"Aim High" No More

The paganizing of the U.S. Air Force Academy continues apace:

The Air Force released new guidelines for religious tolerance Monday that discourage public prayer at official functions and urge commanders to be sensitive about personal expressions of religious faith.

The document directs chaplains to "respect the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs."

In short, evangelical Christians are to be, without coming out and saying so, muzzled. Certainly "strongly encouraged" to keep their faith "in the closet".

The guidelines do not ban public prayer outright and say short, nonsectarian prayers may be included in special ceremonies or events, but only to "lend a sense of solemnity" and not to promote specific beliefs. [emphasis added]

Define "promote". Something tells me it's interpreted in a verrrry broad sense. Also sounds like prayer without praying.

Either way, don't try to tell me that this will placate the godless zealots (see below).

Nor do they bar personal discussions of religion, including discussions between commanders and subordinates.

Which, of course, is what genuine "proselytizing" really is. But then again, where is the line between "personal" and "official" to be drawn? Will there even be any room for the former?

They caution Air Force members "to be sensitive to the potential that personal expressions may appear to be official expressions."

Another way of saying that is "the Big Chill." The practical effect will be to "officially" intimidate believers into erring on the side of caution by not making any "expressions" at all.

The guidelines state that members of the Air Force "will not officially endorse or establish religion, either one specific religion, or the idea of religion over nonreligion."

"Members of the Air Force" cannot "endorse or establish [a] religion." Only Congress can, and it is that, and that only, that Amendment I prohibits. And certainly the Establishment Clause does not demand government neutrality between "religion and [ir]religion." Particularly when the practical effect of such a policy is to repress religious liberties on behalf of tender atheistic "sensibilities".

They also say that "abuse or disrespect" of Air Force members based on their religious beliefs, or lack of such beliefs, is unacceptable.

Given that the Great Commission has already been equated to "anti-Semitism" (see below), haven't evangelical cadets already been "abused and disrespected"?

Just look at some of the public reactions:

The guidelines, which apply to the entire Air Force, were drawn up after allegations that evangelical Christians wield so much influence at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs that anti-Semitism and other forms of religious harassment have become pervasive. [emphasis added]

Quite a deference paid to these "allegations," huh? So much so that the Air Force is dignifying a detestable smear.

Suppose that the targets of these "guidelines" "allege" that the "guidelines" constitute religious harassment and an unconstitutional infringement upon their right to religious expression. Think the Air Force would pull a hamstring backpedaling in the other direction?

Hardly. And this is probably just the beginning.

Rob Boston, spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, welcomed the guidelines, saying they make it clear that chaplains "are not supposed to be proselytizing on the government dime."

Bull, Robbie. Proselytizing is a key part of what clergymen (as well as laity) are supposed to do. Maybe if you understood that process a little bit better, you wouldn't be so paranoid about it.

Note his own "allegation":

"This has been a consistent problem. We've had complaints since the Gulf War," he said. An April 28 report by Boston's group said the academy forced cadets to pray at certain functions and urged cadets to evangelize.

Christ-haters are good at complaining. Also spouting nonsense. It isn't possible to "force" a person to pray. Prayer is spiritual communion and communication with "the invisible God." If said person is agnostic or atheist, no true prayer can take place because no such spiritual relationship exists.

Most likely this was a reference to a non-sectarian recitation not unlike the one that the Supreme Court banned at Madeliene Murray O'Haire's behest back in 1963 - or the ones the "guidelines" nominally allow. That it aggravated Robbie so much is an indication not of "overzealousness" on the part of evangelicals but his own Christophobic intolerance. Which ought to tell you that these "guidelines" are in for some near-term tightening.

But he's not the biggest Devil's Advocate:

Mikey Weinstein, an academy graduate and persistent critic of the school's handling of religion, criticized the new guidelines, saying they fail to control "evangelical zealots." He said the guidelines are "dead on arrival" and said he is contemplating a lawsuit to block them.

"The Air Force's official policy remains that the Air Force reserves the right to evangelize anyone in the Air Force that it determines to be unchurched," Weinstein said in an interview from his home in Albuquerque, NM. [emphasis added]

That's right, the Air Force is bending over and grabbing the ankles for people like "Mikey," yet he still isn't satisfied. His problem appears to be that evangelicals are even allowed into the Air Force Academy at all. His real demand, properly understood, is that they be forced into practical atheism or be expelled outright. And to get 100% of what he wants he's willing to obstruct the 80% the USAF is offering.

Well, Mikey, by all means, sue. Block this official persecution of the brethren. Do our bidding and overreach on your own bigoted ends in the process.

Or, to borrow a Shakespearean adage, "Whom gods destroy they first make mad."

The biblical version is, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling."

You'll be in our prayers.

I hope you're within earshot when it happens.