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Houston Cemetery Bans the Word 'God' from Military Funerals
American Thinker ^ | 06/30/2011 | Christine Biediger

Posted on 06/30/2011 7:53:11 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

This morning, just five days before the celebration of our nation's independence, I was shocked into wakefulness by a news item on Fox and Friends. It seems that the Houston National Cemetery has now begun banning "God" from military funerals.

The director of the Houston VA National Cemetery, Arleen Ocasio, has ordered the burial teams to instruct that religious references, as well as prayer, are no longer to be included as part of the burial services. Requests for messages or prayers can be formally submitted for her approval, but the mention of "God" is not allowed.

Ocasio has also ordered the closing of the cemetery chapel, which used to be available for grieving family and friends to gather and pray. The space is now used to conduct personnel meetings, and for storage.

Perhaps Ocasio is not aware that this country was founded by people who willingly uprooted their families and risked their lives crossing a violent and deadly sea to reach these free shores. These God-fearing people carved a righteous civilization out of a wilderness and raised their children with the moral principles handed down from God. Great consideration was taken by our founders, when creating a constitution that would protect the individual liberties of all. They defined citizen rights in a divinely inspired and distinctly indestructible manner, because our rights come to us from God -- not from man. Countless heroes have died defending the freedoms -- religious and other -- that were established as the foundation of the American way of life. How sacred is our religious freedom. How sacred is freedom, period.

As a resident of Houston, I am profoundly ashamed that my wonderful city has become the epicenter of an issue so vile, so evil. It is one thing for a Christian valedictorian to have to fight for the right to mention God, or to pray, as part of her valedictory address -- a right protected by the 1st Amendment, I might add. But this takes the fight to a whole new level.

It is beyond my ability to comprehend what a family must feel when they bury a loved one who served voluntarily, honorably, and with great sacrifice, for the freedoms we take for granted every day of our lives. These people are keenly aware of the America-haters who live among us, who rely upon the very freedoms, earned with military bloodshed, to rain their hatred down upon our heads. Yet these military families stoically bear in their hearts the understanding that their loved ones' sacrifice was for the rights and freedoms of all Americans, even those who don't deserve them.

If anyone in this country deserves the right to have prayers and religious speech, take place over their graves, it is those who have sacrificed the most. The ban on "God" at these funerals is an insult -- not only to Christians, but, more importantly, to our military Christians. How very shameful it is that this attack comes from within the Veterans Administration itself.

The words spoken at a funeral service are intended to bring comfort to those left behind. For a Christian, the most soothing and reassuring words come from our Creator. The prayers offer a salve on the open wounds of our souls. Our military families deserve this type of a farewell, if that is what they choose.

This is a lesson to us, as we sit in the comfort of our freedoms. The left-wing war against the liberties that our military heroes have fought for is being waged here, at home. We must take up the fight to preserve what has been won for us, with a rain of e-mails, phone calls, complaints, and political action to root out those in our administration who would treat our warriors in such a vile way. Whether you believe in God or not, please do what you can to safeguard religious rights -- you never know when a freedom you hold dear will be in jeopardy.

Here is the contact information for the cemetery:

Houston National Cemetery

10410 Veterans Memorial Drive

Houston, TX 77038

Phone: (281) 447-8686

FAX: (281) 447-0580


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: church; god; houston; june2011; militaryfunerals; prayer; texas
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1 posted on 06/30/2011 7:53:14 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Find her.

Fire her.

Now.

Period.


2 posted on 06/30/2011 7:56:21 AM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: SeekAndFind

“The director of the Houston VA National Cemetery, Arleen Ocasio, has ordered the burial teams to instruct that religious references, as well as prayer, are no longer to be included as part of the burial services.”

They need to fire her ass. From a cannon.


3 posted on 06/30/2011 7:56:35 AM PDT by Grunthor (Support a POTUS candidate but don't get emotionally invested like a liberal.)
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To: SeekAndFind

This must be one of the unintended consequences from the repeal of “DADT”. God “offends” fags.


