|  Author | Topic: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy. (Read 1,310 times) |
Richard
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|  | The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Thread Started on Mar 14, 2005, 12:04pm » | |
The following is a letter I wrote to the Commandant, Superintendent and Head Football Coach of the US Air Force Academy: Gen. Rosa, Gen. Weida and Coach DeBerry.
Gentlemen:
I am a former USAF Officer and Vietnam Veteran.
I have watched, with growing disappointment, the issue of religious intolerance at the Academy.
What has transpired and continues to transpire despite lip-service to the contrary, is a true bastardization of the US Constitution and an homage to the majority religion.
The actions and words of the Commandant, Superintendent and Head Football Coach, which appear to me to advocate a total subordination to a brand of extreme Christianity, are a chilling reminder of what can happen when those, enthralled by religious dogma, begin to commingle religion and nationalism which, even according to Pope John Paul II, is a "dangerous enterprise."
Contrary to the beliefs of Coach DeBerry, religion is not "everything" to the majority. For many it is an adjunct to secular life which must remain an adjunct for when the practice of religion, in this case Christianity, becomes imperious and unilateral, the slippery slope to establishment is inevitable.
I am sure that gentlemen of your rank and achievement understand that the tenets of any regime hold sway and defy objection or dissent in the ranks. The fact that so many complaints have been forthcoming is a sure sign of growing discontent with a supposed secular system that elevates religion to an unreasoned level which often requires reluctant acquiescence.
Is it not the right way for Commanders to command, instructors to instruct, coaches to coach, and chaplains of varying denominations to administer faith? When did these lines become blurred and for what reason? And why would any of our young men and women, even one, be subject to exclusion because of a majority religion?
Gentlemen your faith has become toxic and you are fostering an atmosphere in which the peer group becomes a cadre of Christian thought police.
There is a tenor of repression to recent events at the Academy, one which bears closer, more objective examination and thoughtful review.
Richard Baker
Colorado Springs
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cup188
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #1 on Mar 15, 2005, 10:48am » | |
Wow! RB really broke out the thesaurus for that one!! Even so, it makes little sense. 
thank you for your comments
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Gordon Beck
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #2 on Mar 16, 2005, 5:06pm » | |
All right—everybody climb down off of Fisher DeBerry’s back. I’ll fetch the ladder.
Diatribes aimed at haranguing the Air Force Academy’s football coach and his open, public expressions of his faith have occupied significant print and broadcast coverage in recent weeks. Seems people just can’t cotton to DeBerry using his “bully pulpit” as Falcon football coach to let his players, and the public know about his take on God and how faith helps shape a person’s life and character.
This makes for an interesting comparison to that school not so far up the road, and some of the attention it has been getting lately. I don’t think we have ever heard CU-Boulder’s football coach mention God or religion, but he seems to be drawing a pretty fair amount of media attention, himself.
Now at the Air Force Academy, an institution hardly free from its share of scandal these days, the Falcon football team is an island of discipline and decorum. By comparison, CU’s football program seems to hop from scandal to outrage to vilification. What people, and the press, apparently seem to forget, is that core values, such as belief in a “Master Coach,” form the foundation for character. Coach DeBerry is not just running a football team, but he is also participating as an active player in the development of the military leaders of our immediate and ongoing future.
Some of those young men leaving CU’s football program may graduate, some will be going on to careers, maybe one or two on to play professional football at some level. In sharp contrast, those who matriculate from DeBerry’s program are commissioned as 2nd Lieutenants in our Armed Forces, and stand a great chance of immediately leading men and women in harm’s way, in defense of freedom and democracy. Whose program is the real success, regardless of the win/loss column?
Where, too are those free speech harpies so quick to jump up in defense of that other fool on Boulder-hill, Ward Churchill? How is Coach DeBerry’s expression of the things he believes in any less worthy of Constitutional protections than the blatherings of Professor Churchill?
I have never met Coach DeBerry, but a lineman’s helmet sits on my bookshelf bearing his autograph. I don’t even much care about Falcon football (I’m an Army guy myself), but I think Fisher and I would get along just swell. After all, we both suit up for the same Master Coach.
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Steven
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #3 on Mar 16, 2005, 11:17pm » | |
"Coach DeBerry is not just running a football team, but he is also participating as an active player in the development of the military leaders of our immediate and ongoing future."
Gordon,
Seems like the AFA has had its share of scandals lately (sexual harrassment, steroids, academic cheating, alcohol abuse) -- I'm more than willing to give him credit where it's due but when did DeBerry step up to the plate and take his fair share of the blame? Perhaps the "Master Coach" and his understudy could use a little helpful oversight.
Steven
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Gordon
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #4 on Mar 17, 2005, 3:03pm » | |
Steven:
Good points all, however, only the steroid situation involved members of the football team, and yes, DeBerry did step up to the plate--the player (just one) who used the illegal steroids was dismissed that week from the team, and shortly after from the academy.
