How Rick Warren's Invocation Made a U.S. Army Officer "Hate Himself"

Not unexpectedly, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) was besieged with emails and phone calls from members of our armed forces today following Rick Warren's invocation. These weren't complaints about the inappropriateness of Warren being chosen to deliver the invocation, or even about the content of Warren's prayer. They were complaints about the pressure put on our servicemen and servicewomen by their superior officers to applaud Rick Warren, whose book The Purpose-Driven Life is second only to the Bible itself as the most promoted religious book by the U.S. military, currently being incorporated into everything from pre- and post-deployment family programs to suicide prevention.

The following is an email from one decorated combat officer, a man with the courage to repeatedly put his life on the line on the battlefield, being wounded twice, but who could not muster the courage to resist the pressure of his "serious and committed born again Christian" commanding officer to applaud Rick Warren. The author of this email is typical of the majority of servicemen and servicewomen who contact MRFF for assistance. Like 96% of MRFF's clients, he is a Christian -- but not the "right" kind of Christian or Christian enough for today's military.

To Mikey Weinstein and MRFF:

My name is (name withheld) and I am a (officer rank withheld) in the U.S. Army currently stationed stateside at Fort (military installation name withheld). I, my spouse and my children are Methodists attending church regularly on both Wednesdays and Sundays. I will always remember today as the low-point of my long (number of years withheld) year career in the Army. I have only myself to blame. Today I firmly established myself as a shameful person. Mikey, I write about 3 things; Rick Warren, my cowardice and your bravery. Today, I watched President Obama's inauguration on the television set up in our Brigade staff conference room. I attended as a member of (unit level designation withheld) staff along with over 40 other senior officers, senior enlisted an few senior Army civilian staffers. There had been much talk here about Pres. Obama's selection of the evangelical pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at the ceremonies.

Our current Commander is a very intolerant and "serious and committed born again Christian" as he always describes himself to all his subordinates. At every military assignment I've ever been to it's always the same thing; if you are not a born again "serious" Christian you are branded as pretty much worthless. My current Commander is bad but not the worst I have seen. I have served 2 combat tours; one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. I have seen those under my command killed and grievously wounded. I was wounded twice. I have been awarded many combat medals and decorations. I have also stood by silently while my combat superiors have openly and repeatedly proselytized me and my troops. I did nothing. I have stood by and watched them continuously proselytize the Iraqis and Afghans. I did nothing.

Today, after Pastor Warren ended his invocation by praying in the name of his personal Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Commander jumped to his feet clapping and yelled "God Bless him for having the courage to pray for all of the lost souls in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ!" About a third of those attending also clapped. I did not. That was until our Commander turned around to survey everyone's reaction to his statement. When that happened, the officer next to me started to clap and the one to my left clapped too. I felt like I was in a spotlight as the Commander looked at me and the female officer in front of me who had also not clapped. Then she clapped. And then I clapped too. I tried not to but could not muster up the strength to be the only one in the room not clapping in support of our Commander and Warren. I know what I should have done but I just couldn't. Despite the many fierce combat situations I have been in, including hand-to-hand, I just couldn't. I hate myself for this failure. I hate myself for my cowardice. I hate myself.

I have heard and read about all of the death and other threats being made against you, your wife and children. I listened to the voice recording of the death threat that you released made against MRFF client Spc. Jeremy Hall. I heard about that church being burned down when you spoke in that town. All of you show bravery especially when the chips are down. I had my chance today and I showed fear and cowardice. I can't stand what I did today. I have been a client of MRFF for over three years now but no one knows it other than my spouse. We are both afraid of anyone finding out. I have heard other Army personnel talk of being MRFF clients but they usually try to keep it very quiet. Everything you are fighting for, Mikey, is the right fight. I'm not guessing and not assuming; I have lived it. I am living it. I will continue to live it. Trying to complain up the chain of command is as useless as filing an IG complaint or other administrative action. No, it's far worse than just useless. It can and will brand the complainer as a target for revenge.

I have seen it happen and fear it could happen to me if I stood up to it. I have a family and am not that far from being able to retire in peace and quiet. MRFF is the only outlet for military people like me. I hope this e-mail message can help other people (there are so many of us) be willing to contact MRFF and allow you to fight on our behalf against the multitudes of "serious and committed born again Christians" who control all of our careers and lives. Your lawsuit is important to us all. Please don't stop your fight and please don't hate me for not fighting. I hate myself enough for everyone.

