(This is an adaptation of two pieces I wrote last month for The Public Record, "Obama Bashing Message from Pentagon Connected Ministry" and "Son of Obama-Bashing Minister Lies about Bibles for Our Troops." My initial reasons for writing these pieces were the clear 501(c)3 violation of Cecil Todd's political sermons and Tim Todd's lies about the military's distribution of Bibles, but, in light of the recent revelation of the Army's Public Affairs Office linking to an Obama-smearing blog in its "Stand To!" news roundup, I think it's important to keep an eye on other Pentagon connected forces at work in the campaign against Obama, in this case a Pentagon connected ministry. At the next Revival Fires campmeeting, scheduled to be held the last week of this month in Branson, Missouri, Cecil Todd will be delivering a sermon titled "America's Biggest Nightmare!" to a crowd of thousands. I don't think it's too much of a leap to suspect that this upcoming sermon will be similar to the sermon excerpted below.)
The almost incomprehensible attack on Barack Obama found below is excerpted from a "Sermon of the Month" by Dr. Cecil Todd, founder of Revival Fires International, a 501(c)3 ministry which, "at the request of the Chief Chaplains of the Pentagon," has been shipping Bibles to Iraq, via military airlift, since 2003. According to a Revival Fires press release this "full Bible is designed and authorized by the Chief Chaplains of the Pentagon." This Pentagon involvement and Bible distribution led Navy chaplain LCDR Brian K. Waite to Revival Fires.
In 2001, LCDR Waite, then a mega-church pastor and reserve chaplain, published a virulently anti-Muslim book titled Islam Uncovered -- a book which was pulled from the shelves in 2002 due to plagiarism and faked endorsements. A few months later, Waite was accepted into the Naval Chaplain Corps. As an active duty chaplain, Waite has not only endorsed Revival Fires in uniform on the ministry's website, but appeared on advertisements for, and as a featured speaker at, their 2006 and 2007 campmeetings. He is also scheduled to appear at their 2008 campmeeting, to be held June 24-28. Past speakers at Cecil Todd's campmeetings have included such notables as John Hagee, Rod Parsley, Tim LaHaye, and ex-Judge Roy Moore.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) recently exposed LCDR Waite's anti-Muslim writings, his plagiarism scandal, his blatant violations of military regulations in endorsing Revival Fires Ministries, and his diploma-mill educational background. Waite's anti-Muslim ideology led to his dismissal from the faculty of the Graduate Theological Foundation, a civilian institution where he was the director of a Military Ministries doctoral program, but no apparent action by the military.
The following are some excerpts from "Who I Want In The White House!," Cecil Todd's May 2008 "Sermon of the Month."
"Today, a fierce political battle rages across our nation, as once again the American people will be choosing who will lead our country as President, for the next four years!
"The top contenders in this race are Hillary Clinton, Barack Hussein Obama and John McCain -- all three of these Presidential wannabe's are U.S. Senators.
"Many sincere -- seeking Americans are asking 'WHO WOULD BE THE BEST PERSON OF THESE THREE PEOPLE TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE MOST POWERFUL NATION IN THE WORLD?'"
[...]
"As a minister, I am forbidden by law to tell you how to vote! (I would never do that!) Yet, we all know this law is being broken again and again by many ministers, who are pushing their liberal candidates! I will urge you , 'Do not vote as a Democrat ... and do not vote as a Republican ... BUT AS A CHILD OF GOD BE SURE TO VOTE!'
"As a servant of the most high God, I beg you, 'Do not vote for a 'baby-killer,' or a promoter of the homosexual life-style or someone who will sell-out our freedoms as a nation and as Christians! That does narrow down the candidates!"
[...]
"There are those today (even some who are Christians!) who mistakenly say, 'Christians shouldn't get involved in politics!' For many years this was my position. However, while we were silent, some politicians and the liberal courts stole prayer, Bible reading, the Ten Commandments from our public schools and many more of our freedoms!
"I believe the 'freedom-stealers' have used the mis-application of our First Amendment to try and silence our tongues!
"Our First Amendment actually says, 'Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF!'
