Isn't this sweet? Iinstitutionalized Christianity in the military...

RICHMOND, Va. — The Army said Friday it was investigating a claim that
dozens of soldiers who refused to attend a Christian band's concert at
a Virginia military base were banished to their barracks and told to
clean them up.

Fort Eustis spokesman Rick Haverinen told The Associated Press he
couldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation. At the
Pentagon, Army spokesman Col. Thomas Collins said the military
shouldn't impose religious views on soldiers.

"If something like that were to have happened, it would be contrary to
Army policy," Collins said.

Pvt. Anthony Smith said he and other soldiers felt pressured to attend
the May concert while stationed at the Newport News base, home of the
Army's Transportation Corps.

"My whole issue was I don't need to be preached at," Smith said in a
phone interview from Phoenix, where he is stationed with the National
Guard. "That's not what I signed up for."

Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for
helicopter electrician training when the Christian rock group
BarlowGirl played as part of the "Commanding General's Spiritual
Fitness Concerts."

Smith said a staff sergeant told 200 men in their barracks they could
either attend or remain in their barracks. Eighty to 100 decided not
to attend, he said.

"Instead of being released to our personal time, we were locked down,"
Smith said. "It seemed very much like a punishment."

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation first reported on the
Christian concert. The foundation said it was approached by soldiers
who were punished for not attending or offended by the religious theme
of the event.

The group's president, Mikey Weinstein, claims Christian-themed events
are "ubiquitous" throughout the military, and he credited the soldiers
for stepping forward.

"Whenever we see this egregious, unconstitutional religious tyranny
our job is to fight it," he said.

Smith said he and the other soldiers were told not to use their cell
phones or personal computers and ordered to clean up the barracks.

About 20 of the men, including several Muslims, refused to attend the
concert based on their religious beliefs, he said.

Smith said he went up the chain of command and traced the concert
edict to a captain, who said he simply wanted to "show support for
those kind of events that bring soldiers together."

While not accepting blame, the officer apologized to the soldiers who
refused to attend the concert and said it was not his intent to
proselytize, he said.

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.

"jps" wrote in message
...

Isn't this sweet? Iinstitutionalized Christianity in the military...

RICHMOND, Va. - The Army said Friday it was investigating a claim that
dozens of soldiers who refused to attend a Christian band's concert at
a Virginia military base were banished to their barracks and told to
clean them up.

Fort Eustis spokesman Rick Haverinen told The Associated Press he
couldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation. At the
Pentagon, Army spokesman Col. Thomas Collins said the military
shouldn't impose religious views on soldiers.

"If something like that were to have happened, it would be contrary to
Army policy," Collins said.

Pvt. Anthony Smith said he and other soldiers felt pressured to attend
the May concert while stationed at the Newport News base, home of the
Army's Transportation Corps.

"My whole issue was I don't need to be preached at," Smith said in a
phone interview from Phoenix, where he is stationed with the National
Guard. "That's not what I signed up for."

Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for
helicopter electrician training when the Christian rock group
BarlowGirl played as part of the "Commanding General's Spiritual
Fitness Concerts."

Smith said a staff sergeant told 200 men in their barracks they could
either attend or remain in their barracks. Eighty to 100 decided not
to attend, he said.

"Instead of being released to our personal time, we were locked down,"
Smith said. "It seemed very much like a punishment."

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation first reported on the
Christian concert. The foundation said it was approached by soldiers
who were punished for not attending or offended by the religious theme
of the event.

The group's president, Mikey Weinstein, claims Christian-themed events
are "ubiquitous" throughout the military, and he credited the soldiers
for stepping forward.

"Whenever we see this egregious, unconstitutional religious tyranny
our job is to fight it," he said.

Smith said he and the other soldiers were told not to use their cell
phones or personal computers and ordered to clean up the barracks.

About 20 of the men, including several Muslims, refused to attend the
concert based on their religious beliefs, he said.

Smith said he went up the chain of command and traced the concert
edict to a captain, who said he simply wanted to "show support for
those kind of events that bring soldiers together."

While not accepting blame, the officer apologized to the soldiers who
refused to attend the concert and said it was not his intent to
proselytize, he said.