(name and rank withheld)
Fort (military installation withheld)
(unit designation withheld)

Comments

[arthuride]

Organized religion and its "leaders" have caused more pain and suffering to mortals than any disease or plague in the world's history. From the massive slaughter of women and children in the Book of Joshua and other parts of the Old Testament, to the intraecclesiastical wars of pre-Council of Nicea (called by the Emperor Constantine, not by any bishop), to the infamous Crusades that lead to the "Children's Crusade" and other butchery, to the wars of Suileman and the butchers collectively known as Mohammad, to the KKK attacking Jews, Black churches, and others, to Rick Warren and his "lord Jesus"--bibles, Korans, and other "holy books" (all plagarized from other sources to maintain a highly gullible people who do not want to think for themselves but adopt "faith" and "believe" so they can do as others demand in the name of various deities) the nation and the world are crumbling because of insensitivity and arrogance as the military officer experienced when he was visually singled out by a "superior". I refuse to take a god oath. I think for myself and do not need fables of "everlasting damnation" or a "hell" to make me tell the truth. Boot senior officer out of the military. I have contempt for religious bigots who push their agenda like the cult of Mormon who denied Californians choice. Religion, Freud wrote, is an illusion. Until mortals wake up and rid themselves of this curse, no person will be free.

[jeyges]

Chris,

Does Mikey have connections to this administration? I know that his affiliations in the past have been with conservatives and Republicans. Will he be able to present his evidence? Has he been given reason to believe this administration will discourage proselytizing?

[JCP]

I drove many hours, rode a bike, and walked a good while to get to the inauguration, and it was the singularly most spectacular thing I have ever seen, with one exception - Rick Warren. We ducked into Constitution Hall (just around the corner from the Mall) as part of a lucky overflow crowd of about 5k-10k people who got to stay warm and watch on jumbotrons IN THE WARMTH. The whole crowd in that hall was united in purpose. Cheney and Bush were booed lustily every time their faces were shown. When Warren was announced, I booed as loudly and lustily as I had for Cheney. As it turns out, however, I was the ONLY one in the whole theatre who booed Warren, and I elicited a lot of icy stares and furled brows, and apparently embarrassed my sister in law who is gay and somewhat religious, but especially disfavors the strident atheism expressed by her girlfriend and I. Oh f-ing well. I'm proud of having done it, and now looking back and thanks to this writer, I'm feeling a little brave (a rare thing for a chicken sh-t like me who would wither and die in the face of the real courage exhibited by the anonymous writer).

[DuPageDem]

Military and religious indoctrination both require suspending independent thought. It's natural under the Bush regime that a commander would use one to serve the other. Thank you MRFF for refusing to go along with this groupthink and calling out Obama on his poor choice.

[harkett]

As an evangelical Christian I am shocked by this account - I also find it abhorrent that faith should be forced down the throats of anybody, including servicemen, and a fanatical, often substance-less faith at that, unfortunately. Unfortunately in America, Christianity has become largely an ideology rather than the message of love, forgiveness and acceptance that the Gospel of its founder entails and I am worried at just how objectionable I find a great many Christians, even as a Christian myself - while I still fully stand by the Christian faith ...

Rick Warren was also a surprising choice - his philosophy is far from universally accepted even by evangelicals generally, never mind all of Christendom, but I guess they figured he was a leading Christian figure of the day, which I suppose he is. I also thought his prayer could have been shorter and less like a sermon, but then prayers turning into sermons are a common malaise, alas...

[commnt8r]

I agree. His prayer was a sneaky sermon. Prayer is talking to God. His words seemed to be for the PEOPLE listening, not for God. We call it sneaky announcement time at our church, when somebody prays, "And please bless the council, which will meet Monday night at 7:30 to discuss . . ."

[commnt8r]

You said this so well. Thank you. I am so sorry that this officer was put in this position. So much of what passes for Christianity among right-wingers is light-years from Christ's teachings.

[springsm]

Bravo for this military officer for this letter. Chris Rodda...was his letter handed to the President of the United States 44? Or did the military brass intercept it? Now is the time for Obama to see these idiological disgraces. Later he will be far to busy to pay attention.

[davism97]

What the officer did is understandable. I know what peer pressure in the military feels like. Bravery is much easier against a defined enemy than against someone who we respect and look up to. This officer didn't do anything wrong by clapping (it probably saved his career). It's his commander that is in the wrong.

