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To: PurpleMan; xzins
How is he destroying Christianity because he agrees the Military Mail Service should not be used to send biased religious material to those who probably don’t agree with its message?

Only officers and retired officers can be prosecuted for free exercise of their First Amendment rights of free speech (see Article 88, UCMJ). Genrally, this is used only if they are criticizing the president or military policy publicly.

These soldiers have every right to receive such materials. However, they are not entitled to be missionaries under a U.S. military banner either. It seems to me there is a reasonable balance to be had here. If a very few soldiers decided to go on a missionary crusade in Iraq, they could be transferred to other areas or discouraged by their officers and comrades in the field.

For people who claim to love "the troops", some people are awfully quick to demote their constitutional rights to free speech and freedom of religion.

If we are not fighting for inalienable rights as recognized under our Constitution and Bill Of Rights, we have no mission in Iraq. And inalienable rights means that our soldiers possess them by the simple right of being human beings. Of course, a reasonable exercise of those rights is to be expected in foreign lands by our military.
48 posted on 08/22/2007 10:00:22 AM PDT by George W. Bush (Rudy: tough on terror, scared of Iowa, wets himself over YouTube)
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To: George W. Bush

Religion: The opium of the people


50 posted on 08/22/2007 10:05:23 AM PDT by PurpleMan
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To: George W. Bush

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.


99 posted on 08/22/2007 10:44:36 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain And Proud of It! Those who support the troops will pray for them to WIN!)
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To: George W. Bush; PurpleMan

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.


100 posted on 08/22/2007 10:44:52 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain And Proud of It! Those who support the troops will pray for them to WIN!)
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