As to the other problems at the Academy, I not only agree with you but would hold your soapbox. I have written multiple letters to the Gazette blasting the academy and their anything goes attitude, but none have been printed (including a clone of the one posted here).
In this instance however, I was dealing strictly with Coach DeBerry and all the resentment of his public face as a Christian. DeBerry would be the first to agree with you that he (and we all) could use some helpful oversight, but to say that of the "Master Coach" is blasphemous, and more simply, just wrong. God gave us free will to act, or not act, as we choose. His salvation gives us the motivation to choose wisely.
Best regards,
Gordon
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Steven
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #5 on Mar 17, 2005, 10:49pm » | |
DeBerry is certainly free to hold whatever supernatural belief he finds comforting and if it affects his character and demeanor for the better, then that’s great. But he is NOT free to offer religious advice or council in his role as a public employee at the AFA. Make no mistake, this is what DeBerry did and he was correctly called to the carpet for his actions.
“God gave us free will to act, or not act, as we choose. His salvation gives us the motivation to choose wisely. – Gordon”
If you believe that a God exists who is all-knowing and all-powerful, then your freewill claim is an impossibility. In fact, it’s the most hopeless situation possible under which to exist. Nothing you did, nothing you created, and nothing you loved would ever be the result of your own volition.
Steven
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Steven
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Gordon
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #6 on Mar 18, 2005, 11:27am » | |
Steven:
You said:
"...But he is NOT free to offer religious advice or council in his role as a public employee at the AFA."
Why is he not? Why is this any different from what Ward Churchill has said, or what Harvard President Larry Summers is currently taking a beating for? The only "job" I am aware of where one is compelled to constrain free speech is in the Armed Forces--not any and all other government staff positions.
"...If you believe that a God exists who is all-knowing and all-powerful, then your freewill claim is an impossibility. In fact, it’s the most hopeless situation possible under which to exist. Nothing you did, nothing you created, and nothing you loved would ever be the result of your own volition."
How so, Steven? While God is all-powerful and all-knowing, He chose to give all men free will to chose their path. He doesn't predetermine every breath I draw, every step I take, or decision I make; instead, He gives me the machine (my body) and the talents with which to do so. God's omnipotence and my free will are not mutually exclusive, as having control and exercising it are separate and distinct concepts. While God may have given me the ability to sing (trust me, he didn't), it is my choice to sing out or stay quiet, even my choice to sing songs of praise or songs of debauchery. (Yeah, big word alert).
Trying to follow you here Steven, but that one lost me.
Best regards,
Gordon
Steven
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Steven
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #7 on Mar 18, 2005, 1:33pm » | |
Gordon,
See the other post between me and Cup188 concerning freewill -- and feel "free" to join in.
Steven
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Steven
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jim
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|  | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #8 on Mar 18, 2005, 5:13pm » | |
More than 90% christian is a rather high percentage in any secular setting. When General Weida sent out letter to cadets stating, "you are accountable to god first", I feel he was way out of line.
Why did the AFA go way out of its way to promote "The Passion of Christ", by placing posters all over campus and at every place setting in the dining hall?
Why does the AFA have such close ties to the focus on the family church group?
Maybe coach DeBerry should focus his job on coaching, not preaching and trying to make converts; at $636,000 in annual pay one might expect a professional to keep his religious opinions to himself.
When he put up a poster saying, " I am a christian first and last...I am a member of team jesus christ" was spelling out that his loyalty to this nation and its defense comes second to his belief in and service to some religion? Seems so.
No wonder why he skipped out on the sensitivity training.
When coach DeBerry said religion is "what we are all about", did he forget that the US tax payer pays his salary and that this country is ruled by a constitution that says the govt, shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.
Did he forget that the purpose of the AFA is to train airmen to defend this nation. That is job one at the AFA, not religion. There was a time not that long ago when many military officers voluntarily refused to vote in presidential elections because it would test their loyalty to the commander in chief if their guy did not get elected.Todays military officers are predominantly republican protestant and right leaning. That this is even so well known taints our military.
Loyalty to this nation needs to be put at the front of all other concerns at the AFA and all American military operations. A man or womans religious affiliations should be secondary to the fact that they have sworn to defend the constitution of the United States Of America.
We are tettering on the verge of religious hegemony beyond any doubt at the AFA and very likely in the government as a whole.
I have no concerns if anyone wants to be religiously zealous, I am zealously secular.
We all have rights, I just don't want to see the Right wing fundamentalist evangelical community get too comfortable just because they got G.W.Bush re-elected.
Almost exactly half of this nations population have no direct religious affiliations. I'd say that half would prefer keeping the government secular.
If you want theocracy, you are not really into what is going on in America. But if you or anyone wants to try to establish a theocracy here, there will be war. Mark my words.
