U.S. Soldiers Punished For Not Attending Christian Concert

[uscitizen]

Here is a link to a site with the story with high right wing standards.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/current-events/129416-u-s-soldiers-punished-for-not-attending-christian-concert.html

 

[Missourian]

These weren't officers, these were trainees...the "NCO" was their drill sergeant...their "punishment" was returning to duty. This is a crock. That is why there is no credible link.

 

[DiamondDave]

Talk To Action | U.S. Soldiers Punished For Not Attending Christian Concert

On May 13, 2010, about eighty soldiers, stationed at Fort Eustis while attending a training course, were punished for opting out of attending one of these Christian concerts. The headliner at this concert was a Christian rock band called BarlowGirl, a band that describes itself as taking "an aggressive, almost warrior-like stance when it comes to spreading the gospel and serving God."

Any doubt that this was an evangelical Christian event was cleared up by the Army post's newspaper, the Fort Eustis Wheel, which ran an article after the concert that began:

"Following the Apostle Paul's message to the Ephesians in the Bible, Christian rock music's edgy, all-girl band BarlowGirl brought the armor of God to the warriors and families of Fort Eustis during another installment of the Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concert Series May 13 at Jacobs Theater."

In the Army.mil article, Maj. Gen. Chambers was quoted as saying, "The idea is not to be a proponent for any one religion. It's to have a mix of different performers with different religious backgrounds." But there has been no "mix of different performers with different religious backgrounds" at these concerts. Every one of them has had evangelical Christian performers, who typically not only perform their music but give their Christian testimony and read from the Bible in between songs.

So, thoughts USMB?

It sounds like these are troops in their secondary training(after basic), they probably get on "lock-down" all the time. If it was during normal duty hours its normal to put them "to work" if they opt out of the alternate duty location (the Commander's event).

However, it is strange that a commander would put on an event with such a strong religious message, I never saw anything like that in my years with the Air Force and Army.

Most of the time you are "voluntold" to go to events like commander's call, ceremonies and such, just to fill in the seats so there is the appearance of "maximum participation", so the "higher-ups" who put it together can call it successful. Its just part of the normal bullshit you have to put up with while in the military. Thats more than likely what was going on in this particular case. Not so much that they are trying to force the religious stuff down people's throats, just a "get all the seats full" mentality by the senior NCOs to appease the officers.

Yep.. phase or lockdown is quite common... and you don't inherently get free time if you don't go to a function or an event... you indeed remain in quarters and without freedoms when the rest of the platoon or company if doing their activity

And yes... officers do like to have filled seats etc.... been that way for a long time

And God forbid if these guys were on detail to police trash during the event

The complainant in the article and in the other cited case look like the prototypical whiner, just by what they said and in the case of the dismissed lawsuit the pattern of behavior

 

[Truthmatters]

There is a separtion of church and state in this country.

These people just dont like our country.

 

[uscitizen]

It seems that the story is new and only one site is sourcing it so far.
Wait a few days and see if Fox picks it up.

 

[Modbert]

I want something clear as well. If this story is false, and they weren't punished, then I'd be happy. If they were punished, I'd be mad. Why? It's not because they were getting Christianity forced on them, I'm a Christian. My problem lies with any religion being forced on anyone.

I no more want Islam or Judaism or Mormonism to be forced upon someone than I do Christianity.

 

[Valerie]

There is a separtion of church and state in this country.

These people just dont like our country.

Riiiight, the US Army hates America.

 

[WillowTree]

Well were they punished or NOT? How were they punished? Did they get lawyers? Are they gonna sue the cic?

 

[AllieBaba]

I want something clear as well. If this story is false, and they weren't punished, then I'd be happy. If they were punished, I'd be mad. Why? It's not because they were getting Christianity forced on them, I'm a Christian. My problem lies with any religion being forced on anyone.

I no more want Islam or Judaism or Mormonism to be forced upon someone than I do Christianity.

Except.

Military men and women are often required to attend functions as a part of their duty.

 

[DiamondDave]

I want something clear as well. If this story is false, and they weren't punished, then I'd be happy. If they were punished, I'd be mad. Why? It's not because they were getting Christianity forced on them, I'm a Christian. My problem lies with any religion being forced on anyone.

I no more want Islam or Judaism or Mormonism to be forced upon someone than I do Christianity.

