[Vision2020] Christianity in Combat

[Tom Hansen]

>From the September 4, 2006 edition of the Army Times -

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Christianity in combat
Religious symbols have no place on troops' uniforms

By Mikey Weinstein

For many of us, hearing the term "crusader" conjures up memories of
grade-school history classes filled with long lectures about hordes of
armored Christian soldiers hacking their way across Europe and the Middle
East to recapture Jerusalem.

The Crusaders of the Middle Ages were holy warriors fighting in the name of
the Roman Catholic Church and Jesus. Their mission was no secret: They were
embroiled in a sectarian religious war to militarily enforce adherence to
their biblical worldview. 

Their leaders pushed, coerced and pressured them to fight on religious
grounds. Their battlegrounds were awash in blood.

As Americans, this should be something we never fear, as our founding
fathers knew the critical importance of keeping religion and government
separate. Most would find it unfathomable to think of modern-day crusaders
existing within our armed forces - of our men and women wearing uniforms
decorated with religious symbols.

However, as I recently discovered, crusaders do exist - and they're serving
in the 523rd Fighter Squadron of our Air Force.

The airmen of 523rd Fighter Squadron, based at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.,
not only call themselves "crusaders," they also use blatantly religious
symbolism on the patches they affix to their uniforms and the official logo
of their unit.

As we continue to engage in a war on terrorism against religious
fundamentalists, we must take a moment to consider the sick irony of
allowing Air Force combat personnel to dress in clothes displaying religious
emblems. Our men and women are fighting ruthless terrorist organizations
that exploit religion as a means to cause mass devastation and death. It is
the job of our military to end this fundamentalism, remove the terrorists
and bring safety, democracy and freedom to the areas where they operate -
not to spread Christianity or represent America as a Christian nation. 

Our military personnel are not crusaders. They are honorable and noble
defenders of our constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms. 

The "Crusaders" patch prominently features a large cross - an unmistakable
emblem of the Christian faith - as well as other accouterments of the
historical Crusaders: a broadsword and armored helmet. 

There is no hidden meaning here, no effort to disguise the reference to the
Christian religion. This Air Force F-16 combat squadron has taken the
horrifying step of completely disregarding the Constitution, which, as
service men and women, they should proudly uphold under the oath they all
took to do so. 

Christian, Jew, Muslim, agnostic and atheist alike should agree - there is
no place for this display of religiosity within our armed forces. The
uniforms of our military personnel should not be showcases for religious
imagery, particularly when that imagery directly boasts of one of the most
devastating examples of human bloodshed in recorded history. 

Take a look at the Air Force handbook - you can find it online at
www.af.mil. I assure you that nowhere in the Air Force mission statement
does it say anything about fighting a crusade for religious freedom. What it
does say is this: "The mission of the U.S. Air Force is to deliver sovereign
options for the defense of the United States and its global interests - to
fly and fight in the air, space and cyberspace."

Even the ubiquitous and time-honored "Little Blue Book" of Air Force core
values established in 1947 - and to which guiding principles on religion
were specifically added in 1997 to stop "ethical corrosion" - clearly
states: "Military professionals must remember that religious choice is a
matter of individual conscience. Professionals, and especially commanders,
must not take it upon themselves to change or coercively influence the
religious views of subordinates."

The men and women who choose to serve in our military should be able to do
so without the fear of being pressured to lead a religious crusade, without
fear of being coercively evangelized and without fear of having to wear the
symbol of another's faith. 

Today's U.S. military is the most technologically lethal organization ever
created. We, as Americans, should never fear that religion will overtake
this mighty military force.

There is no denying that religion is pouring into our government
institutions - including our armed forces - at a rapid pace. It is our
responsibility to stand up and raise our voices against these continued
egregious violations of our Constitution.

Our Constitution guarantees us the right to pray freely and also prevents
our government from imposing religion upon us. We must express our outrage
to military and government leadership, and we must fight to protect our
rights, including the right to worship - or not - our God, in whatever
manner we choose.

Mikey Weinstein, an Air Force Academy graduate and former White House
counsel under President Reagan, is president and founder of the Military
Religious Freedom Foundation.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other, body thoroughly used
up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO. What a ride!'"