"This amendment is very plain to most freedom-loving Americans! In my opinion, these enemies of freedom have twisted this amendment to advance their social and political agenda and to try and 'shut the mouths' of the people like us who want to stand up for what our country stands for!
"While we were sleeping instead of weeping ... while we were playing instead of praying ... while we were feasting instead of fasting, the enemies of freedom have come in and stolen our precious God-given liberties!
"I'm convinced the separation of Church and State will come at the rapture -- when Jesus comes back! If we don't have a rapture real soon, I'm afraid our nation will have a 'rupture!'
"Until then, should we mix Christianity and politics? With so much corruption, lying, deceit and lack of Christian principles and morality in our government, there is no place where Christianity is needed more! We must have more of 'God in our Government', more of 'Christ in our Congress' and 'less sin in our Senate!'"
[...]
"I WANT SOMEONE IN THE WHITE-HOUSE WHO WILL EXPOSE THE WICKED AGENDA OF THE RADICAL MUSLIMS!
"Jesus said it plain -- 'I am the way, the truth and the life ... no one comes to the Father, but by me!' (John 14:6)
"The Muslims tell us 'Mohamed is the only way!' But when Mohamed died, he was buried and his flesh and bones rotted in the grave! However, when Jesus died, He was buried, but the third day, He arose! He lives! He lives! Jesus says, 'I am He that lives and was dead and Behold, I am alive forevermore; and I have the keys of death and hell!' (Rev. 1:18)
"Country after country have already been taken over by these radical Muslims! They lost their freedom of speech, their freedom to vote and their freedom to assemble and worship as a Christian! If we don't use it -- we will lose it! We are on a countdown to Global War ... A nuclear showdown with Iran is coming ... this show-down will affect every person on planet Earth!
"Christians in Muslim nations are now persecuted and murdered! The women and young girls are raped and used to satisfy the sexual desires of their leaders. It is common for some Muslim clerics to have several women and girls as their wives!
"And the ultimate desire of the Muslims is to make the United States a Muslim nation! And today, our nation is fast embracing the Muslim religion! Muslims now get special privileges in many of our public schools and colleges ... they have become school board members ... elected to public office as Alderman and Councilmen in our cities, some are even Senators and Congressmen! Their clerics lead in prayer in the U.S. Congress and Senate in Washington, D.C.
"Now -- GOD FORBID -- We have one of our Presidential candidates who was raised a Muslim ... he was trained in a Muslim school -- he will rarely (if ever!) pledge to our flag if he can avoid it. He is never seen wearing an American Flag on his lapel -- and his middle name is 'Hussein!' And yet he wants to be President of these United States! I say, 'He doesn't qualify to be a dog-catcher!' And his wife appears to be less patriotic then he is!
HERE'S MORE DISTURBING INFORMATION! He doesn't want his middle name used -- ('Hussein'). Why not just use the first letter of his first name (Barack), and the first letter (Obama), of his last name! That would be 'B.O!' That means, 'HE STINKS!' Perhaps, if we would just add the word 'nation' to his last name, we would get the true meaning of who he is -- 'OBAMA-NATION!' That's something to think about.
"He is a good talker -- most politicians are! Some politicians have given new meaning to the word 'air-bag!' But never listen to what a politician says! They will say what you want to hear to get your vote! But after they get into office they do as they please!
"BARACK 'HUSSEIN' OBAMA'S voting record is more liberal than Ted Kennedy's! That should tell you what to expect from an Obama Presidency!
"If Obama is not a Muslim, why are so many Muslims (some are even suspected terrorists!) supporting and backing Obama for President? If he is truly a Christian (as he claims!) would these Muslims be supporting him? You know the answer!
"Be informed ... a Muslim is taught it is alright to lie, if it will advance the Muslim agenda! Mark my words, 'The Muslims' will lie again and again to get their man (or woman) in a position of power and influence!
"Why is Obama pushing so hard to bring our troops home? Why is that so important to him and his supporters? I believe I know why ... the evidence is in, I believe OBAMA IS STILL A MUSLIM IN HIS HEART! He doesn't want his Muslim brothers and sisters killed! In my opinion -- Barack 'Hussein' Obama is posing as a Christian to get your vote!