Ordered to remain in quarters when not attending an event or function is not punishment.. you are not under open order to have free reign or free time

 

[Lonestar_logic]

Talk To Action | U.S. Soldiers Punished For Not Attending Christian Concert

On May 13, 2010, about eighty soldiers, stationed at Fort Eustis while attending a training course, were punished for opting out of attending one of these Christian concerts. The headliner at this concert was a Christian rock band called BarlowGirl, a band that describes itself as taking "an aggressive, almost warrior-like stance when it comes to spreading the gospel and serving God."

Any doubt that this was an evangelical Christian event was cleared up by the Army post's newspaper, the Fort Eustis Wheel, which ran an article after the concert that began:

"Following the Apostle Paul's message to the Ephesians in the Bible, Christian rock music's edgy, all-girl band BarlowGirl brought the armor of God to the warriors and families of Fort Eustis during another installment of the Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concert Series May 13 at Jacobs Theater."

In the Army.mil article, Maj. Gen. Chambers was quoted as saying, "The idea is not to be a proponent for any one religion. It's to have a mix of different performers with different religious backgrounds." But there has been no "mix of different performers with different religious backgrounds" at these concerts. Every one of them has had evangelical Christian performers, who typically not only perform their music but give their Christian testimony and read from the Bible in between songs.

So, thoughts USMB?

It sounds like these are troops in their secondary training(after basic), they probably get on "lock-down" all the time. If it was during normal duty hours its normal to put them "to work" if they opt out of the alternate duty location (the Commander's event).

However, it is strange that a commander would put on an event with such a strong religious message, I never saw anything like that in my years with the Air Force and Army.

Most of the time you are "voluntold" to go to events like commander's call, ceremonies and such, just to fill in the seats so there is the appearance of "maximum participation", so the "higher-ups" who put it together can call it successful. Its just part of the normal bullshit you have to put up with while in the military. Thats more than likely what was going on in this particular case. Not so much that they are trying to force the religious stuff down people's throats, just a "get all the seats full" mentality by the senior NCOs to appease the officers.

Sounds logical.

 

[uscitizen]

Soldiers have no freedom. You sign that away when you enlist or in my case were drafted.
The military is free to program them anyway they choose.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

There is a separtion of church and state in this country.

These people just dont like our country.

Seperation of Church and State is a fallacy. I offer the words of our forefathers and others as proof.

Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention June 28, 1787:

"I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proof I see of the truth - that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that 'except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without this concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and bye word down to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Government by human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and conquest. I therefore beg leave to move - that henceforth prayers imploring the audience of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."

Thomas Jefferson:

"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever."

John Jay - First Chief Justice US Supreme Court:

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."

George Washington - Inaugural Speech to Congress April 30, 1789:

"No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency ... We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a Nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained."

Abraham Lincoln:

"It is the duty of nations as well as men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history: that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord."

"All the good from the Saviour of the World is communicated through this Book; but for the Book we could not know right from wrong. All the things desirable to man are contained in it."

Woodrow Wilson:

"The Bible ... is the one supreme source of revelation of the meaning of life, the nature of God and spiritual nature and need of men. It is the only guide of life which really leads the spirit in the way of peace and salvation ... America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of the Holy Scripture."

John Adams:

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion ... Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

"The great vital and conservative element in our system is the belief of our people in the pure doctrines and divine truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Patrick Henry:

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ! For this very reason people of other faiths have been afforded asylums, prosperitity and freedom of worship here."

Calvin Coolidge:

"The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if the faith in their teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country."

 

[Truthmatters]

The military is government , it is against our constitution for them to promote a religion.

 

[Truthmatters]

How about THESE founders words


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

 

[uscitizen]

How about THESE founders words


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Yep the founders said a lot of stuff, but it is what they agreed to on paper which is the "gospel" for our country.

Bush said he was not into the US being the police force for the world nor into nation building.
But what he actually did is his legacy.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

How about THESE founders words


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Agreed the governemt cannot dictate any certain religion. It does not say that the government cannot engage in religious activity.

 

[Missourian]

How about THESE founders words


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Did Congress make a law?

 

[uscitizen]

How about THESE founders words


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Did Congress make a law?

Various states and localities have.

 

[George Costanza]

Crappy source, let's see some corroborating evidence.

Man, you must of been so happy that DiamondDave said that so you can follow him on that one.

Well... got anything besides the winger site?

Thought not..

Exactly why there is a "Just Plain Stupid Shit By Stupid People" subforum

Let's just supose the source IS accurate. What would you have to say then?