Posted on 08/22/2007 8:09:00 AM PDT by shrinkermd
Last week, after an investigation spurred by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, the Pentagon abruptly announced that it would not be delivering "freedom packages" to our soldiers in Iraq, as it had originally intended.
What were the packages to contain? Not body armor or home-baked cookies. Rather, they held Bibles, proselytizing material in English and Arabic and the apocalyptic computer game "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" (derived from the series of post-Rapture novels), in which "soldiers for Christ" hunt down enemies who look suspiciously like U.N. peacekeepers.
The packages were put together by a fundamentalist Christian ministry called Operation Straight Up, or OSU. Headed by former kickboxer Jonathan Spinks, OSU is an official member of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program. The group has staged a number of Christian-themed shows at military bases, featuring athletes, strongmen and actor-turned-evangelist Stephen Baldwin. But thanks in part to the support of the Pentagon, Operation Straight Up has now begun focusing on Iraq, where, according to its website (on pages taken down last week), it planned an entertainment tour called the "Military Crusade."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Oh bullcrap. Stephen Baldwin is a lot different from his brothers. He’s one of the good guys.
If a soldier is a Christian, it is. If he has an opportunity and it’s the right timing, of course, then he will if he wants to be obedient to the call of God. Being a soldier doesn’t stop him from being a Christian, my friend.
And the point remains...they are using a fictional video game that uses violence to convert those who don’t believe.
Just boil it down to brass tacks and call it what it is.
Yet in joining I have given up many of those rights: Privacy, Free Speech and the Free Exercise part if that free exercise makes me pester my fellow soldiers.
If they are ‘engaged in combat’ I assume there’s not much time to do anything like that, but in quiet times around the ‘campfire’ so to speak, they should and probably do talk to others about their faith. Look, argue the point with God. He’s the one who commands us to go into all the nations with the gospel.
Yeah, because nothing is going to win the hearts and minds of the people more than telling them everything they have been brought up to believe is a bunch of lies and garbage....
Keep in mind that these may be the same people that may tip you off as to where an IED/EFP may be hidden or where the local bomb factory is.
If you want to convert those heathens so bad, why don’t you purchase a flight there, put on a vest, and go knocking door to door to spread the good news? Isn’t that what all Christians are supposed to do?
they are Christian soldiers and all true Christians are missionaries.
They should have included both a bible and home made cookies... the Army would not have turned that down.
Yeah, I heard once that since motorcyclists started wearing helmets, organ donation has gone way down. But if you have an extra kidney, I’ll take it.
You sure have a twisted way of looking at things. Whew.
I'm gettin a lecture on internet anonymity from a guy calling himself George W. Bush?
The ARMY was NEVER sending out these packages. The private group Operation Straight Up (OSU) was putting the packages together (and still is -- just without the video game) and sending them to deployed troops.
In post #28 of the thread Holy war! Game tests troops' rapture readiness I posted several links. One link was to the "America Supports You" website - an official DoD website that allows various individuals and groups to coordinate their efforts and programs to provide support to our troops. OSU is one of the member groups that participates in the America Supports You website.
Another link was to the OSU website. I am not going to recreate all the links and information here that I posted on the other thread, but here is a description from their website of the entertainment packages that OSU is sending to our troops:
Deployed Gift Packages - "Freedom Packets"OSU decided not to include the video game in the packages as a result of the complaints -- which primarily came from people who were misinformed about the game or chose to deliberately lie about the game. I don't really care one way or the other about the video game, but I am grateful that there are organizations like OSU who care enough about our troops to encourage them by sending these packages.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.
Again, you're missing the context. If the events in Left Behind were, in fact, true. Then those who don't "believe" at that point are insane or stupid. In the context of the game, the Christian religion was proven to be true and the worthy believers "taken up" in the "Rapture". At that point, there's not believe and not believe. You're either with the forces of good or your with the forces of evil. That's the context. I'm sorry that you can't get your head around it. I've not played the game, I don't own the game, and I don't even believe in the whole "Rapture" thing. But that doesn't mean that I don't understand the game and its context. You, no the other hand, are parroting the leftist, anti-Christian drivel that filled the airwaves after the game was released.
“That punctuation is called an ellipsis.”
Expanding my vocabulary daily.
You're saying that because you agree with him.
But he is at leaat as, if not more. an obstruction to the war on terrorism - which is the important thing right now,
If God calls me to do just that, I would have to if I wanted to be obedient. You just don’t go and bombard people with the truth of Christianity but you’d be surprised how many Muslims are seeking the truth and coming to know the Lord. You won’t hear about it in the MSM but it IS happening and millions are turning away from Islam and embracing Christianity. Naturally, they aren’t going to tell anyone about it if they want to keep their heads. You seem to have a very negative opinion of Christianity, Christians and how they should operate in spreading the gospel.
Yeah, that logic stuff.... Whew.
As a long-time chaplain, I am certain that army regs take the position that a soldier is not deprived of any religious rights SUBJECT TO military necessity.
If you believe you should worship on Sunday and do nothing else, and your unit’s in the middle of battle, then you will NOT have worship, unless there’s a lull in the battle. “He who fights and lives today will live to worship another day” is their attitude. I never had a problem with it.
If the local population is going to rise up and start a revolution because some troop is handing out bibles, the US military is correct in preventing it, imho. The are right both from the standpoint of Christian doctrine and from the standpoint of sound strategy. “If the town won’t receive you, then shake the dust from your feet.” or something like that is what came out of Jesus’ own mouth. I’d think it applies here. Others are free to think what they want.
As a long-time chaplain, I am certain that army regs take the position that a soldier is not deprived of any religious rights SUBJECT TO military necessity.
If you believe you should worship on Sunday and do nothing else, and your unit’s in the middle of battle, then you will NOT have worship, unless there’s a lull in the battle. “He who fights and lives today will live to worship another day” is their attitude. I never had a problem with it.
If the local population is going to rise up and start a revolution because some troop is handing out bibles, the US military is correct in preventing it, imho. The are right both from the standpoint of Christian doctrine and from the standpoint of sound strategy. “If the town won’t receive you, then shake the dust from your feet.” or something like that is what came out of Jesus’ own mouth. I’d think it applies here. Others are free to think what they want.
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