Military Religious Freedom Foundation
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The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) is an advocacy group dedicated to upholding the religious freedom of US military service personnel. It was founded in 2006 by retired US Air Force officer and martial attorney Michael Weinstein, as a reaction to the worrying trend of Christian Dominionist proselytizing within the United States armed forces, something both of his sons had experienced at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.[1]
Activities[edit]
The MRFF provides counseling and, sometimes, legal assistance to members of the US armed forces suffering from religious discrimination, restrictions on their religious freedoms, or unwanted proselytization.[2] Additionally, it is engaged in raising general awareness about the activities of Christian fundamentalists within the US military, exposing violations of the separation of church and state, and fighting such developments through lawsuits brought against the Department of Defense or subordinate institutions.[3] Notably, the MRFF exposed the case of a US military supplier, Trijicon Inc., providing illuminated rifle scopes inscribed with coded references to New Testament passages (mostly to do with lights shining in darkness) and successfully pressured them to stop this practice.[4] According to its website, the MRFF has been contacted by over 18,000 members of the US military since its inception, the vast majority of them Christians themselves.[5]
Victories[edit]
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One case found compelling religious observation to constitute hazing, and the Major General responsible was shifted sideways to a job with no subordinates in a different service.[6]
Hate[edit]
The right in the United States likes to bash the MRFF and its head, Mikey Weinstein. Among their oft-repeated false accusations is that the MRFF and Weinstein are anti-Christian (note the conflation of opposing Christianity with opposing the Christian doctrine of dominionism and its behavior) or that they bully Christian servicemen and servicewomen. Most of the soldiers they represent are Christians bullied by Christians from other sects.
External Links[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ No Dominion: The Lonely, Dangerous Fight Against Christian Supremacists Inside the Armed Forces, thruthout.org
- ↑ MRFF: Our Mission
- ↑ MRFF: Current lawsuits
- ↑ Joseph Rhee, Tahman Bradley and Brian Ross, U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret 'Jesus' Bible Codes. ABC News, 15 January 2010.
- ↑ MRFF: About us
- ↑ Maj. Gen. James E. Chambers Hazes Soldiers in his Command. Archived from Breaking Spells, 20 August 2010.