Holy war! Game tests troops' rapture readiness

Chicago Sun Times ^ | August 12, 2007 | ZAY N. SMITH

[PurpleMan]

"The Defense Department at www .americasupportsyou.mil is endorsing an Iraq tour by Operation Straight Up to offer "faith-based entertainment" there.

It does not mention that Operation Straight Up views its entertainment tours as a "holy crusade" to convert soldiers and Iraqis to fundamentalist Christianity.

The entertainment includes the distribution of packets with religious tracts printed in both English and Arabic, along with a rapture video game, "Left Behind: Eternal Forces," in which the player is assigned to convert or kill the unbelievers left behind after the rapture.

The game's virtual character shouts "Praise the Lord!" every time a nonbeliever is killed."

[VRWCmember]

Some of the entertainment groups that the DOD endorses also include Country and Western musicians like Toby Keith and Carrie Underwood. Does this mean that the DOD endorses Country and Western music as the official music of the DOD. Does it mean that the DOD endorses all the messages in all of the songs of these performers? Is the DOD promoting vandalism of private property like that described in Underwood’s hit song “The Next Time He Cheats”?

[BenLurkin]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1882802/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1883219/posts

[PurpleMan]

Read all about it.
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/541018p.pdf

[radioman]

I’ve heard this game sucks, completely aside from the religious perspective.

The game is lame, it isn't worth the download time...300MB for the demo.
.

[radioman]

The allegations about the game have been completely debunked. It is not “convert or die”. The reporter made that all up. Go look up the actual game description offered by the manufacturer.

I've got the game and "convert or die" is exactly what it is about. You can download the demo, 314MB, at http://www.leftbehindgames.com/. If you like it, download the v1.6 update and blast those evil rock stars to kingdom come!
.

[onedoug]

Unfortunately, there are those in the State Department who refuse to identify the problem/enemy.

And not least of all in the White House.

[VRWCmember]

From the Marine Corps Times: DoD-connected Christian group draws fire

Operation Straight Up is no longer planning to send care packages that include the Left Behind video game to troops in Iraq.

Operation Straight Up is an official member of the Defense Department initiative “America Supports You,” as one of more than 250 home-front groups that have joined the effort to support troops by sending letters, e-mails and care packages, and by giving assistance to military families, including the wounded and their families. (emphasis added)

I decided to see if I could find out a little bit more about what had the reporter's panties in such a twisted knot, so I looked up the AmericaSupportsYou website to see where the DOD was "endorsing" this tour. Searching the AmericaSupportsYou website for the OSU organization, I found this link: Tour Takes Entertainment to Troops

Here is the "About Us" page for the AmericaSupportsYou website: http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/about.html

This is a DoD supported site that allows individuals and groups to support our troops in various ways. It sounds like you object to the idea of religious groups participating in this support as a possible violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. I would argue that to allow other groups to participate but to prohibit the participation of religious groups would violate the Free Exercise and Free Speech clauses of the First Amendment.

Here is a link to the official website for Operation Straight Up: http://www.osutour.org/

Here is a current description of the gift packages that OSU sends to deployed soldiers:

Deployed Gift Packages - "Freedom Packets"

We send care packages to soldiers on the front lines of the war in Iraq. We call them “Freedom Packets” because the truth will set you free. Included in each “Freedom Packet” is:

• Greeting card
• 75 Minute Phone Card
• White Socks
• Baby Wipes (suggested by Col Oliver North)
• Gideon’s pocket size New Testament
• Extreme Sports “Livin It” DVD
• and an assortment of snacks.

We ship them to Iraq free of charge to soldiers. The approximate cost per package is $50. Two items – phone cards and shipping cost – account for approximately half that total amount. Most of the items were donated at no cost to support our troops. Your donation helps us send a clear message that God cares, including their mind, body and soul.

Now that you have more information than the distortions reported by the Sun-Times reporter, do you still object to this?

[PurpleMan]

Good links.

Apologies for a less than complete search of previous posts.

I will try harder to row well and live.

