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Backward Christian Soldiers: Jesus Not Only Saves, He Shoots
The New York Observer ^ | December 11, 2012 | Nina Burleigh

Posted on 12/11/2012 8:42:12 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Last week, a cadet publicly quit the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, citing forced prayer and churchgoing. Republican strategist Shirley Husar, in a debate on HuffPost Live, asserted that West Point is “a religious institute.”

Merry Christmas, Shirley, but West Point is not a religious institute—though that’s not for want of trying on the Christian right’s part.

The cadet in question is 24-year-old Blake Page, who described being “severely punished” for not going to church while in basic training. “You scrubbed floors for four hours or went on rock flipping detail so the rocks could get an even tan or you mowed the dirt,” he said in an interview published on the website Alternet. “Basically whatever they could find to keep you busy.”

Mr. Page said prayer is routine at mandatory cadet events, and that students who participate in religious retreats are awarded with off-campus passes and academic credit. He said evangelical professors would challenge him on how morality could exist without God.

Up until Mr. Page’s resignation, nobody had ever described the pervasive religiosity inside the nation’s premier military academy. There has been much coverage of evangelists infiltrating the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, but that could be written off as a case of Rocky Mountain religious fever. The notion that cadets less than 100 miles from New York City who don’t go to church are punished for their personal beliefs while the believers are in the pews—as Mr. Page described—is shocking.

But why should it be? Creepy, crazy guns-and-prayer fanatics were colonizing the U.S. armed forces even before 9/11...

(Excerpt) Read more at observer.com ...


TOPICS: Charismatic Christian; Evangelical Christian; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: airforce; army; atheists; christianity; christians; military; religion; waronchristianity
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Huh? I was in the Army for quite a while and was never pressured one way or the other.
1 posted on 12/11/2012 8:42:21 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He quit because he din’t want to scrub floors or do rock flipping details or mow the dirt. Or clean barracks, equipment, do guard duty, KP, etc.
Thats all the stuff you don’t see in the recruiting commercials.


2 posted on 12/11/2012 8:47:09 PM PST by Redcitizen (.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

He was challenged by professors over his belief and made to do menial tasks in an effort to force him to fit in. Glad to see he wouldn’t put up with it. Imagine how strong he would be against, I don’t know, torture in a POW camp?


3 posted on 12/11/2012 8:47:22 PM PST by Anitius Severinus Boethius (www.wilsonharpbooks.com)
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To: Redcitizen

He probably quit because going into danger wasn’t his cup of tea, after we spent millions educating him.


4 posted on 12/11/2012 8:49:41 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I'll raise $2million for Sarah Palin's presidential run. What'll you do?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Same reporterette who said she'd give Bill Clinton a Lewinsky for keeping abortion legal.

In other words, believe nothing you read from her.

5 posted on 12/11/2012 9:01:00 PM PST by backwoods-engineer ("Remember: Evil exists because good men don't kill the gov officials committing it." -- K. Hoffmann)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

How close to graduation was this individual?


6 posted on 12/11/2012 9:01:19 PM PST by doc1019
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The quiter is not what concerns me here. What concerns me is the individual who wrote this anti-God diatribe.


7 posted on 12/11/2012 9:03:40 PM PST by SoldierDad (Proud dad of an Army Soldier who has survived 24 months of Combat deployment.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

There are no atheists in foxholes.

Go figure!


8 posted on 12/11/2012 9:04:46 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Creepy, crazy guns-and-prayer fanatics were colonizing the U.S. armed forces even before 9/11...”

Pretty much says it all. I’ll bet this guy went into the acadamy for the sole purpose of doing this, just as others did in the Air Force Acadamy. You see, you can’t have God believing officers who swear allegiance to the Constitution if you want to destroy the country. So you get rid of that type. After all, they are Creepy, crazy guns-and-prayer fanatics were colonizing the U.S. armed forces even before 9/11...


