Posted on 05/26/2015 1:50:25 PM PDT by servo1969
A United States Marine was convicted at a court-martial for refusing to remove a Bible verse on her computer – a verse of Scripture the military determined “could easily be seen as contrary to good order and discipline.”
The plight of Lance Corporal Monifa Sterling seems unbelievable – a member of the Armed Forces criminally prosecuted for displaying a slightly altered passage of Scripture from the Old Testament: “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
Sterling, who represented herself at trial, was convicted February 1, 2014 in a court-martial at Camp Lejune, North Carolina after she refused to obey orders from a staff sergeant to remove the Bible verses from her desk.
She was found guilty of failing to go to her appointed place of duty, disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer, and four specifications of disobeying the lawful order of a noncommissioned officer.
The Christian Marine was given a bad conduct discharge and a reduction in rank from lance corporal to private.
Both lower court and the appellate court ruled that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act did not apply to her case because displaying a Bible verse does not constitute religious exercise.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Post “Aluha Akbar” on there and see if anyone cares.
Not if you’re a major named hasan
Quoting #57: The proper response to a lawful order is not “Why?”
God may have established all authority but there are limits to what even kings are allowed to do...”Exodus1:17But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live.”
There are limits for conscience sake, even if there might be consequences in this life!
It would be a shame if everyone this administration has abused and marginalized were to simply fade away.
Court Rules New York May Not Issue Pro-Life License Plate
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3293697/posts
The NCO is claiming he interpreted her verse as some kind of negative comment directed toward the leadership. That's probably what the Marine lawyers will base their case on, trying to stay away from the religious freedom issues.
It will be hard to sell with the verse being: ““No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
Is 54:17 - “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.”
It may well have been because the defense counsel was unable to convince her that this was not a winning strategy, yet she insisted on pressing forward so counsel had to withdraw. Been there, had to do that. Never fun to have to fire a client, especially when (as would have been the case with me) you agree with the client’s sentiment but refusing to obey a lawful order four times, which it was (with the limited info in this article, is a no-win.
Ditto, see my post 28
I agree it was a mistake, UNLESS she couldn’t find any representation she could trust.
0bama’s had almost two full terms to purge the military of Christians, and we already know that nobody gets a promotion in the military unless they can demonstrate their politically correct stripes - and that usually means destroying someone else’s career.
I have a hunch she felt forced to give it a go on her own.
Last note: we were taught by the greyer heads when I was a baby Area Defense Counsel, “Choose your occasions to fall on your sword, because 1) it hurts, and 2) people get bored by the sight of blood.”
I would bet yes.
I was in from the late Carter administration until the Soviet collapse. Personal posters and pictures weren’t allowed except on the inside door of your mall locker if you were in a squad bay rather than out in the field.
So I suspect that there is a huge pile of dishonesty in claiming that the material was ordered taken down due to its content, rather than because all personal decoration was prohibited.
Christians are under persecution by this administration, but this is probably not an example of it. This is a woman with an ego screaming “look at me! look at me!” through the press.
Obama using the military to eliminate Christianity.
Yet muslims are free to practice their religion. Every Christian officer should resign. Go ahead and let the muslims run the army. 9 out of 10 soldiers would balk.
Well, I hope someone offers her a 6 figure salaried career. Probably her superior officer hasn’t been to Sunday School. If you believe in Jesus, you automatically take Him on the job, everywhere. That is where we have gone wrong as a nation. . . .Christians going into hiding and not standing up for their God-given rights. The churches have become lukewarm and for many impotent.
Before it’s all over with, we will probably find out the scoop on the superior officer. This is getting petty and ridiculous given the other atrocities happening in the service. . . . how about rape, espionage, murder. Both Mom and Dad served and I was raised to be patriotic and respectful but where are we going with all of this. . . .I think we know.
bkmk
If it took your Drill Instructors 2 weeks to teach you that, they were NOT DOING THEIR JOB.
I learned that within 2 steps off the buss, IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS.
Hell; in February 1968 Gunny Askey told me if didn’t start attending services on Sunday, he would personally see to it that I got the WORD for a minimum of 2 hours on the parade ground.
Don’t mess with Gunny Askey!
Sterling wised up and finally got legal counsel. Now representing her are the Liberty Institute along with former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, also a law professor at Georgetown University. Clement most recently won a Supreme Court victory on behalf of Hobby Lobby against the Affordable Care Act.
I rarely click the links to read the remainder of articles for fear of the little hitchhikers you pick up on some sites. But as jagusafr pointed out, the info in the excerpt is limited and I should have read on.
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