Thread: Cross found at Air Force Academy's Wicca center

By DeeDee Correll

February 3, 2010
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Reporting from Denver - The Air Force Academy, stung several years ago by accusations of Christian bias, has built a new outdoor worship area for pagans and other practitioners of Earth-based religions.

But its opening, heralded as a sign of a more tolerant religious climate at the academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., was marred by the discovery two weeks ago of a large wooden cross placed there.

"We've been making great progress at the Air Force Academy. This is clearly a setback," said Mikey Weinstein, a 1977 graduate of the academy. He is founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, and has often tangled with the academy over such issues.

Although he credits the academy's superintendent, Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Gould, with an improved climate of religious tolerance, Weinstein criticized other academy officials as trivializing the incident, which he said was not revealed to cadets.

Rhetorically addressing academy officials, Weinstein said Tuesday, "It's been two weeks -- were you going to get around to telling them about this horrible thing that happened, and why haven't you?"

Academy spokesman John Van Winkle said officials reported the situation to those on base and issued a message reiterating the school's policy of religious tolerance and respect.

In a statement, Gould said, "We absolutely will not stand for this type of destructive behavior. I consider this no different than someone writing graffiti on the Cadet Chapel."

In 2004, an academy survey found that many cadets felt that evangelical Christians were imposing their views and harassing non-Christians at the school.

The following year, an Air Force task force determined that there was no overt discrimination but the academy had failed to accommodate the religious needs of some cadets. Since then, the academy has worked to change that, Van Winkle said.

"It boils down to the key issue of respect -- respect for everyone's right to practice their faith as they choose," he said.

Specific steps include the creation of a Cadet Interfaith Council that identifies upcoming religious holidays and helps adjust cadets' schedules to observe them.

The academy -- which also has worship areas for Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish faiths -- already had a designated area for Wiccans, pagans and followers of similar traditions, but it was located on the north end of the 19,000-acre campus and was not easy for cadets to visit, Van Winkle said.

The new site, a collection of stones set in a circle unveiled late last year, is closer to where cadets live and train.

Modern Wicca is a reconstruction of ancient European pagan religions and is based on respect for Earth, nature and the seasons.

On the weekend of Jan. 17, Weinstein said a client of his organization who is based at the academy spotted a cross, constructed of railroad ties, propped against a rock at the center. The client reported it, and the Office of Special Investigations began an inquiry.

The dean of faculty, Brig. Gen. Dana Born, discussed the incident at a Jan. 27 staff meeting, Weinstein said.

Weinstein did not attend the meeting but said that faculty members who did described the official reaction as tepid.

One faculty member, who attended and asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, supported Weinstein's characterization of the meeting.

The reaction would have been stronger, Weinstein said, if another worship center had been involved. Had a swastika been placed in the Jewish center, "heads would be rolling," he said.

Van Winkle said he saw video of Born's address: "She downplayed nothing. She addressed the expectations, the issue and moved on."

Correll writes for The Times.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and- ... 7750.story

Mikey Weinstein was a speaker at an Atheists United for a Rational America event in 2008. He appears to be involved in the changes at the Air Force Academy, and in crafting the new approach.

A.U.R.A. is pleased to announce that the Great American God-Out!, a newly established annual festivity, will take place this year in San Francisco, CA, on November 15, 2008. It is with distinct honor that we also announce Mikey Weinstein, President and Founder of Military Religious Freedom Foundation, will be the guest speaker.

The purpose of the the Great American God-Out! (GAGO) is to encourage people to think about the possibility of morality existing independently of theology and to abide by humanistic principles–live as if there is no god–even if only for one day.

The purpose is also to lobby for genuine separation of church and state and encourage people to acknowledge the proper role of religion in the private sphere.

http://www(dot)godout(dot)org/2008/07/great-american-god-out-2008.html

Psalm 91

[quote]

Given the recent dismissal of the lawsuit against the DoD that asserted Christian favoritism, as well as this example showing the Air Force supporting not one or two, but five distinct faith systems, one would hope that people would finally realize that the military actually does a fairly admirable job of supporting the faith tenets of nearly 3 million total force members.

[b]Still, it remains popular to target Christians in the military as a “promotedâ€

The purpose is also to lobby for genuine separation of church and state and encourage people to acknowledge the proper role of religion in the private sphere.

Separation of church and state.

How disingenuous. Why is it only the Christian community that recognizes the inherent dangers of such a farcical statement?

Could it be because there was no other group capable of creating a nation and a Constitution such as the one which we possess? All others find comfort with a sharp knife, willing to cut off their nose to spite their face?

I heard on the news this morning that the cross being at the wiccan worship area was vandalism of the worst kind.

Should we say exaggeration. They are just trying to stir the waters against Christians, and isn't that the norm today in the liberal media world?

Psalm 91

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeach

Should we say exaggeration. They are just trying to stir the waters against Christians, and isn't that the norm today in the liberal media world?

Psalm 91

Yes they are, however, it is not working , no one is buying the BS and the locals, except for a few atheists, are pumped that the cross was erected on God's great mountain. Since God created earth, the cross should be welcome everywhere is the general opinion

And what book would I look to for insight into the events of today?

All that is going on around us, all of the corruption, politicians that mock our heritage and our Christian roots. Atheism and pagans have gained in numbers, are more vocal, more visible, more destructive towards long accepted norms in our society, and what do we get for all of their efforts?

What do the corporations wish for, a society of atheistic consumers, or a society that questions their motives, products, ethics, and value of their products to society. Have the corporations de-coupled themselves from Christian morality? Where are these atheistic morals and their police forces? Seems a bit late, if at all.

What would the world look like if the Christian influences were to dry up tomorrow and be gone?

Why do atheists and new age pagans think they can latch onto, take possession of, call their own, bits and pieces of Christian morals and apply these to themselves and a society and think that these morals will be propped up by thin air? What force will ensure that these morals borrowed from others will be adhered too? Man? If it is man ALONE that will enforce morality, then society must fear other men. What happens when men walk around fearing other men? Was there not a society that already tried this route?

Yes, I believe that stolen or borrowed morals when applied to a atheistic society can be enforced upon a society. We will just need a dictator. Ultimate authority in the hands of a man? Or is he a god? Perhaps a cabal would work? What would this cabal look like? Would they have a faith or none at all? Who will step forward and take credit for their work?

Divide and conquer seems to work along many different fronts, even religion. What forces understands these tactics? The atheists? Or others?

What would the world look like if the Christian influences were to dry up tomorrow and be gone?

Whoa!!! That is a scary thought.....THANK GOD for Christians!!!

LOL!! No, you're right! A jewish Zombie is definitely better than an alien race flying 707's to the planet earth to seed the planet earth (Scientology) or how about Joseph Smith reading rocks while dictating what God's message is (Mormons). No really, a jewish zombie with telepathic powers is completely the way to go