Tuesday, January 30, 2018
MRFF's FIGHT TO DISINVITE COPELAND JOINED BY:
~ VoteVets.org
~ Americans United for Separation of Church and State
~ Forum on the Military Chaplaincy
"VOTEVETS.ORG" BACKS MRFF WITH PETITION TO DISINVITE KENNETH COPELAND FROM FORT JACKSON'S PRAYER BREAKFAST
"VOTEVETS.ORG" HAS OVER 500,000 SUPPORTERS
IN ALL 50 STATES
Founded in 2006, and backed by over 500,000 supporters, the mission of VoteVets.org is to use public issue campaigns and direct outreach to lawmakers to ensure that troops abroad have what they need to complete their missions, and receive the care they deserve when they get home.
(Screen shot above: Tweet from VoteVets)
AMERICANS UNITED (AU) TWEETS SUPPORT OF MRFF IN FIGHT TO DISINVITE COPELAND
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. AU educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
(Screen shot above: Tweet from Americans United)
"FORUM ON THE MILITARY CHAPLAINCY" FACEBOOK POST SUPPORTS MRFF IN FIGHT TO DISINVITE COPELAND
Forum on the Military Chaplaincy is committed to free and diverse religious expression, and to the sacred traditions of personal integrity, selfless compassion, respect for others, and excellence in leadership.
Quote from Forum on the Military Chaplaincy supports MRFF's fight to disinvite Copeland:
"The Forum on the Military Chaplaincy opposes the invitation of Kenneth Copeland to speak at the Ft Jackson prayer breakfast. While we fully support the exercise of religious freedom, Copeland’s participation will likely
have a negative impact on good order, discipline, morale and unit cohesion."
(Screen shot above: Facebook post from
Forum on the Military Chaplaincy)
COLUMBIA SOUTH CAROLINA's "THE STATE"
COVERS MRFF AGAIN WITH SECOND ARTICLE
Another military group protests televangelist Copeland’s appearance at Fort Jackson
Monday, January 29, 2018
[...]
On Friday, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation wrote a letter to Johnson asking that he rescind the invitation.
The group claimed in the letter that it represents 56 soldiers at the fort, including 45 Protestant or Catholic soldiers who have contacted the group to complain about the visit.
Foundation founder and president Mikey Weinstein told The State newspaper the soldiers asked not be identified for fear of repercussions from superiors.
The two groups cite Copeland's statements about PTSD as well as alleged homophobic and Islamophobic comments in his broadcasts. In addition, his political stances, Weinstein said, erode military cohesiveness and do not conform with Army values.
Fort Jackson, the nation's largest basic training installation, responded to The State on Friday saying that military prayer breakfasts and luncheons have been held since the 1950s and have hosted "religious leaders from many faith traditions and denominations, cultural leaders, and foreign heads of state."
[...]
POWERFUL ARTICLE BY "PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL" OUTLET COVERS MRFF
PTSD-Denying Right-Wing Preacher Will Speak At Army Prayer Breakfast
Sunday, January 28, 2018
[...]
Copeland is expected to be the featured speaker at the Fort Jackson Army prayer breakfast in South Carolina on February 1st.
And many serviceman and women have filed complaints to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which sent a letter to Fort Jackson Commander Major General John P. Johnson asking that they remove Copeland from the event.
Foundation president Michael Weinstein said:
"If you trivialize PTSD, you trivialize the members of the military that have this very serious disease. Is he going to claim next that you can't have traumatic brain injury? Is he going to say at Fort Jackson that PTSD doesn't exist?"
Indeed, Copeland is a controversial "Christian" who has made some very dangerous claims about PTSD, a problem that has caused many veterans to commit suicide. To prevent troops from committing suicide, they need to know that they can get professional help and that that help is far better and more effective than simply converting to a set of religious beliefs.
[...]