"If Obama does get into office you will see! Mark my words, if that happens we will have 'hell to pay!'
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, we have at least 35 cities across America with 'HOME-GROWN' ISLAMIC TERRORIST in training! IN TRAINING FOR WHAT? TO ATTACK AND BRING DOWN OUR COUNTRY! THEY ARE PREPARING TO ATTACK NOW! My sources say, they have guns, plenty of ammunition, dynamite, machine guns, AK-47's and high-powered rifles! I am now informed that two of the nineteen Muslim terrorist who attacked us on 9-11 were from one of these 'Muslim terrorist training camps!'
These 'Home-Grown' terrorists compounds are located all over the U.S. You would probably be shocked to know how close they are to you. They are in Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, California, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, West Virginia, Maryland, New York, Washington State, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and several other cities! (I have a map that shows the location of all 35 cities across America where these radical Muslims are in training -- plus, much more information about this! Write or call our Revival Fires office for this map and this shocking information!) You will be shaken to your toes! You will be driven to your knees! You will say with me and millions of others --
"WAKE-UP AMERICA! WAKE-UP AND LOOK-UP! BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!
"I sure don't want a Muslim or a Muslim sympathizer in the White House, do you? I want someone who will expose this awful threat and do something about this planned Muslim take-over of our country!"
In a Memorial Day message on the Revival Fires International website, evangelist Tim Todd, son of Revival Fires founder Cecil Todd, urged his followers to "make an eternal investment into the lives of our U.S. Armed Forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan" by donating money to send Bibles to the troops.
Tim Todd explained why private donations for military Bibles are so desperately needed: "Our government no longer provides Bibles for our troops! Because of the foolish 'separation of church and state' battle going on in this country, our military stopped this years ago."
This is an outright lie, as evidenced by many recent Department of Defense contracts for the purchase of Bibles. Topping the list of Bible contractors are the International Bible Society, with over $450,000 in DoD contracts for Bibles between 2002 and 2007, and Tammy's Bible and Book Store, with close to $300,000 during this same period. Countless smaller contracts, ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, have been awarded to various Christian book dealers and distributors for Bibles and other Christian books.
Todd continued: "However, the U.S. military does give a copy of the Koran to all of our soldiers so they can 'know their enemy.' I say we need to give our soldiers a copy of the Bible so they can 'know their savior!!!'"
Here, too, a simple search of DoD contracts is all that's needed to dispute Tim Todd's claim. If Qur'ans were being given to all of our troops, as Todd would have his readers believe, there would be some record of their purchase, but there isn't. The only government agency to buy the Qur'an in bulk has been the Justice Department, for the use of the F.B.I. There hasn't been a single such DoD contract for the purchase of Qur'ans.
Is there really a Bible shortage among our troops? It certainly doesn't appear so. If the numbers of Bibles claimed to have been shipped to Iraq by all of the organizations sending them were added up, there have actually been more Bibles shipped than troops deployed. And, in addition to the large number of Bibles purchased by the DoD and those sent to Iraq by private organizations, Bibles are freely distributed to untold thousands of basic trainees by ministries such as Campus Crusade for Christ before they're deployed. In fact, so many groups have been distributing Bibles to our soldiers that Eric Horner Ministries, which hands out camouflage covered New Testaments from the International Bible Society, reported in March 2007: "We recently visited Ft Jackson SC for a concert and gave out around 250 copies of the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs to our young soldiers. We had hoped to give out more but we learned there had just been a group on base handing them out as well."
But, while plenty of Bibles seem to be available to those who want them, ministries like Revival Fires have "made it a top priority to see to it that every soldier on foreign soil receives a copy of the Word of God!" -- whether they want one or not. Other organizations have similar evangelistic goals, but Revival Fires is one of the few to have a formal relationship with the U.S. military, shipping, "at the request of the Chief Chaplains of the Pentagon," Bibles "designed and authorized by the Chief Chaplains of the Pentagon" via military airlift to Iraq, and using an active duty U.S. military chaplain to endorse and raise money for their organization.