Let's Take A Breath on the Wright-Patt Air Force Base Bible Removal…

(This column was published in the Dayton Daily News on April 26th, 2016...)

From the Dayton Daily News  earlier this month…

 "Wright-Patterson Medical Center has removed a Bible from a POW/MIA display after the Military Religious Freedom Foundation lodged a complaint, according to a base spokesperson."

  The social media discussions on this issue I’ve seen are pretty heavily in favor of those who feel the Bible should not have been removed. Many stated their positions on the premise that the United States is a Christian Country and the actions taken by WPAFB were just the latest in a long string of widespread, anti-Christian actions, aimed at spreading the “War on Christians.”

That’s right, the “War on Christians.”

Sigh…

A quick Google search tells me there’s roughly 575 churches in the Dayton area. Nationally, according to the 2010 “Religious Congregation Membership Study” there are roughly 350,000 churches in the United States. That’s seven thousand for each State. That’s 116.4 churches for every county in the country.

That’s a lot of churches.

The vast, vast majority of these churches also receive tax exempt status on their income. Instead of closing down churches and/or arresting those trying to conduct or attend services, the United States government grants them building permits and tax breaks. A rather odd “war strategy.” I don’t believe for a second anyone who plans on attending a church service this weekend in the Dayton area has any real reason to worry about being arrested, forced to confront protesters or face personal injury. You shouldn’t either.

There are Christians actually under attack in the world. Not here in the US, but in places like Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. People trying to practice their faith are being targeted, apprehended and usually sentenced to long prison terms or death. Likewise, missionaries who bravely chose to enter such lands knowing the price tag should they be caught is harsh and severe. Those people can legitimately comment on the war on their faith.

Every time I read someone’s online screed about how they and their like minded “Believers“ are the victims of this imaginary “War on Christians,” I think about those other Christians actually in  danger. It’s not some hyperbole written between sips of a Pumpkin Spice Latte by someone who sits with their feet up in a comfortable booth at Starbucks while they listen to their favorite Pandora mix on their earbuds. “That guy” isn’t under attack.

This thing at Wright-Patt AFB isn’t an attack on religion.

Given that it’s Government property, any inclusion of any one religious text like the Bible, Torah, Koran, etc. in a display like the one at the WPAFB medical clinic is best left out of it. Despite what some folks apparently think, the United States doesn’t have an army of Christian warriors. It is comprised of Americans. Christians, Jews and Muslims. Agnostics and Atheists.  White and Black. Yellow and Brown. Rich and Poor. Educated and uneducated. City kids and country kids. Men and women. Conservatives and Progressives.

Americans, all of them.

I hope, out of respect for those truly facing danger for practicing their faith, the next time someone thinks they’re a victim of religious persecution, they slow down for a second and think about those other people.

“War on Christians?”

It ain’t happening here.

Let’s take a breath.

Hillary, Equal Rights, Constitutional Hypocrisy, Guns, Race, Obama paycheck stunt...

A mixed bag today:

1) Hillary Clinton is very likely to run for President in 2016. The Democratic field she'd have to conquer isn't a very impressive or deep one at this time and I suspect it would be a short primary season for her. Her biggest obstacle is Joe Biden, and unless some controversy arises with Mrs. Clinton, (Bhengazi?) that can't be managed, I don't see him getting in her way.

2) I get the problem for congressmen and women when it comes to equal rights. In many places, their constituents don't really want equal rights. Yes, often these are the same people yammering about the destruction of the Constitution under this President and his Administration, but too often when the rubber hits the road, people don't really want equal rights for everyone. Many strong religion voices in our country get upset at the (mostly imagined) idea of the war on Christians. Ask these folks how they feel about Islam being taught in our schools and you'll see what I mean.

3) Several politicians have stepped up and proudly announced, like President Obama did before the election, that after much personal reflection they now feel all Americans deserve a fully recognized and equal right to marry the person of their choice. I didn't get too misty-eyed when Obama finally got around to it and I'm not getting too excited now. The list of those whose "evolution" had come out in favor of same sex marriage grows by the day. Almost always its a matter of political expediency. The 14th Amendment doesn't leave out certain groups, it says no person shall be denied equal protection under the law. Period.

4) Who can miss the irony that so many pro-gun folks who can recite the 2nd Amendment by memory but poo-poo any attempt to "interpret" its meaning consider those who want to apply the same standard to the 14th as some clear cut sign of lunacy? Hypocrites.

5) I wish the pro gun-reform folks who like to post pictures referring to the Newtown, CT shooting would stop. While it does play on our emotions when you do that, its not going to help the reform effort at all. Realize this. Massacres like that are almost impossible to prevent. Crazy people do crazy things. Hopefully, we get better as a society at stopping them. Any serious gun policy won't aim (sorry) at the random, insane acts that happen infrequently. Rather, it would attempt to get a better grip on controlling the manufacturing (smaller clips/magazines), better regulating all sales and creating an improved background check system. We should control all the guns in the country at least as well as we control our cars and trucks.

