Posted on 05/28/2015 8:54:10 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The Rev. Franklin Graham has spoken out on a case concerning a Marine Corporal who was court-martialed for refusing to remove a Bible verse from her computer at work, stating that it shows that there is no tolerance in culture for Christians.
Marine Lance Cpl. Monifa Sterling was court-martialed earlier this week after she was convicted Feb. 1, 2014, for refusing to remove the verse "No weapon formed against you shall prosper" (Isaiah 54:17) from her computer.
"Unbelievably, she was criminally prosecuted by the U.S. government for displaying this encouraging scripture on her computer in her workspace. Give me a break, really? Can our society be at a point where a supervisor can order a young Marine to remove a Bible verse from her computer? Others are able to display secular messages without any opposition, but Sterling was targeted by her supervisor," Graham wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
"Today there's a tolerance in our culture for everything — except the things of God and His Word. The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has been asked to review Lance Cpl. Sterling's case — let's pray that this kind of targeting and persecution of Christians by our government will be stopped."
Fox News' Todd Starnes noted that Sterling represented herself at the trial, and was found guilty of disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer and four specifications of disobeying the lawful order of a noncommissioned officer.
Sterling was given a bad conduct discharge, while her rank was reduced from Lance Cpl. to private, after both the lower court and the appellate court ruled that displaying Bible verses at work is not protected under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The Liberty Institute has now taken up her case, however, and has filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the U.S. Armed Forces.
"If the government can order a Marine not to display a Bible verse, they could try and order her not to get a religious tattoo, or go to church on Sunday," attorney Michael Berry said. "Restricting a Marine's free exercise of religion is blatantly unconstitutional."
Last week Graham stood up for an Air Force general after the Military Religious Freedom Foundation called on Maj. Gen. Craig Olson to be court-martialed, this time for giving credit to God during a speech at a National Day of Prayer event.
Olson received heavy criticism from the MRFF, which said in a letter to Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh that he should be "aggressively and very visibly brought to justice for his unforgivable crimes and transgressions" for saying that God helped him throughout his military career.
Graham argued that atheist groups are attempting to "bully Christians into silence" with such actions.
"Are Christians the only group of people who cannot identify themselves publicly in this country? Are we the only voices who cannot speak?" the evangelical asked.
If this is all there is to the story she fell on the wrong sword.
Instead of “disobeying” an order there are other avenues for her to pursue this, ones that are spelled out in regulation.
I have told my own disgruntled Soldiers it they don’t like what I am telling them, go to the IG and if that doesn’t work go to their congress critter. I even offered to proof read their complaints for them.
[Who are the streets being guarded from?]
The forces of evil that inhabit the bottom half of a spiritual world.
In the original version the term “portals” (a doorway, gate, or other entrance, especially a large and elaborate one) is used instead of “streets.”
I may have known your Dad.
Chaplain, I understand. I later had this thought: “Did the corporal have the source of the passage listed on her e-mail, thus identifying it from the Bible?” I will venture the comment that if she had NOT provided the source (Isaiah 54:17), would anyone have recognized it as being from the Bible?
Also, I had thought she was putting this on the bottom of all the e-mails she was sending out. In re-reading this story I realize I was wrong. I thus am no in agreement with you as to why should she have had to remove it from the edge of her computer screen, where she would be the main person seeing it.
3rd line should read:
They will find the streets abandoned
Decision America 2016
In this instance the NCO has won at lower court hearings. There is a piece of me that thinks we are missing some of the story. However, if we have all of the story, then this Marine having a quote at her work station is no different than someone else having a picture of their spouse on their desk. In my mind that would be unreasonable. However, I did read another version of this story that vaguely suggested the NCO saw that particular verse as confrontive and in his face. If there was bad blood between these two, then perhaps he did see it as insubordination. If he was able to demonstrate in court there had been strife with this Marine, then this also would explain her losing in court.
If the army and the navy
Ever gaze on bedroom scenes
They will find their wives are sleeping
With United States Marines.
Outstanding!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.