Let's pray the religious right's days are numbered ...

[SethBLiNK]

A heartbreaking letter. To think that our military command is taking a man who has volunteered to fight for his country and forced such mental anguish upon him.

I know little about these issues and I think it is wonderful that the men and women of MRFF are providing our service people with an alternative to the demogogery that is being forced upon them.

However, i must say that I hope that in their attempt to support our servicepeople, the MRFF isn't putting extra pressure upon them, in the form that this soldier was putting upon himself. It's wonderful when people are ready to stand up and be counted, but until that time, a man or woman who has already signed up to fight for their country and who is obligated to follow orders doesn't need to feel additional pressures that can only forces conflicts in his brain. Alternatives should be made available for him to acknowledge in his own good time.

I hope this brave man (who thinks himself a coward) finds peace.

[springsm]

If you "know little", you have not been paying attention. It is time for us to start finding out about these atrocious behaviors. You might start with the AFA and the fundamentalist beliefs there. Some of this is and has been public for a few years now. This man had to clap I suppose, because commanding officers can kill a career for any number of petty ideas. BUT I wish for himself and the young woman by his side that he would not have. R. W. was about R.W. He is sleazy at the best. And he assumed that every body in that two million crowd was not ony a Christian but HIS kind of Christian. His prayer was only mediocre, but his ego is huge. Obama's staff choice, for whatever reasons. I felt dirty. And I am sorry for the attitudes of our military in pursuing the fundamentalist ways.

[ShinjiIkari]

Gadzooks; I read the man's letter and flashed back to "Full Metal Jacket"--the barracks singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus on Christmas. It's illogical, it's foolish, and "this is the Army and Sarge has all the stripes." (A line from "A Soldier's Story", but the idea is the same. There is no equality in the service; everything revolves around rank.)

Yet we're bothered by Muslim shariah law, while we've just come off of being ruled by "faith-based" fanatics (our own version of shariah) for the past 8 years. Christians, Muslims, and other dogmatists need to learn that the best balance of law on this planet throughout history has been to leaven faith in God with the mind of man. (Obviously I'm not cut out to be in the military, since I'm in my fifties, have a heart condition, and am a Buddhist. But if I'm also to be rejected by the military because I don't embrace the emerging "holy warrior" subculture, I don't think I'm missing much.)

[weatherwaxx]

"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes." Thomas Jefferson, December 6, 1815

And Warren is no exception.

[sisterchristian]

God bless Rick Warren. He did a wonderful job of blessing our nation at the inauguration.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

If it was cut in half... it would have been OK. He talked like he was at His pulpit. (not ours) His message was out-of-touch with the surroundings going on. Maybe a Grade C... like Bush used to get.

B T W sister: You may be out- of- touch as well because your comments have N.O T H I N G
to do with the thread topic. You merely want to ' preach ' like Warren was.
Read the comments... do some listening as well..You are 'preaching' to an empty Room. Move on.

[weatherwaxx]

Like hell he did. Grandstanding blowhard.

[springsm]

Amen to that. His prayer was mediocre until it fell apart. He went overboard selling himself, but with RW it is Kaching kaching for RW.

[espresso4me]

Thank you for this eye-opening letter. I am appalled about this situation of forcing some kind of religious unity upon military personnel. Our men and women have more than enough to deal with rather than having to be bullied into thinking there is only one way to believe--and you better follow it-- or there will be H*LL to pay if you don’t.

This is outrageous and an abridgment of your fundamental rights as an American citizen. My mind is reeling. Thank goodness for MRFF! Thanks Barney Frank. I will certainly follow up and seek more knowledge in this area. Wow, shades of “1984".

[southwindow]

keep your head about you, speak out when you can- don't worry for now, you survive in the military to speak out in the future. stay strong, we value your service.

[johnqsittinzen]

It's bad enough when preachers follow the tanks in, but when some of the tanks are carrying bibles in Arabic, something has gone very, very wrong.

[mommadona]

As a woman veteran, kudos to the letter writer.

I believe he has a Queeg on his hands.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB3stQg6nXg

It's almost impossible to corral these types - with their little fiefdoms set up within the power structure.

It is frustrating.

Chain of command...he should look to the next step.
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/army/l/blchancommand.htm

This is what a country gets with a dysfunctional Commander in Chief humming "Onward Christian Soldiers" in the Scrambled-Egged donned ear.