In the spirit of the New Year and my goal to make a clear message available…I am no longer going to use the confusing small ‘c’ to spell ‘c’hristian when I am referring to heretical Christian Dominionists. Too many were getting snagged up on whether I am anti-Christian because of the overt subtleness of that distinction.
So I am now going to consistently use a clearer spelling – “Khristian”. And if this continues to cause confusion? Well, those folks will just have to move along. I make it abundantly obvious in repeated phraseology that I am NOT anti-Christian. So let me re-phrase this more clearly…I AM anti-Khristian!
Using this new term…here is an article about a Krusader for Khrist, one Colonel Donald P. Higgins of the United States Air Force.
With permission from Mikey Weinstein at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, I am re-posting this in its entirety. I must say that it always give me encouragement when I see others writing on Christian Dominionism and its inherent dangers.I especially appreciate when I see articles like this that point out how ridiculously obvious they are…yet so many continue to protest their very existence. Notice the rank of this officer…
Defenders of Christ and War
It’s takes a sense of entitlement to kill someone, more so to self-consciously prepare to kill someone. Some serving in the U.S. military seeing themselves on a holy mission from a Christian God are up to the task, a little too enthusiastically for Americans who want their country officially secular and substantively humanistic.
Concerns about a growing dominionist Christian movement seeking to control the U.S. military academies and foreign policy persist as America continues its two or three wars in what many fundamentalist American Christians consider a holy battle against Islam.
I’m hoping one episode from last year pertaining to military-dominionist Christians gets cleared up.
Last year, I wrote a piece, The Crusades, Still Killing for Christ, about the the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) and its founder and president, Mikey Weinstein working for a military free of religious coercion. The piece attracted the attention and comments of one gentleman named “Donnie” who proceeded to badmouth the MRFF and Weinstein.
The funny thing is, this anonymous Donnie bears a striking resemblance in tone and language to one Col Donald P. Higgins, “the key, on-scene, Inspector General investigator for the Department of Defense/United States Air Force in the 2005 investigation” of Weinstein’s charges of religions coercion and proselytizing at the United States Air Force Academy.
Higgins appears a nut who, after investigating anti-Semitism and proselytizing at the United States Air Force Academy actually sent e-mails to Weinstein last year composed of fabricated news articles mocking Weinstein, prompting a Sept. 2, 2009 response letter by Weinstein to U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. [See Fake, Col Higgins-authored Washington TimesArticle, and Fake, Col Higgins-authored New York Times Article.]
Same guy making comments to the The Crusades, Still Killing for Christ piece?
I did a trace on the Internet Provider (IP) address and this Donnie was commenting from an IP address at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton, 1.7 miles from Col Donald Higgins’ home in rural Arkansas near Pine Bluff.
I asked Weinstein about the comments and said, ““If this is [Col.] Higgins, he is one crazy case. I can’t believe the IG’s office would assign Higgins as an investigator looking into proselytizing and religious coercion. Is this the same guy?”
Weinstein didn’t know for sure and Higgins refused to return phone calls.
Donnie responded to a query asking if his name is Higgins with this comment (reading in part):That is certainly not my name, Leon. Are you a lawyer? Are you going to sue me to shut me up? That seems to be the favored MRFF tactic whenever someone uses facts to disagree with Weinstein or his mouthpieces like you–at least that’s the way I read his vicious propaganda.
Thinking this matter might get cleared up some time this year.
- via mal contends
My husband served in the military and retired after 21 yrs. He was a chaplain's assistant. My husband said that the evanaglicas are a nasty group of people. He knows what he speaks since he was in a position to work with many chaplains. Before my husband retired in 95 and when the country went to war during desert storm the military were very sensitive to the chaplains not wearing the crosses on the BDUs not to offend the muslim countries. I don't know how it is today. But I do notice a change. I think there is a place for a chaplain but not stepping over the line.
southernyankee said: "He was a chaplain's assistant. My husband said that the evanaglicas are a nasty group of people." Wow. Your husband said that? He needs to write a book, or at least an op/ed piece about what it was like to be a chaplain' asst in an "evangelical" military climate. The military needs more elucidating voices. The adjective "nasty" is an interesting word choice as evidenced by the definition of the word:
–adjective
1. physically filthy; disgustingly unclean: a nasty pigsty of a room.
2. offensive to taste or smell; nauseating.
3. offensive; objectionable: a nasty habit.
4. vicious, spiteful, or ugly: a nasty dog; a nasty rumor.
5. bad or hard to deal with, encounter, undergo, etc.; dangerous; serious: a nasty cut; a nasty accident.
6. very unpleasant or disagreeable: nasty weather.
7. morally filthy; obscene; indecent: a nasty word.
I can't begin to tell you what a euphoric high I am getting, knowing that my monthly donation to MRFF is going to fight these disgusting dirtbags.
