA, see this report from the JCPA, this article by Joseph Farah, and a report from The Prism Group.
"THE BELEAGUERED CHRISTIANS OF
THE PALESTINIAN-CONTROLLED AREAS"
http://www.jcpa.org/jl/vp490.htm
"Christian Persecution in Arafat-land"
http://christianactionforisrael.org/isreport/july02/arafatland.html
"Palestinian Treatment of
Christian Arabs"
http://www.theprismgroup.org/TreatmentChristianArabs.htm
Amen.
Patton asked a prayer to be composed by his chaplain so he could do God's business of killing Nazi's.
And you've lost your mind.. I posted #9, not you..
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