America For Purchase

In a time of deep national tragedy and mourning at the loss of brave American soldiers at Ft. Hood, Texas, the religious right is seizing this moment to further their message of hate, bigotry and discrimination.

The religious right constantly uses fear-mongering about ‘agenda’s of Democrats, Woman, Jews, Blacks, Gays, and now they are espousing more fear against the United States Military.

The American Family Association’s Director of Issue Analysis, Bryan Fischer, says “It is time, I suggest, to stop the practice of allowing Muslims to serve in the U.S. military. The reason is simple: the more devout a Muslim is, the more of a threat he is to national security. Devout Muslims, who accept the teachings of the Prophet as divinely inspired, believe it is their duty to kill infidels. Yesterday’s massacre is living proof. And yesterday’s incident is not the first fragging incident involving a Muslim taking out his fellow U.S. soldiers.”“It’s time we all got over the nonsense that all cultures and religions are equally valid or worthy. They most certainly are not. While Christianity is a religion of peace, founded by the Prince of Peace, Islam is a religion of war and violence, founded by a man who routinely chopped the heads off his enemies, had sex with nine-year old girls, and made his wealth plundering merchant caravans.”

“If the Muslim community could come up with a fool-proof way to identify which Muslims were going to go off on American soldiers and support us in rooting them out of the military, then there would be a way for Muslims to continue to serve; they are required to kill Americans.”

Bryan Fischer never served his country in the military.

Pat Robertson then blames the Ft. Hood violence on Muslims and the military: “So you are dealing with not a religion. You’re dealing with a political system. And I think we should treat it as such and treat its adherences as such as we would members of the Communist Party or members of some fascist group. Well, it’s a tragedy. But those in the Army should be held on account for the fact they let this man loose.

Robertson also went on to say [Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, etc.] “all other religions really just worship “demonic powers, sure they’re demons. There are many demons in the world.”

Remember Pat Robertson’s lie about military service, in his 1986 presidential campaign, Robertson claimed that he was a “combat Marine” who had served in combat during the Korean War, but the truth is Pat Robertson’s father was a US senator who intervened with the Marine Corps to have his son assigned to duty in the rear, away from combat.  Robertson served in Korea as the “liquor officer”, responsible for keeping the officers’ clubs supplied with liquor.  There he also was known to drink himself and to frequent prostitutes.

Gen. George Casey, the Army’s chief of staff, who actually has real military service said “Our diversity is a strength. As great a tragedy as this was, it would be a shame if our diversity became a casualty as well.”

As the nation, the military and the President of the United States honored the fallen American Heroes on November 10, 2009; neither the American Family Association nor Pat Robertson held memorial services for these same Americans.  So much for support of the Military from the religious right.

Freedom of religion is a constitutionally guaranteed right provided in the religion clauses of the First Amendment. Freedom of religion is also closely associated with separation of church and state, a concept advocated by Thomas Jefferson who in 1779, proclaimed:

“[N]o man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.”

As the U.S. Military proudly volunteers and serves this great country in certain times of danger, they serve as a cohesive unit, demonstrating that nationalities and faiths, or not, which promotes strength and diversity in the most challenging of times, is an American success story.  America’s soldiers represent many faiths, Hindu, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and even men and women who align with no faith.

The religious right’s anti-American rhetoric does nothing to advance the cause of the military or America.  They should know there is nothing ‘Divine’ about hate, there is nothing ‘God-like’ in bigotry, and there is nothing ‘American’ about discrimination.

Was it God who killed 93,911 – 102,465 innocent men, women and children in Iraq? No!  But one can be assured the likes of the American ‘Family’ Association and the ‘700 Club’ likely applaud the deaths of these civilians.

Given the logic of Bryan Fischer and Pat Robertson, one must conclude Christians should be excluded from military service, as Sgt Army Sgt. John M. Russell murdered 5 U.S. Soldiers in Iraq this year, he was not a Muslim.  At Fort Carson, Colorado, the country’s 3^rd largest Army base, 14 soldiers from the base have been charged or convicted in at least 11 slayings since 2005, the largest killing spree involving soldiers at a single U.S. military installation in modern history, until the killings at Ft. Hood.  Most of these soldiers were Christian, none were Muslim.

When Dr. George Tiller (the Kansas abortion doctor) was murdered while he attended Christian services at his church, many on the religious right cheered and quickly moved to financially support the murderer.

If people were to adhere to the idiocy of Fischer and Robertson by barring Muslims from serving in the military, what would be next? Bar them from schools, professions, close down their businesses, build camps to house them in, make them wear identifying badges.  Sound familiar?  Why stop with Muslims, next target Asians, Hindus, Hispanics, Blacks, Gays, non-white women, Jews, and everyone who is not a so-called ‘Christian’ white male.  Let us not be naïve, this is precisely the agenda of the religious right.

Therefore if one used the hateful ‘logic’ espoused by Fischer, Robertson and the religious right, we would have no military at all.

It is unconscionable believing the freedom to serve in the U.S Military should be taken away based on the act of one man, when thousands of Muslims serve to protect and defend the United States. To anyone who believes these hypocrites, I submit the military should outlaw Christianity due to its involvement in the crusades, the Oklahoma City bombing and terroristic abortion clinic bombings. How much sense would than make? I believe in God but I do not believe in ‘religious right zealots’ who attempt to degrade the United States Military.

Pat Robertson, Bryan Fischer, now pick up a bible and rediscover WWJD and then use your time to stop Christian Pedophilia!

On this Veteran’s Day, call a veteran, stop one on the street, or send an email and thank them for their service and sacrifice, they will appreciate it.

Filed under: Religious Right