<p>What did you think of the broadcast recently on this topic? Evangelical cadets allegedly harrassed Jewish cadets and evangelical chaplains allegedly directed cadets to proselytize their classmates. DOD and the academy are investigating.</p>
<p>As I've mentioned before here. The problem exists--as is may in many colleges and companies. The USAFA administration is addressing it. There'll be a few more bumps in the road, and the place won't be perfect, but things will improve.</p>
<p>after attending orientation "pre-scandel" I felt very comfortable with the religious climate at the academy. After the chapel tour I found that there are approx 190 attending of our faith and they go into town for worship on Sunday - the chaplain was very positive in answering my questions. I talked with some of the cadets of our faith and they said that they watch out for each other and although things ocassionally can get uncomfortable with a few enthusiastic believers that mutual respect is the rule rather than the exception. I don't believe my son will be any more of a religious minority in CO than in FL - I beleve that diversity can be a strength and that the checks and balances are at work as the academy is dealing with the issue rather than hiding. Again it looks like the academy is exposeing and working the issues underlying our society. Perhaps many have their heads in the sand and the air force academy is holding their heads up high.</p>
<p>offhegz - congrats to our s on his appointment. I agree with your post. Every cadet is too valuable for us not to provide the best academy experience we can. Leadership from the top is a must for this to happen.</p>
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<blockquote> <p>evangelical chaplains allegedly directed cadets to proselytize their classmates. <<</p> </blockquote>
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<p>The evangelical chaplains did this at a Protestant chapel service attended voluntarily by Protestant (presumably evangelical) cadets. If you will look up the definition of the word evangelical, you'll see that's what it means. Proselytizing (or sharing one's faith) is a tenet of Christianity. It is also an expression of freedom of speech. </p>
<p>Are you saying that evangelical cadets should be prohibited from sharing their faith with other cadets? Or are you saying that someone who is not an evangelical Protestant should dictate to evangelical Protestant chaplains what they should be teaching about Christianity? Or are you just saying that evangelical Protestantism is a religion whose practice should be prohibited?</p>
<p>These are not rhetorical questions. I would urge you to consider what religious practices you are finding problematic.</p>
<p>I think docFrance explained it well enough...there are instances where the "line has been crossed"--I am pretty confident that the air force will straighten out those who may be violating the rights of cadets or compromising the idea that the purpose of the academy to to produce air force officers of ANY creed or faith.</p>
<p>I don't think anyone has an issue with peer-to-peer proselytizing in a non-professional (social) setting. Where we in the military have to be particularly careful (and this holds true for many other professions) is discussing/advocating/imposing specific political or religious beliefs in a professional, hierarchical setting. Where power is involved, those personal issues have no real place. Ask yourself, "If I read about military officers overtly advocating one political party or candidate over another to people of lower rank in a professional setting, would that be okay?" If it's not right to inject politics into the situation, it shouldn't be okay to inject religion. At USAFA, the lines occasionally blur--when does the professional setting end and the social setting begin when cadets go to the dorms and wear uniforms sometimes and civies other times? I don't have the total answer on every situation here, and neither does the USAFA leadership. They are, I'm convinced, doing their best to make sure that cadets understand the limits upon some personal speech that military service demands. After all, those that attend USAFA and are commissioned, pledge first to "support and defend the Constitution..."</p>
<p>That's what's so confusing to me. There are no allegations against officers using the command structure to inject religion. There are allegations against <em>chaplains</em> injecting religion into religious services. It seems to me that there are those who want chaplains to be social workers or counselors but not to be religious teachers. </p>
<p>I think that people of all faiths need to be really careful here. If the "tolerance crowd" is able to shut the Christians up and deny Christian chaplains the ability to teach the truths of their faith to Christian cadets, do you think they will stop there?</p>
<p>In fact, there are some accusations if you read the press reports--both directed at officers and at cadets in supervisory roles. Military chaplains wear rank just like any other officer and are seen as officers first by many. Senior officers have included religious messages in direction to cadets, and cadets have punished other, lower-ranking cadets for not attending optional church services. No one at USAFA or in the military is asking chaplains to not teach their religion, so long as it is consistent with the rights enjoyed by all in the military. If, as has been asserted, a chaplain wearing military rank, directs freshman cadets to proselytize to their classmates and tell them they will "burn in the fires of hell" if they don't become christians, that line has been crossed.</p>
<p>Note: I will gladly answer questions here, but don't want this to degenerate into a religious argument. The military is a different society. Some things that might be allowed or condoned in civilian world (e.g. public displays of affection, political speech, protest, etc) are not permissible when in uniform. If you're uncomfortable with those restrictions--and I encourage all of you to understand them--then the military may NOT be the best choice for you.</p>
<p>I agree with DocFrance's comments. And with Offhegz's comments re: mutual respect.