4 posted on 06/30/2011 7:56:40 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (When the going gets tough, the tough check themselves into "rehab".)
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To: SeekAndFind

What a disgusting human being!

Mel


5 posted on 06/30/2011 7:56:44 AM PDT by melsec
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To: SeekAndFind
I don't understand why anyone needs her permission....just do it.
6 posted on 06/30/2011 7:57:47 AM PDT by Niteranger68 (Jared Lee Loughner - Disciple of Michael Moore)
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To: SeekAndFind

The Apocalypse is truly upon us. This must NOT stand.


7 posted on 06/30/2011 7:57:55 AM PDT by xvq2er
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To: SeekAndFind

This won’t stand.


8 posted on 06/30/2011 7:57:57 AM PDT by F.J. Mitchell (Say no to the status quo and the establishment pro and yes to Palin whom we all know.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Is this still America?

I don’t see how this can be constitutional. Okay, so the government can’t enact laws promoting a religion. But do they have the power to exclude a religion? Hell no!


9 posted on 06/30/2011 7:58:06 AM PDT by al_c (http://www.blowoutcongress.com)
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To: SeekAndFind

Of course the USSA will be officially atheist.

What did anybody expect?

The State will permit nothing above The State.


10 posted on 06/30/2011 7:58:11 AM PDT by Travis McGee (Castigo Cay is in print and on Kindle.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Did I just wake up in an alternate universe? Beam me up Scotty.


11 posted on 06/30/2011 7:59:15 AM PDT by SVTCobra03 (You can never have enough friends, horsepower or ammunition.)
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To: xvq2er

I didn’t post # 8 in response to your # 7. Just one those examples of great minds think alike.


12 posted on 06/30/2011 8:00:47 AM PDT by F.J. Mitchell (Say no to the status quo and the establishment pro and yes to Palin whom we all know.)
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To: Niteranger68
"I don't understand why anyone needs her permission....just do it. "

Really, what can she do? What's the penalty for ignoring her ban?

13 posted on 06/30/2011 8:01:31 AM PDT by DannyTN
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To: SeekAndFind

OCASIO SELECTED AS NEW DIRECTOR OF HOUSTON VA NATIONAL CEMETERY Published 04/11/2010


14 posted on 06/30/2011 8:02:28 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: SeekAndFind

Who are these people who tell me what or what I can’t say? They got a lot of nerve! “Land of the free”? LOL! Sure...whatever!

I’ll say what I want, when I want and in what context. If they don’t like it, they can lump it. And I’ll be glad and eager to meet them “after school” too.


15 posted on 06/30/2011 8:03:42 AM PDT by WKUHilltopper (And yet...we continue to tolerate this crap...)
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To: SeekAndFind

Normandy:
http://media.kickstatic.com/kickapps/images/21864/photos/PHOTO_2131036_21864_4223202_ap.jpg


16 posted on 06/30/2011 8:04:44 AM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto.)
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To: All

CONGRESSMAN POE DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Washington, June 29 -

http://poe.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=249413


17 posted on 06/30/2011 8:05:55 AM PDT by deks ("...the battle of our time is the battle of liberty against the overreach of the federal government")
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To: SeekAndFind
Hmmmm... Time to drop a note to Blackfive.net
18 posted on 06/30/2011 8:06:48 AM PDT by Traveler59 ( Truth is a journey, not a destination.)
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To: JoeProBono

Geez “its” a nazipalitano wannabee. I’m sickened (for years now) by my gender and would have no problem...

better not finish that thought.


19 posted on 06/30/2011 8:08:00 AM PDT by Outlaw Woman
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To: SeekAndFind

I bet she folds when some Muslim soldier’s family wants to “hold a service in Arabic.” In which the imam gets to chant about Allah about 40 or 50 times. They may duly provide her the text — in Arabic of course. And she’ll rubber stamp it.

Should Christians secure the services of someone who speaks New Testament Greek? Jews, Old Testament Hebrew?


20 posted on 06/30/2011 8:08:41 AM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (Hawk)
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