The first item to go under theocracy is religious freedom.
After the state religion takes control civil liberties fall like flies. Especially to those people who don't think right, the ones who don't dress right, the homosexuals, the distrusted minorities, usually the women get fairly thrashed. If its going to work well then capitalism will need to go and slavery will be re-enstated just for grins so as to build new churches, ye-ha I could go on but you probably already know the dangers inherent in theocracy.
As far as anyone having given me free will( say like a god character) nope, didn't happen. SORRY, simply no evidence to that efect. What are you talking about?
Must be a belief.
Got any facts about this creator and how it operates? 
Otherwise its just a groovey fiction in my mind.
I do like good ideals and workable ethical constructs based on objective fairness.
Does the creator guy work with fairness?
Well thats probably enough fuel for one post.
Jim
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r godwin
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #9 on May 18, 2005, 8:36am » | |
As Ronald Reagan one said, " If this country ever stops being one nation under God, we will become one nation gone under". Tolerance is the final attribute of a morally decadent society. I have always wondered how may atheists there are when they are caught in the crossfire when hunkered down in a fox hole. And no, the Constitution NEVER states anything in reference to separation of church and state. How the heck you liberals draw in a letter of suggestion by Thomas Jefferson as the Constitution never ceases to amaze me. One day, if you are not a believer now, you will be. But if you arent on that final day, you will wish you had been.
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Matt
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #10 on May 18, 2005, 12:02pm » | |
Quote:| As Ronald Reagan one said, " If this country ever stops being one nation under God, we will become one nation gone under". |
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Under which GOD? Christians have at least 5, let’s see there’s the Holy Spook, The Father, and the SON, The Holy Virgin, and let’s not forget Satan (The Talking Snake). It will be an enlightened day when we have no Gods.
Quote:| Tolerance is the final attribute of a morally decadent society. |
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Well let's just go back to the inquisition and torture and kill all those that don't believe in your particular god, now that's really non-tolerant.
IN-TOLERANCE is morally reprehensible
Quote:| I have always wondered how may atheists there are when they are caught in the crossfire when hunkered down in a fox hole. |
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I guess you have never seen http://www.maaf.info/index.html
I'm a Navy Reserve officer, and may be getting called up soon. So let's just stop the bull**** about no athiests in Foxholes.
Quote:And no, the Constitution NEVER states anything in reference to separation of church and state.
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What kind of revisinist history have you been listening to? The religious right is rewriting history books to fit their agenda. There is no reference to God or Christianity in the Constitution. Take a look at the Treaty of Tripoli:
Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
Go get the real story not the made up stuff of the religious right.
Quote:
One day, if you are not a believer now, you will be. But if you arent on that final day, you will wish you had been.
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OK, Love me or burn in Hell? What kind of free will is that? Why would a loving and kind God do that? Why would God give me so much evidence that he does not exist and then burn me in Hell for not believing? Come on grow up, I stopped believing in Santa Claus and the Easter bunny when I grew up.
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Steven
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #11 on May 18, 2005, 1:41pm » | |
Yeah, what Matt said!  In fact, you sould read it twice.
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Steven
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Nonsuperstitious
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #12 on May 18, 2005, 2:16pm » | |
I am a missionary's son. I attended 3rd though 11th grade in Lima, Peru. Every morning Catholic prayers were offered while my sisters and I were standing in formation with the other students. Since we did not cross ourselves and otherwise participate in the prayers, we were singled out for abuse and scorn by many of our classmates. I remember shouts of "atheists" and "going to hell," without notice or reprimand from our teachers. I also vividly remember being spat upon and otherwise cursed. We were also insulted and reviled because we did not have to attend the mandatory Catholic religion class taught by a priest and held for two hours every Friday of every week. My siblings and I suffered through this intolerable situation for seven long years.
I believe any thoughtful person reading this will know how I feel about the AFA.
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Ray
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #13 on May 18, 2005, 3:45pm » | |
There are no athiest in foxholes, huh? I'm retired military, was once an infantryman, and whether a person is and remains an athiest is a matter of how much thought they have given to the subject. He seems to suggest that no athiest has ever really lost their belief in the supernatural, which I find insulting and rediculous!!!
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jim
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| | Re: The USAFAs Thinly Veiled Christian Supremacy.
« Reply #14 on May 19, 2005, 5:26pm » | |
R good win, Now is that "our god win".
It's so funny that christians come in here and show us their spooky dance. WOOOOOO, booogey, booogey.
Snake oil! Cures evil nature, fixes bad attitude! Get your snake oil!
Salvation is at hand, that will be twenty dollars please.
Reach for that phone you sad sinner. Send us your money, the more the better. Biiiiigggg scarey stuff gonna happen if you don't SEND MONEY!
R godwin that was just so weak, Matt pretty well covered it. You sound really sad. I wish I could help.
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