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.


Did anything like that happen to you when you were in the military?

--
I'm the real Harry, and I post from a Mac, as virtually everyone knows.
If a post is attributed to me, and it isn't from a Mac, it's from an ID
spoofer who hasn't the balls to post with his own ID.

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:17:57 -0400, "Harry ?"
wrote:

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.


Did anything like that happen to you when you were in the military?

Only in boot camp.
We were marched off to church every sunday

It was voluntary at Navy RTC San Diego in the late 70s when I was there.

In article m,
says...

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:17:57 -0400, "Harry ?"
wrote:

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.


Did anything like that happen to you when you were in the military?

Only in boot camp.
We were marched off to church every sunday

It was voluntary at Navy RTC San Diego in the late 70s when I was there.

My DI's at Parris Island told us to give our hearts to Jesus because our
asses belonged to them.

On 8/21/10 2:13 PM, BAR wrote:
In ting.com,
says...

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:17:57 -0400, "Harry ?"
wrote:

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.


Did anything like that happen to you when you were in the military?

Only in boot camp.
We were marched off to church every sunday

It was voluntary at Navy RTC San Diego in the late 70s when I was there.

My DI's at Parris Island told us to give our hearts to Jesus because our
asses belonged to them.


No doubt you gave up your ass quickly and willingly.

This and the more extreme examples of the military forcing religion on
its personnel provide add'l evidence of the corruption of the institution.

"Secular Humanist" wrote in message
m...
On 8/21/10 2:13 PM, BAR wrote:
In ting.com,
says...

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:17:57 -0400, "Harry ?"
wrote:

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.


Did anything like that happen to you when you were in the military?

Only in boot camp.
We were marched off to church every sunday

It was voluntary at Navy RTC San Diego in the late 70s when I was there.

My DI's at Parris Island told us to give our hearts to Jesus because our
asses belonged to them.


No doubt you gave up your ass quickly and willingly.

This and the more extreme examples of the military forcing religion on its
personnel provide add'l evidence of the corruption of the institution.


Thank god you were spared. Praise the lord.

--
I'm the real Harry, and I post from a Mac, as virtually everyone knows.
If a post is attributed to me, and it isn't from a Mac, it's from an ID
spoofer who hasn't the balls to post with his own ID.

On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:13:03 -0400, BAR wrote:

In article m,
says...

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:17:57 -0400, "Harry ?"
wrote:

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.


Did anything like that happen to you when you were in the military?

Only in boot camp.
We were marched off to church every sunday

It was voluntary at Navy RTC San Diego in the late 70s when I was there.

My DI's at Parris Island told us to give our hearts to Jesus because our
asses belonged to them.

Were truer word ever spoken?

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 14:13:03 -0400, BAR wrote:

In article m,
says...

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:17:57 -0400, "Harry ?"
wrote:

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.


Did anything like that happen to you when you were in the military?

Only in boot camp.
We were marched off to church every sunday

It was voluntary at Navy RTC San Diego in the late 70s when I was there.

My DI's at Parris Island told us to give our hearts to Jesus because our
asses belonged to them.

In 65 it was less than voluntary in boot camp. If you didn't want to
go to church they would find something for you to do that would make
you talk to god ...
... even if it was only to have him damn the grease trap you were
cleaning out. ;-)

In real life it was a peaceful hour or two in air conditioned space.

As I remember it was a couple hours without getting yelled at.
Good thing we did all that before we found true love and got married. That
mean assed ol company commander couldn't hold a candle to a ****ed off wife.
We just wouldn't be impressed anymore.

On 8/21/10 12:57 PM, jps wrote:

Isn't this sweet? Iinstitutionalized Christianity in the military...

RICHMOND, Va. — The Army said Friday it was investigating a claim that
dozens of soldiers who refused to attend a Christian band's concert at
a Virginia military base were banished to their barracks and told to
clean them up.

Fort Eustis spokesman Rick Haverinen told The Associated Press he
couldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation. At the
Pentagon, Army spokesman Col. Thomas Collins said the military
shouldn't impose religious views on soldiers.

"If something like that were to have happened, it would be contrary to
Army policy," Collins said.

