Air Force Academy removes Bible verse from cadet's whiteboard

[Revmitchell]

The Air Force Academy removed a Bible verse posted on a cadet's whiteboard after it determined the posting had offended other cadets, a spokesman for the academy said.

The cadet wrote the passage on the whiteboard posted outside his room. "I have been crucified with Christ therefore I no longer live, but Christ lives in me," the verse from Galatians read.

Mikey Weinstein, director of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, told me 29 cadets and four faculty and staff members contacted his organization to complain about the Christian passage.

"Had it been in his room - not a problem," Weinstein told me. "It's not about the belief. It's about the time, the place and the manner."

He said the Bible verse on the cadet's personal whiteboard created a hostile environment at the academy.

"It clearly elevated one religious faith (fundamentalist Christianity) over all others at an already virulently hyper-fundamentalist Christian institution," he said. "It massively poured fundamentalist Christian gasoline on an already raging out-of-control conflagration of fundamentalist Christian tyranny, exceptionalism and supremacy at USAFA."

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014...my-removes-bible-verse-from-cadet-whiteboard/

 

[JohnDeereFan]

The Air Force Academy removed a Bible verse posted on a cadet's whiteboard after it determined the posting had offended other cadets, a spokesman for the academy said.

The cadet wrote the passage on the whiteboard posted outside his room. "I have been crucified with Christ therefore I no longer live, but Christ lives in me," the verse from Galatians read.

Mikey Weinstein, director of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, told me 29 cadets and four faculty and staff members contacted his organization to complain about the Christian passage.

"Had it been in his room - not a problem," Weinstein told me. "It's not about the belief. It's about the time, the place and the manner."

He said the Bible verse on the cadet's personal whiteboard created a hostile environment at the academy.

"It clearly elevated one religious faith (fundamentalist Christianity) over all others at an already virulently hyper-fundamentalist Christian institution," he said. "It massively poured fundamentalist Christian gasoline on an already raging out-of-control conflagration of fundamentalist Christian tyranny, exceptionalism and supremacy at USAFA."

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014...my-removes-bible-verse-from-cadet-whiteboard/

If I was a young cadet, this would make me reconsider what I was signing up for. Seems like he's signing up to protect everybody's liberty but his own.

 

[Scarlett O.]

Rev - I have a policeman friend at my church.

Last week, he told me this story.

He said, "Some of us in the department wear a small cross on our uniform and underneath it a small flag. It reminds us that we serve God first and country second and that we serve both. You don't know how many times that cross has spared us from physical altercations with some offenders. Just last month, I was preparing to be hit by a very large man who was very angry. He looked at the cross on my uniform and stopped. I was able to take him in without incident and he told me what stopped him was recognizing that I was a Christian and wasn't some random cop who didn't care.

Last week, our supervisors came to us one-by-one and told us to remove the crosses from our uniforms. I asked why. I was told that it might cause someone like an atheist to want to wear a symbol representing his beliefs.

I asked if that had happened or if anyone had complained. The supervisor said no.

So I then asked if we could just keep wearing our crosses until something like that happened and then would deal with it as the problem came up.

He again said no - that they were trying to "head off" any problems coming up.

He told me to remove the cross.

I told him I would not remove it as there was no problem as of yet with it being worn, but that I would stand still and he could remove it from me and I would not stop him.

He just looked at me. And then he removed the cross from my uniform."

 

[ktn4eg]

Most every Cadet who enrolls in any of our nation's military academies has already "signed up" for a period of service in the US military.

Having learned about the many major problems (i.e., cheating on important exams, an overall decline in both academic {i.e., "dumbing down"}, physical standards, etc.) that with which our nation's Air Force Academy has been plagued, I seems to me that one or more in that institution's Chain of Command has way too much time on his/her hands to be deeply concerned about an individual Cadet's 1st-Amendment-Protected religious convictions.

As a veteran with almost 23+ years in both the full-time active duty USAF and the Air National Guard, I'd much rather see them devote more time and effort to eliminate the very blatant fraud, waste, and abuse that have plagued this branch of our nation's military.

Given the attitude(s) of both our current top civilian (from our "Dictator-In-Chief" on down)and uniformed military leadership, I'm not about to hold my breath until I see such reforms actually implemented!! :tear:

 

[Salty]

If this or any Bible verse offends this other cadet - I would not want that wimp as my commander - I want a man who can stand up to adversity.

In fact, I am now debating if that Christian cadet should complain about any little thing that could in any way be considered offensive.

How about mis spelling, Anything about pro-abortion,
"lanuage that would make a sailor blush" or any such lanuage.
Any other suggestions?

 

[Don]

What I can't figure out - FACULTY and STAFF members, who basically tell that cadet when to wake up, when to eat, when to go to bed, practically even when to go to the bathroom -- felt this caused a hostile environment and called on Mikey to help them out, rather than simply tell the cadet to remove the offensive writing?

Something doesn't add up....

 

[SolaSaint]

You are right, something is up, I can't believe 29 cadets complained. I'm thinking Mickey has an insider or two ready to complain at any Christian influence. Can you believe he said Christian tranny? REALLY!

I'm a USAF employee and have served for over 32 years now of which 20 were active duty. This isn't the same Air Force I joined many years ago. I'm ashamed to be a part of what now seems to be a breeding ground for homosexuals and no place for Christians. I used to be proud and encourage kids to join, not sure now? I'm seriously thinking about hanging it up.

 

[go2church]

Would it be okay if he posted from the Quran or that "god is dead"?

 

[SolaSaint]

We still respect Free Speech don't we, are or we in Communist China?

Would we really want a country that outlawed any religion but Christianity? I don't think so.

 

[Salty]

We still respect Free Speech don't we, are or we in Communist China?

Would we really want a country that outlawed any religion but Christianity? I don't think so.

Very true -

What the libs need to realize is that the First Admendment gives us the freedom OF Religion - not freedom FROM religion.

 

[Don]

Would it be okay if he posted from the Quran or that "god is dead"?

YES

Personal opinion? I wouldn't like it, and I'd tell him so--but he's free to eapouse his beliefs, which I would hope would actually encourage a healthy exchange of ideas.

I wouldn't go running to some idjit who mistakes freedom of religion to mean freedom from religion.

 

[go2church]

I think they are taking the "don't bother me with this stuff approach". It's understandable, considering the wide variety of people in the Air Force.