For nearly two decades, the U.S. Army has provided an honor guard for the Independence Day celebration at Abilene Baptist Church in Augusta, GA, a church that predates the founding of America. Sadly, that tradition has been brought to an end. Officials at Fort Gordon have decided they will not send an honor guard to the July 5th services at the church because it would be a violation of military policy.
In a lame attempt to justify the decision, Public Affairs Officer J.C. Mathews stated that officials at Fort Gordon and the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate reviewed the church’s request and determined that the event was “a religious service.” Here’s how he explained it:
“While there are conditions under which the Army can participate in events conducted at a house of worship, we cannot participate in the context of a religious service.”
Oh the horror! A religious service in a church? So I guess J.C. Mathews–interesting initials under the circumstances–is saying is that it’s OK for the Army to go to an event held at a church as long as you don’t pray, mention Jesus or read the Bible.
For the record, this isn’t just any church. Abilene Baptist Church was founded in 1774 and is one of Georgia’s most historic churches. The founding pastor was arrested by a colonial magistrate for “preaching in Georgia” and the first pastor, Reverend Loveless Savage, was a chaplain in the Revolutionary Army.
Considering the history, how did it come to this? According to the Fort Gordon Public Affairs Office, it is the result of Army Regulation 360-1–dated May 2011–which states that Army participation must not selectively benefit (or appear to benefit) any religious group. It also mandates that Army Public Affairs not support any event involving the promotion, endorsement or sponsorship of a religious movement.
From the gay mafia to the military, the assault on Christians and Christianity in America is on the rise. Christian service members are being disciplined for reading their Bibles and talking about their faith. Obama’s military has been engaged in training programs equating Christianity to al-Qaeda, and threatening chaplains with court-martial for calling homosexuality a sin.
We live in a time where political correctness in America is wildly out of control, and Obama’s military has become one of the most politically-correct institutions in America, creating an increasingly unfriendly place for Christians.
In the meantime: while the Pentagon has a serious problem with allowing an honor guard to set foot in a church where soldiers might be exposed to radical ideas like prayer and faith, they apparently have no problem with exposing them to the radical pro-homosexual movement.
For the first time in history, the Department of Defense gave permission for an honor guard to participate in Washington, D.C.’s gay pride parade last year, and an honor guard is expected to march in the 2015 Capital Pride parade.
