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]

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.

It is the kind of crap that a reporter like this Jay character repeats without bothering to verify whether or not it is true. According to the official website of the game in question, it is not true.

[BenLurkin]

Live long and prosper FRiend!

[PurpleMan]

“America Supports You” is a good concept and organization and has done many good, if not excellent things.

However, that does not exhonerate them and those in charge from their culpability, whether because of overt “violations” or by just not paying attention.

[EricT.]

They let the Gideons hand me a bible on my way to boot camp. So what?

[aruanan]

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

I bet this turns out to be a hoax.

[AndyTheBear]

Access is not the issue. Sponsorship is.

I wasn't just making a case for access, but one for sponsorship as well.

Who pays for the Korans in Guantanamo? The tax payer. Is this a violation of the the First Amendment? Hardly.

"Sponsorship" of the Defense of our country includes tax payer support for the soldier's needs while they go to war. This may include, at the discretion of the executive and legislature, religious support. This is why the tax payer "sponsors" military chaplains (i.e. we pay their salaries).

The point of distinction should be if the religious support is unwanted by a given soldier. This is something that chaplains have a code of conduct to deal with. A similar principle ought to be followed in the distribution of religious material to be sure. But there is no First Amendment issue preventing the government paying for such material.

[jimboster]

According to the one player I've tracked down, this not only doesn't happen every time a nonbeliever is killed- it never happens in the game at all- not once! While there are a lot of "Praise the Lords" thrown around, no one says it when a non believer is killed. It appears Zay Smith of the Sun Times may have gotten his facts about the game, not from actually playing it- but by reading this column . Notice how closely Zay's description of the video game resembles Max Blumenthal's. Coincidence? If Smith used this column from The Nation to write his own column, isn't he required to attribute it?

[aruanan]

If Smith used this column from The Nation to write his own column, isn't he required to attribute it?

Not if he's too lazy. Wait a second, sure he is.

[an amused spectator]

Maybe in your religious eyes they aren’t but in the eyes of gov’t policy and law, l-a-w, they are.

Yes, but we have to remember that the government and the law are a bunch of OCD whackjobs, with guns bought by our tax dollars to enforce their OCD whackjobbedness.

I'm not a Christian, so don't try to gig me on that. Because of my religious preferences, I'm not blinded by the usual flotsam around these issues.

[VRWCmember]

However, that does not exhonerate them and those in charge from their culpability, whether because of overt “violations” or by just not paying attention.

Culpability for what? "Overt violations" of what? This is a method by which PRIVATE individuals, groups, organizations, can support our troops in many different forms. There is nothing in the law or the military code against that, regardless of what your buddies at the ACLU have to say about the contrived "wall of separation" between church and state.

[napscoordinator]

Good to hear that!

[GraniteStateConservative]

That is where whoever is overseeing this “America Supports You Program” is askew.

Probably someone from Liberty University or Regent University or Bob Jones University, where hundreds of Bush administration people are from.

[PurpleMan]

I think it’s Tennessee Temple, but of course, you knew that already.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/abarber-bio.html

[joebuck]

"I bet this turns out to be a hoax."

It already has. There was a thread on this same article last week and several Freepers who had played the game said this was a flat out lie.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Tennessee Temple University... Distinctively Christian!

[PurpleMan]

Thank you for making my point.

[Earthdweller]

"Careful. Your ignorance of policy and ethics is showing."

Why can't there be a don't ask don't tell policy for religion in the Dod..unless liberals just want to wipe out all religion. That just couldn't possibly be the plan now could it?/s

A grown man should be able to decide for himself if he wants to play the stupid game or not. This country is raising up against the founding Father's principles of Freedom of Religion. It's sickening.

[expatguy]

Forgive me, but I'm a bit confused here. Are you telling us that you think Islam and Christianity are equal?

An American Expat in Southeast Asia