Pvt. Anthony Smith said he and other soldiers felt pressured to attend
the May concert while stationed at the Newport News base, home of the
Army's Transportation Corps.

"My whole issue was I don't need to be preached at," Smith said in a
phone interview from Phoenix, where he is stationed with the National
Guard. "That's not what I signed up for."

Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for
helicopter electrician training when the Christian rock group
BarlowGirl played as part of the "Commanding General's Spiritual
Fitness Concerts."

Smith said a staff sergeant told 200 men in their barracks they could
either attend or remain in their barracks. Eighty to 100 decided not
to attend, he said.

"Instead of being released to our personal time, we were locked down,"
Smith said. "It seemed very much like a punishment."

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation first reported on the
Christian concert. The foundation said it was approached by soldiers
who were punished for not attending or offended by the religious theme
of the event.

The group's president, Mikey Weinstein, claims Christian-themed events
are "ubiquitous" throughout the military, and he credited the soldiers
for stepping forward.

"Whenever we see this egregious, unconstitutional religious tyranny
our job is to fight it," he said.

Smith said he and the other soldiers were told not to use their cell
phones or personal computers and ordered to clean up the barracks.

About 20 of the men, including several Muslims, refused to attend the
concert based on their religious beliefs, he said.

Smith said he went up the chain of command and traced the concert
edict to a captain, who said he simply wanted to "show support for
those kind of events that bring soldiers together."

While not accepting blame, the officer apologized to the soldiers who
refused to attend the concert and said it was not his intent to
proselytize, he said.

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.


There's little difference between these evangelicals and the taliban.
The world would be far better off without either.

"Secular Humanist" wrote in message
m...
On 8/21/10 12:57 PM, jps wrote:

Isn't this sweet? Iinstitutionalized Christianity in the military...

RICHMOND, Va. — The Army said Friday it was investigating a claim that
dozens of soldiers who refused to attend a Christian band's concert at
a Virginia military base were banished to their barracks and told to
clean them up.

Fort Eustis spokesman Rick Haverinen told The Associated Press he
couldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation. At the
Pentagon, Army spokesman Col. Thomas Collins said the military
shouldn't impose religious views on soldiers.

"If something like that were to have happened, it would be contrary to
Army policy," Collins said.

Pvt. Anthony Smith said he and other soldiers felt pressured to attend
the May concert while stationed at the Newport News base, home of the
Army's Transportation Corps.

"My whole issue was I don't need to be preached at," Smith said in a
phone interview from Phoenix, where he is stationed with the National
Guard. "That's not what I signed up for."

Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for
helicopter electrician training when the Christian rock group
BarlowGirl played as part of the "Commanding General's Spiritual
Fitness Concerts."

Smith said a staff sergeant told 200 men in their barracks they could
either attend or remain in their barracks. Eighty to 100 decided not
to attend, he said.

"Instead of being released to our personal time, we were locked down,"
Smith said. "It seemed very much like a punishment."

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation first reported on the
Christian concert. The foundation said it was approached by soldiers
who were punished for not attending or offended by the religious theme
of the event.

The group's president, Mikey Weinstein, claims Christian-themed events
are "ubiquitous" throughout the military, and he credited the soldiers
for stepping forward.

"Whenever we see this egregious, unconstitutional religious tyranny
our job is to fight it," he said.

Smith said he and the other soldiers were told not to use their cell
phones or personal computers and ordered to clean up the barracks.

About 20 of the men, including several Muslims, refused to attend the
concert based on their religious beliefs, he said.

Smith said he went up the chain of command and traced the concert
edict to a captain, who said he simply wanted to "show support for
those kind of events that bring soldiers together."

While not accepting blame, the officer apologized to the soldiers who
refused to attend the concert and said it was not his intent to
proselytize, he said.

"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith
said.


There's little difference between these evangelicals and the taliban. The
world would be far better off without either.

With the evangelicals, there'd be a lot less human heads rolling around in
the streets. Your choice.

--
I'm the real Harry, and I post from a Mac, as virtually everyone knows.
If a post is attributed to me, and it isn't from a Mac, it's from an ID
spoofer who hasn't the balls to post with his own ID.