The Never-Ending War for God, Part 1
The fall of the Soviet Union caused many to question whether the Cold War had just been a ruse. There were rumors on the short waves that Reagan, Gorbachev, socialist think-tanks and secret societies were preparing for the New World Order by the year 2000. Reports came that Russian troops were being trained and housed somewhere in Nevada. The United Nations became the new One World Government threat to American sovereignty. There were quite a few conservative alarmists and conspiracy theorists who claimed that Janet Reno and Bill Clinton were waiting for the right moment to declare martial-law and dispatch United Nations peace-keeper troops to kick down doors and confiscate all the guns from proud God-fearing patriots.
After the killings at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, the federal government was seen as part of the problem. Watergate plumber, G. Gorden Liddy started advising his radio show listeners to aim their guns at the heads of federal agents who trespass on their property. The bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995 seemed to be the logical outcome of years and years of anti-government propaganda spewing from the radios, books and newsletters all across the country. But there are some unanswered questions involving John Doe No. 2, and who was really involved in that attack. A number of militia groups were members of Christian Identity, a branch of British Israelism which claims that White Anglo-Saxon Protestants are God's true Chosen People. I've heard one of their popular short wave broadcasts hosted by a certain Pastor Bob who lectures his listeners on the importance of racial purity.
Today, we have come full circle. Now the government and military are part of the solution for them. For it has become clear to many people that our military has been infiltrated by religious extremists who believe in Fundamentalist Christianity. I have recently been made aware of The Military Religious Freedom Foundation who, along with U.S. Army Specialist Jeremy Hall have filed a lawsuit against Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Major Freddy Welborn in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas claiming a pattern of discrimination against non-Christians. The lawsuit also cites overt government support of private civilian religious organizations and activities:
The complaint, filed in US District Court in Kansas City, Kansas names as plaintiffs the nonprofit (MRFF), and Jeremy Hall, an Army specialist. In August of this year, Specialist Hall, after receiving permission from a chaplain at Contingency Operations Base Speicher, Iraq, posted flyers around his base announcing a meeting of atheists and other non-Christians. When Hall attempted to convene the meeting it was disrupted by Major Freddy Welborn who threatened to initiate an action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice against Hall. In the lawsuit, Hall and MRFF claim that Welborn's conduct is part of a larger pattern of DoD intolerance for religious diversity.
Moreover, the complaint alleges Hall received permission from an Army chaplain to post flyers around the base to announce the meeting of other non-Christian believers. Army Major Freddy Welborn disrupted the meeting and threatened to retaliate against Hall by charging him with violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice and vowed to block Hall's reenlistment in the Army because of Hall’s role in organizing the meeting, a violation of Hall's First Amendment rights under the Constitution.
The complaint charges that Hall, who is based at Ft. Riley, Kansas, has been forced to "submit to a religious test as a qualification to his post as a soldier in the United States Army," a violation of Article VI, Clause 3 of the Constitution.
(To be continued)
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