6) We all should be asking ourselves why it took a string of senseless shootings of mostly white people to get (hopefully meaningful) gun reform on the table again. While the murder of 20 small kids turns anyone's stomach, the overall numbers are striking:

Recent gun related shootings and # of deaths: 

April 1999: Columbine shooting - 13 dead
April 2007: Virginia Tech shooting - 32 dead
April 2009: Binghamton, NY office shooting - 13 dead

November 2009: Ft. Hood shooting - 13 dead
January 2011: Tuscon shopping ctr. shooting - 6 dead
April 2012: Oikos University - 7 dead
July 2012: Aurora Theater - 12 dead
August 2012: Wisconsin Sikh shooting - 6 dead

December 2012: Newtown school shooting - 26 dead

...Nine gun related attacks resulting in 128 deaths and even more injuries. While there was some increase in the general discussion on the need to improve gun laws in this country, it wasn't until our President wept openly before cameras the afternoon of the Newtown shootings that we collectively sat up and took notice.

...Looking at one city - Chicago, over a two year period, we see: 

2011 Chicago gun related deaths: 433
2012 Chicago gun related deaths: 535
TWO YEAR TOTAL: 968 deaths...

I'm not suggesting this is apples and apples, but my point stands. We mostly stand by quietly on the urban area shootings day after day while the body count increases well into the hundreds, but finally dub it a call to action when 20 children are wiped out in under ten minutes in the suburbs. Maybe its the sheer number we saw in Newtown or Tuscon, Ft. Hood, etc. but numbers equal to those or higher occur on average every week in Chicago.

We as a country don't seem to especially care if a group of us get gunned down from time to time. If its a group of small school children, then yes, we'll emote for a while and perhaps pass some mild changes into law. If its 6-10 blacks or latino folks losing their lives to a bullet every week in our cities, we really, as proved by our collective actions, don't give a shit...

7) President Obama continues to have a tin ear when it comes to avoiding unnecessary wrong notes. While the Country is coping with the effects of the sequestration, a by product of the inability of both Congress and the White House to avoid its across the board spending cuts, the first family is taking flak for its vacations. Never mind that Mr. Obama has taken less time off than his predecessor did, never mind that the Obama's pay for everything out of their own pocket except for security above and beyond the allocated $50,000 given to them for "expenses" and the $100,000 provided for travel. While we can dismiss the asshats like Sean Hannity for his role in this, I again wonder why this administration continues to throw these softballs right down the middle for his opponents to smack out of the park? This is not a first family that spends lavishly or excessively as some would suggest, but the appearance is damning just the same. The President's announcement this week that he will give back 5% of his salary to stand with those who have been hurt by the sequestration is a cheap stunt. Mr. Obama has a net worth of over 11 Million dollars and a fortune beyond anything I can imagine waiting for him once he steps away from public service. He's not going to miss  the 20K he'll give back. Its this sort of "out of touch-ness" that pisses people off.

I have supported this President and usually defend his actions. Perhaps he has decided he has no more elections to worry about, that no matter what he does or doesn't do he will be criticized by his detractors, etc. so damn the torpedoes, the Obama's will do what they want without regard to public perception. For all the offensive crap they've had to absorb as a family, perhaps he's entitled. But it comes at a cost.


Sources:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/03/north-carolina-religion-bill_n_3003401.html

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/04/02/tennessee-gops-plan-to-shove-jesus-down-our-throat-goes-
hilariously-wrong/

http://www.barenakedislam.com/2012/02/05/have-your-schools-been-indoctrinated-with-whitewashed-islamic-propaganda-yet/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_supporters_of_same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States

http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/03/thousands_of_young_black_men_die_in_gun_crimes_every_year.html

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/15/health/trauma-centers-guns

http://raniakhalek.com/2012/12/17/do-white-children-have-to-die-for-lawmakers-to-give-a-shit/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/us/politics/to-highlight-pain-of-budget-cuts-obama-to-return-of-part-of-pay.html?_r=0

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-politicians/presidents/barack-obama-net-worth/

Are Christians Oppressed in the US by the Gov't.? Are Christians the oppressor?

Oppress: (Verb) 1. to burden with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints; subject to a burdensome or harsh exercise of authority or power: a people oppressed by totalitarianism.
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  A few days ago I was engaged in a interesting discussion on how Christians in the United States are being oppressed by Government forces, secular corruption and overall Evil. Examples of this oppression included the activities of various legal groups, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), who have lodged official and at times legal challenges against the mixing of religion and public place or institutions. Many of those issues have been in debate for decades and the Courts have often sided with the Plaintiffs in their lawsuits against Cities, School Districts, etc. Another example cited to me was the saying of "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" as evidence that Christians are under attack in a decaying society. Yet another was the "widespread" banning of prayer meetings in private homes. 


