The Air Force Reserve might as well have come out and said: ‘Anxious about the coronavirus? You need to find Jesus!’
On March 19, the Air Force Reserve posted on their official Facebook page and YouTube channel one of the most overt proselytizing videos in the recent memory of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF). The video, titled “Spiritual Resiliency – Meaning & Purpose,” consisted of nearly seven minutes of in-your-face Christian proselytizing, introduced on Facebook with a statement that began: “We can all use some spiritual resilience in this challenging time.”
Among the airman featured in the video, one Air Force captain, giving his Christian testimony, proclaimed that every decision he makes is based on his belief that “the judge is the Lord” and that he is “saved through the blood of his son, Jesus.”
That captain was immediately followed by a second captain stating, in answer to the question of “What brings you purpose and meaning?” – “The short answer would be Jesus.”
And while the Air Force has disingenuously sworn up and down since it began using the term “Spiritual Resiliency” ten years ago that “spiritual” does not mean religion, the video trumpets that it is “religious beliefs and practices” that have a plethora of wellness benefits.
The video also features a favorite quote among Christian nationalists about the military — a quote that comes from from General George C. Marshall:
“Unless the soldier’s soul sustains him he cannot be relied on and will fail himself and his commander and his country in the end.”
Yes, if you are a service member who happens not to believe in a soul, you are “less than” — you will fail your commander and your country!
This shameless video was first reported to MRFF by one of its DoD clients on Thursday, the day it was posted. MRFF founder and president Mikey Weinstein swiftly composed a letter to the Secretary of the Air Force, which was sent via email on Friday, demanding that the video be taken down, and as of yesterday it had been removed from both the Air Force Reserve Facebook page and YouTube channel.
We, however, had saved a copy for posterity:
MRFF’s demand letter to the Secretary of the Air Force:
Friday, March 20, 2020
Barbara M. Barrett
Secretary of the Air Force
1670 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1670
RE: Official demand to remove Christian proselytizing video from AF Reserve Facebook page
Secretary Barrett,
I have a very simple question: What part of Air Force Instruction (AFI) 1-1 does the United States Air Force Reserve not understand?
Section 2.12 of that Instruction clearly and unambiguously states (unnecessary emphasis added):
“Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for their own free exercise of religion, including individual expressions of religious beliefs, and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion. They must ensure their words and actions cannot reasonably be construed to be officially endorsing or disapproving of, or extending preferential treatment for any faith, belief, or absence of belief.”
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) has received complaints about a disgraceful video apparently just posted within the last 24 hours on the official Air Force Reserve Facebook page (March 19, 2020) titled “Spiritual Resiliency – Meaning & Purpose.” ( https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1063981737303546 )
This video, created by Air Force Reserve Public Affairs, is a nearly seven-minute-long parade of overt, odious, sectarian Christian proselytizing, with airman after airman, both enlisted and officers, delivering their personal Christian “witness testimony.” Indeed, one USAF Captain proclaims in this video that every decision he makes is based on his belief that “the judge is the Lord” and that he is “saved through the blood of his son, Jesus,” followed immediately by another USAF Captain stating, in answer to the question of “What brings you purpose and meaning?” – “The short answer would be Jesus.”
The United States Air Force has insisted ad nauseam that the so-called “Spiritual” pillar of Comprehensive Airman Fitness does not necessarily mean religion. Nevertheless, this revolting video brazenly promotes ONLY “religious beliefs and practices,” and particularly ONLY CHRISTIAN beliefs, as the unquestionably preferred form of “spirituality.” (In this regard, please take careful note that AFI 1-1, Section 2.12, supra, specifically includes in its mandates the words “… or absence of belief.”)
Adding to the egregiousness of this video’s unlawful promulgation of Christian supremacy in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, the language used in the posting of the video is being taken as the Air Force Reserve’s blatant and shameless exploiting of fears over the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic as an opportunity to proselytize, with the Facebook post beginning: “We can all use some spiritual resilience in this challenging time.”
Madame Secretary, additionally, please tell all of us at MRFF how this fundamentalist Christian bludgeoning-tool video in ANY way supports the USAF’s renowned Core Values, which are, as I presume you know, “Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence In All we Do”? In fact, this video viciously rips asunder those three USAF Core Values!
Look, Secretary Barrett, there IS most assuredly a time, place, and manner for personal religious expression by USAF active duty, reserve, and national guard airmen. However, the shocking placement of this noxious Christian triumphalism proselytizing video on the official Facebook page of the Air Force Reserve is ABSOLUTELY the literal poster child of he WRONG time, place, and manner of such religious expression!
Let me make this MRFF demand very easy for you to understand, Secretary Barrett:
IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THAT WRETCHEDLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND TOTALLY ILLICIT CHRISTIAN SUPREMACY PROSELYTIZING VIDEO FROM THE AIR FORCE RESERVE FACEBOOK PAGE & REMOVE IT NOW!
If the USAF cannot even follow the clear and simple mandates of one of its primary and foundational regulatory provisions, i.e. AFI 1-1, how can it possibly be expected to do ANYTHING else correctly?
Failure to remove that unconstitutional Christian proselytizing video from the Air Force Reserve Facebook page will result in both formal and official IG and EEO complaints being lodged against you, the Air Force, and the Air Force Reserve as well as aggressive follow-on Federal litigation should the EEO and IG complaints not timely ameliorate this sordid matter.
MRFF eagerly awaits your timely decision.
Sincerely,
Michael l. “Mikey” Weinstein, Esq.
Founder and President
Military Religious Freedom Foundation
CC: Dr. Mark T. Esper, Secretary of Defense
General David L. Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force
Lt. General Richard W. Scobee, Chief of the United States Air Force Reserve
Lt. General Jeffrey A. Rockwell, United States Air Force Judge Advocate General