WLTX19
COVERS MRFF
Group Opposes Televangelist's Appearance at Ft. Jackson Next Month
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Columbia, SC (WLTX) - A group is opposing Fort Jackson having a well-known televangelist come to speak at a prayer breakfast at the base in February.
Kenneth Copeland, whose broadcasts appear nationally, will be at the event at Fort Jackson on February 1.
Copeland is a televangelist associated with the Charismatic movement. His Texas-based ministries focus on the daily application of the "Word of God."
But the Military Religious Freedom Foundation's founder and president, Michael Weinstein, has sent a letter to Fort Jackson Commanding General John "Pete" Johnson demanding that the invitation be revoked. Weinstein's group says that they have 56 Army members who have asked that the invitation be rescinded.
[...]
STARS AND STRIPES
COVERS MRFF
Group opposes controversial televangelist speaking at Fort Jackson prayer breakfast
Saturday, January 27, 2018
A military religious freedom group is protesting the invitation to televangelist Kenneth Copeland to speak at an annual prayer breakfast at Fort Jackson on Feb. 1.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation has written a letter to Fort Jackson Commander Maj. Gen. John P. "Pete" Johnson asking that he rescind the invitation to the Fort Worth, Texas-based evangelist.
The group claims in the letter that they represent 56 soldiers at the fort, including 32 Protestant or Catholic soldiers who have contacted them to complain about the visit.
Foundation founder and president Mikey Weinstein told The State newspaper on Friday that the soldiers asked not be identified for fear of repercussions from superiors.
They cite what they say are Copeland's statements "trivializing" post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), and alleged homophobic and Islamophobic statements in his broadcasts. In addition, his political stances, Weinstein said, erode military cohesiveness and does not conform with Army values.
"If you trivialize PTSD, you trivialize the members of the military that have this very serious disease," he said. "Is he going to claim next that you can't have traumatic brain injury? Is he going to say at Fort Jackson that PTSD doesn't exist?"
The group also opposes Copeland's visit because of what Weinstein called an "exploitation of the poor for his own aggrandizement and enrichment."
[...]
2016 ARTICLE LEGITIMIZES THE REALITY OF PTSD
A General’s New Mission: Leading a Charge Against PTSD
Friday, October 7, 2016
STUTTGART, Germany — It might have been the 2,000-pound bomb that dropped near him in Afghanistan, killing several comrades. Or maybe it was the helicopter crash he managed to survive. It could have been the battlefield explosions that detonated all around him over eight combat tours.
Whatever the cause, the symptoms were clear. Brig. Gen. Donald C. Bolduc suffered frequent headaches. He was moody. He could not sleep. He was out of sorts; even his balance was off. He realized it every time he walked down the street holding hands with his wife, Sharon, leaning into her just a little too close.
Despite all the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, it took 12 years from his first battlefield trauma for him to seek care. After all, he thought, he was a Green Beret in the Army's Special Forces. He needed to be tough.
[...]
"ANGRY STAFF OFFICER" TWEETS ANGER ABOUT ARMY'S LACK OF COMMON SENSE
"Angry Staff Officer" has over 26,000 Twitter followers
MRFF COVERED BY THE SNIDE WEASELS AT WEASEL ZIPPERS
Military Religious Freedom Foundation Opposes Televangelist Kenneth Copeland Speaking At Fort Jackson Prayer Breakfast
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Mikey needs to get a life.
Via The State:
A military religious freedom group is protesting the invitation to televangelist Kenneth Copeland to speak at an annual prayer breakfast at Fort Jackson on Feb. 1.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation has written a letter to Fort Jackson Commander Maj. Gen. John P. "Pete" Johnson asking that he rescind the invitation to the Fort Worth, Texas-based evangelist.
The group claims in the letter that they represent 56 soldiers at the fort, including 32 Protestant or Catholic soldiers who have contacted them to complain about the visit.
Foundation founder and president Mikey Weinstein told The State newspaper on Friday that the soldiers asked not be identified for fear of repercussions from superiors. [...]
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