[PurpleMan]

We send care packages to soldiers on the front lines of the war in Iraq. We call them “Freedom Packets” because the truth will set you free. Included in each “Freedom Packet” is: Greeting card, 75 Minute Phone Card, White Socks, Baby Wipes (suggested by Col Oliver North), Gideon’s pocket size New Testament, Extreme Sports “Livin It” DVD and an assortment of snacks.”

“...because the truth will set you free.”

Unbelievable. Not even a subtle approach to what they are actually doing.

[expatguy]

Go ahead and laugh now. You might not be laughing a few years down the road.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

[VRWCmember]

Here's another one of the homefront organizations: http://www.foreoursoldiers.com/

[VRWCmember]

And another: http://www.operationactionpacked.org/

Don't worry, I'm not going to send links to all 250+ organizations. The point is that there are lots of groups who participate in the America Supports You website. These groups show there support in different ways, and the troops appreciate the items they receive from the various groups.

[AndyTheBear]

If soldiers want some pro-Christian material so be it. If some of them want a copy of a Bible, Torah, or Koran, so be it. They are over there fighting for us. Why not let them have access to religious materials? Happens that most are Christian, so it should not be a surprise the religious material most in demand is of that persuasion.

On the other hand, the DoD has supplied many copies of the Koran to captured unlawful combatants. And not many Christian bibles. Does that mean they are pushing Islam? No, it means they are supplying religious material to suit the prisoner's religious beliefs.

Should the DoD treat the Evangelical Christian soldier's beliefs with less respect then those of captured terrorists just because they want to be oh-so-careful about not giving off any possible appearance of being pro-Christian?

[PurpleMan]

Access is not the issue. Sponsorship is.

[napscoordinator]

The game’s virtual character shouts “Praise the Lord!” every time a nonbeliever is killed.”

What crap is that? If this is what they think is Christian than I don’t want any of the new converts even saying they are Christians.

[-YYZ-]

Jack Chick tracts, by any chance?

[MEGoody]

“The entertainment includes the distribution of packets with religious tracts...”

And your point?

Other groups can (and have) gone over there. This article is just trying to make a mountain out of a molehill, and you've fallen for it.

No one is forcing the guys to take these 'entertainment packets' any more than they force them to attend certain movies, read certain books, etc. It is an independent group that is going over there to offer these to soldiers. The company commanders aren't passing them out. There is obviously no impression given to the soldier that this is some kind of 'officially sanctioned' religion.

Sorry, you are just plain wrong on this.

[VRWCmember]

Here is one more organization that participates:

http://www.stp-sf.org/

Access is not the issue. Sponsorship is.

The DoD is not "sponsoring" any of these organizations.

[VRWCmember]

America Supports You

• "America Supports You," a nationwide program launched by the Department of Defense, recognizes citizens' support for our military men and women and communicates that support to members of our Armed Forces at home and abroad.
• All across America, thousands of individual citizens, businesses, and groups - from local schools and establishments to nationally-known corporations and organizations - are hosting events and undertaking projects to support America's Armed Forces, especially in forward-deployed areas of the Global War on Terrorism.
• The support of the American people builds and sustains the morale of those fighting to defend freedom against the tyranny of terrorism, and communicates America's recognition and appreciation of their courage and commitment to our country.
• America Supports You spotlights what Americans are doing all across the land, encourages others to join the team, and allows all to tell their stories by giving voice and visibility to their efforts.
• The official launch of the America Supports You program commenced with kick-off events during November 2004. Subsequent events occured in various regions of the country to honor and recognize citizens' support for America's Armed Forces.
• All events and information will be highlighted on this America Supports You website that allows participants to register and be recognized, share their stories of support with the nation and the troops, and download program materials for distribution and dissemination. Military members can access the web and learn about America's support for their service.
• The America Supports You Dog Tag, emblazoned with the America Supports You logo, isthe official emblem of the program, and serves as a visible force multiplier in projecting the message that America supports our military men and women.
• More information on the program/how to register is at AmericaSupportsYou.mil.
• To learn more about the program's creator, Allison Barber.

americasupportsyou.mil is an official Department of Defense web site.