9 posted on 12/11/2012 9:07:09 PM PST by Dogbert41 (What now?)
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To: Dogbert41
“Creepy, crazy guns-and-prayer fanatics were colonizing the U.S. armed forces even before 9/11.”

Earlier than 9/11 - back in the early 1600’s, to be exact. The first colonists were Puritans and Pilgrims who were gun and prayer fanatics beyond any doubt.

As for the “creepy” bit, Nina Whatever’s using that word in that context says much about her. She seems not to realize all of what her word choice implies about her is negative. But - she is a Big Sh*tty Libtard scrivener.

10 posted on 12/11/2012 9:23:15 PM PST by GladesGuru (In a society predicated upon freedom, it is necessary to examine principles."..)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

does he have to pay back his education costs? i think he does if he quits. what a spinelessn little wanker.


11 posted on 12/11/2012 9:23:33 PM PST by bravo whiskey
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To: SoldierDad

You got that right. A disgusting piece of work. She reeks of hatred and it’s surprising the paper permitted the tone. Must be a Lefty litter liner.


12 posted on 12/11/2012 9:25:54 PM PST by RitaOK ( VIVA CHRISTO REY / Public education is the farm team for more Marxists coming.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
24-year-old Blake Page, who described being “severely punished” ... “You scrubbed floors for four hours or went on rock flipping detail so the rocks could get an even tan or you mowed the dirt,” ... “Basically whatever they could find to keep you busy

this guy is not the sharpest tool in the shed. he should have been named Stew Pedasso, but Blank Page is not bad
13 posted on 12/11/2012 9:34:45 PM PST by wafflehouse (RE-ELECT NO ONE !)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

My Dad was in WWII an he said everyone prayed all the time.
My brothers served in the Army and they said they were never pressured in any fashion what so sever, I think the guy is just a lazy bum who didn’t want to work.
One brother said his drill Sargent went to the church as he did, but in the company no favoritism was ever offered.


14 posted on 12/11/2012 9:48:48 PM PST by svcw (Why is one cell on another planet considered life, and in the womb it is not.)
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To: GladesGuru

I know, right?


15 posted on 12/11/2012 10:03:23 PM PST by Dogbert41 (What now?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

In other articles it is revealed that the former cadet resigned because he was medically ineligible to be commissioned because of depression and anxiety. Definitely a misleading headline, and maybe some misleading by the cadet in question.


16 posted on 12/11/2012 10:08:48 PM PST by UncleHambone ("Laughter is America's most important export." - Walt Disney)
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To: UncleHambone

Want to post at 12:12 12/12/12, but missed it by a minute.


17 posted on 12/11/2012 10:18:47 PM PST by Bellflower (The LORD is Holy, separated from all sin, perfect, righteous, high and lifted up.)
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To: Bellflower

At least according to my computer clock.


18 posted on 12/11/2012 10:20:14 PM PST by Bellflower (The LORD is Holy, separated from all sin, perfect, righteous, high and lifted up.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Can give the 12:12 12/12/12 thing another shot at 12:12 pm!


19 posted on 12/11/2012 10:21:42 PM PST by Bellflower (The LORD is Holy, separated from all sin, perfect, righteous, high and lifted up.)
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To: svcw
My oldest son was in the Navy and I hadn't heard from him for weeks, he was somewhere in the Med....If you want action do what I did. I wrote a letter to the chaplin on board. Son said he was in the office within minutes of my letter being read. Told go right now and write you family a letter, it goes out on the next plane....Son being only 20 was scared when he got called to the priest or Chaplin or what ever they are called and I got letters regularly from him. If I remember correctly, the chaplin read him the riot act....It had nothing to do with attending church. In fact with 3 shifts on a carrier I bet a lot of sailors miss church, 5000 sailors on a carrier.. He is a freeper, and was before I signed up....:O).
20 posted on 12/11/2012 10:55:15 PM PST by goat granny
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