As for Timely's question - "Are you saying that evangelical cadets should be prohibited from sharing their faith with other cadets?" My answer would be yes IF the other cadets have expressed that they are not interested in being targets or an audience for evangelizing. And all it should take is a simple "no, thank you".</p>
<p>I totally agree with BigGreen and Doc Francis. I would say anything other than an invitation to attend a religious service is inappropriate. The "burn in hell comment" should lead to a strong rebuke.</p>
<p>It's "docfrance." Please write it 50 times on a chalkboard before posting here again. We'll tolerate religious differences here, but not misspellings of the moderator's nom de guerre. ;-)</p>
<p>Might have been a Freudian slip - I mean, "France" isnt' really on anyone's top ten list these days.</p>
<p>Thanks for the racist note BigGreen. I'm of French descent. I've lived in France (2 years on an exchange assignment). I like the French. The French like us. It's our governments that aren't particularly popular with each other at the moment. Probably not ALL the fault of the French. Consider yourself censured for that silly comment.</p>
<p>Seems like we wouldn't have much of a country without some key help from the French and vice-versa---in these times it's pretty easy for people to fall into the "talking points" of various groups without really thinking about the "big picture".</p>
<p>sorry about that docfrance. My only excuse is that Francis is a common name in my family (although mostly with the uncles and grandparent generation).</p>
<p>Apology accepted. The first mistake was no big deal--a common one lots of people make. The second one was FAR more serious.</p>
<p>My apologies.</p>
<p>By ROBERT WELLER, Associated Press Writer Fri Jun 3,10:28 PM ET</p>
<p>BROOMFIELD, Colo. - The superintendent of the Air Force Academy acknowledged to leaders of a national Jewish group Friday that religious intolerance permeates the military school.</p>
<p>"As a commander, I know I have problems in my cadet wing," Lt. Gen. John Rosa said at a meeting of the Anti-Defamation League's executive committee. "I have issues in my staff, and I have issues in my faculty and that's my whole organization."</p>
<p>He said he admonished the academy's No. 2 commander, Brig. Gen. Johnny Weida, a born-again Christian, for sending an e-mail promoting National Prayer Day.</p>
<p>"We sat down and said, `This is not right,' and he acknowledged that," Rosa said, adding there had been other incidents that crossed the line. "Perception is reality. We don't have respect."</p>
<p>The academy has been under investigation because of complaints that evangelical Christians have harassed cadets who do not share their faith. Some cadets have complained of anti-Semitic slurs, and one of the top chaplains at the school claims she was fired because she criticized what she saw as proselytizing at the academy.</p>
<p>Academy leaders deny the claim, saying Capt. MeLinda Morton was simply reassigned to Japan. The Defense Department's inspector general is investigating.</p>
<p>Rosa said he has spoken with academy critics and agrees with many of their complaints. He said he didn't learn of a Yale University memo issued last year on religious intolerance at the school near Colorado Springs until much later.</p>
<p>Rosa said the problem is "something that keeps me awake at night."</p>
<p>"If everything goes well, it's probably going to take six years to fix it," he added.</p>
<p>Mikey Weinstein, an academy graduate who has become a leading critic, said Rosa's acknowledgment "is too little and too late."</p>
<p>"We need new leadership at the Air Force Academy," said Weinstein, who has sent two sons to the academy.</p>
<p>Abe Foxman, the ADL's national director, said he was convinced the general wants to do the right thing.</p>
<p>"We walked away with the feeling that the man is committed to solving the problem. The question is whether the system will let him," Foxman said after meeting with Rosa for 90 minutes earlier Friday.</p>
<p>There was an interesting editorial about religious issues at USAFA in the Washington Post on Saturday</p>