 I've heard this claim from Glen Beck as well. Progressives and especially President Obama are out to destroy the United States, turn it into a European/Socialist style Country while eroding Christian values. There are other voices on the Right such as Sean Hannity, who I've heard share the same concerns. Beck and Hannity aside, many people who feel this way do so sincerely. I think they truly believe their faith is under attack and if they don't fight back, the world will perish. Too often, they are made fun of. Also too often, they seem to want their particular vision of Christ to prevail over all others. Which is something I have a real issue with. 


 If the problem is purely "oppression" then I'm left scratching my head why more Christians and Christian leaders weren't supportive of the New York City mosque which wasn't really a Mosque but rather a Community center. I know the Muslims are all out to get us, (including my dentist,) but if oppression of a person's faith is an evil, corrupt act, isn't any example of that equally evil and corrupt? GOP Candidate Newt Gingrich said in the last debate that he'd require any Muslim who wanted to serve in his administration to sign a loyalty pledge. Are there any other faiths that he'd require the same from? Why not? The US has convicted spies of all shapes and sizes, of various faiths, yes? What of the Catholics, Jews or others who have been found guilty. (I know, I know-their Countrymen never slaughtered three thousand Americans, did they?


 To me, one of the fundamental issues I have with organised religion is that everyone feel theirs is the correct one.  I grew up on Team Methodist, but can't remember who our biggest rivals were. There wasn't a lot of talk about that in the 1970's when I last attended Church on a regular basis. It reminds me of Tom Lehrer's classic, "National Brotherhood Week." 


 Trying to find some research on the issue of oppression, I turned to the Association of Religion Data Archives, (ARDA.) They analyze data of this type and have some interesting results. The United States of America is one of the very most "free" Countries in the world in terms of a person being able to practice the religion of his/her choice. Want to worship God, a goat or a gopher? This is where you want to be. 


  To the best of my knowledge, there are no Federal laws that prohibit the practice of any recognized religion in the Unites States. I know of no State or Local laws that prevent any person living in this Country from pursuing any faith of their choice. Yes, there are limits where you may practice your faith, but generally speaking, it doesn't get any more free than here in the US. Church's in fact, receive special treatment from our Federal Government in the form of a "tax free status," which saves US Churches millions of dollars a year. The Federal Government does not petition Churches to spend their monies this way or that. (While the reverse is most certainly not true.)


 Just because you may not be permitted to place a Cross on government property, doesn't mean you have to abandon your faith. In fact, if you don't try and push your faith on anything to do with anything Government, (Courts, Public Schools, etc...) you're not going to have a problem that way. 


 Some are disturbed by the lack of the word "God" in many public school mission statements. If we can substitute "God" with God, Allah or any symbolic head of a faith group," I'd say go for it. But if we can't include all religions, then we shouldn't include any in those mission statements pertaining to our public institutions. 


We should remember that private schools, with a Christian foundation have the freedom to incorporate as much religion as they want with no interference from the Federal Government. Which is how it should be. 


 As far as Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas. I think its political correctness run amuk and people should just get a grip. Just because I say Merry Christmas to people during December every year doesn't mean that I'm insensitive to any Non Christians. I'm not, its just Christmastime, ok? For most of us, it means a time to go shopping and spend money we don't really have. Its not often said as an affirmation of ones faith. Honest to God. 


 As far as the Pledge of Allegiance goes, remember the original version from 1892 did not have the words "under God" in it. Rather, the addition of those words came fifty six year later in a non Governmental way. The Knights of Columbus, the nations largest Catholic fraternal organisation, endorsed it but it wasn't until President Eisenhower in 1954, the day after hearing an especially fiery sermon from preacher George MacPherson Dougherty, who supported its use. Whether this was something President Eisenhower had been mulling over for a while or something inspired by that sermon is unknown to me. Several Courts have found compelling children to say this oath violates their Constitutional rights, while others have found otherwise. Bottom line to me, the Government isn't preventing anyone from saying it, just in some case, stepping in saying to a public school, it can't be forced on anyone. 


It would be far easier for me to make the case that Muslims, Gays, Minorities, etc. are oppressed than Christians. Christians can build Churches almost anywhere they want to. Christians can get married with ease. Married Christians have little trouble collecting death benefits from their spouses's Social Security. And so on...


Why do some Christians feel oppressed? 


I don't know. My hunch is it has to do with building a cause, stirring up emotion to make its followers feel persecuted and therefore under a common yoke. Adversity brings groups together and manufactured adversity works about as well as the real stuff. I also think its a control thing. The more frightened and outcast a group can be made to feel, the more closely they'll bond together. As attendance at Churches worldwide declines, studies are showing individuals are feeling more spiritual. Perhaps some of the smaller denominations are manipulating their congregations to fight falling numbers. 


I don't think Christians, certainly no mainstream branch in the USA today is oppressed. Conversely, I do find many aspects of the Christian Church as a whole somewhat oppressive of people who worship a different God than they do and prefer a partner of the same sex. I think Christians oppress more often than the other way around...