I can't begin to tell you what a euphoric high I am getting, knowing that my monthly donation to MRFF is going to fight these disgusting dirtbags.
First of all, many thanks to your husband and to you as well for his service. I mean that sincerely. The sensitivity you speak of not only does not exist today, it has gone around the bend and being overtly offensive to other faiths (including non-evangelical Christians) is encouraged and supported. It is truly unbelievable and inexcusable…
The problem isn't term confusion. Its that your words, and the words of others, indicate that you include "C"hristians in your "c"/K terms.
As an example, when you call someone a "'c'hristian dominionist"–when you know only that they are Christian, not whether or not they believe in a dominionist theology–then it doesn't matter how many times you say "I'm not anti-Christian." The rest of your words seem to say otherwise.
"Leah NEVER calls anyone a dominionist without knowing EXACTLY what their belief system is and how they tie into a dominionist church or organization."
Since you're choosing to speak for her, care to explain how she knows EXACTLY what Higgins' belief system is, and how he ties into dominionism?
Roger….
Looks like you need to add working on reading skills, too. I'm not speaking for Leah – I'm speaking about her.
We already covered this territory on your last visit here. It's obvious you didn't bother to follow my suggestion at the time, so I'm not going to sit here and keep repeating myself. You're just a troll who appears to have Mikey on your Google alert radar. You want to agitate not learn. Move along JD, there's nothing for you here.
The same way we know that you have an obsessive thorn in your proverbial paw when it comes to MRFF and the fight for religious freedoms in this country. Your hostility is showing and you are not contributing productively to this conversation. I have zero interest in debating religious freedoms, and freedom FROM religion with those like yourself who have guzzled the kool aid and follow the Phalse Prophets. I will pray that God teach you tolerance, compassion and kindness…
My issue is religious freedom in the military; the MRFF is incidental to that. It was my issue before they existed. Truthfully, they seem more obsessed with me than I with them.
You admit, then, that you DON'T know what Higgins' religion is. You've simply decided that he meets YOUR definitions and terminology. So even though he has publicly expressed nothing in line with a dominionist theology, you have decided he believes that. THAT is the way people begin to believe you are more than just "anti-Khristian," because YOU call people "Khristian" based on your own whims, and you may include people who are not.
It's good to see you're so open to differing opinions. How open minded of you.
I will be sure to pass that along to Mikey that you are an ally! That is wonderful news! It is an uphill battle to fight religious extremism…even when it is carrying a cross. I am so glad to know that you are supportive of a military that has members from ALL religious faiths – or none at all. That is religious freedom. Thank you for you work JD!
This really hit a nerve with me. My mother, a strong but almost shy person, once staged her own small protest in church. We went every Sunday to our southern Virginia Episcopal church. This was pretty radical the late 1950s, before "protests" became THE THING to do.
Two of the hymns we sang were "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" and "Onward Christian Soldiers." When one of these appeared in the bulletin, Mother would refuse to sing, but would stand with her mouth in a grim, straight line through all the verses.
One Sunday after service, the minister asked her why she wasn't singing that morning. She replied, "I have always been told that Jesus was a man of peace. I do not believe that he would condone sending out men to fight in His name, and I have no intention of encouraging such a thing."
She died eight years ago, but she would be so pleased that there are people willing to "protest" this outrage.
Thank you so much for sharing that story…I will share your comment directly with Mikey Weinstein. He needs to hear these positive stories thrown in with all the vitriolic email he gets!
Yes…and such clever scumbags who are so proficient at disguise. Who woulda thunk that "Donnie" would EVER be tied to Donald?
Leah –
I like your idea. I was always confused – not by the lower case "c," but by the quotes around it. I just have always spelled it christian, christ, god, &c – even at the beginning of a sentence – in order to show that I believe this kind of thing does not deserve any special attention.
In keeping with this meme, I intend to spell it "khristian," since that makes the most sense to me. (I have also adopted The Token Hippie's term, "repuglican" to denote the political party currently in thrall to the khristian Dominionists. Check out her blog – she has a take on the Tiger Woods scandal that will make you spit out your coffee. )
http://onehippiesopinion.blogspot.com/
Jim
OMG – that really was hysterical! Thanks
Great feedback Jim! That is what I want…for you all to jump in with suggestions as well. Lower k it shall be. I am sticking to Rebiblican as that is truly who we have issue with. I vote dem, but I do appreciate the divergent views of true secular republicans…the ones that USED to run the Party. I want them back. It always takes two sides to find that middle! Now, I am on my way to check out her site…thank you
You're just full of it, JD. How come the only time you show up around here is when Leah is running a post about Mikey and MRFF? Could it be that you're one of those dominionist Christians with a grudge against Mikey? Leah NEVER calls anyone a dominionist without knowing EXACTLY what their belief system is and how they tie into a dominionist church or organization. Since your own web site, God and Country, doesn't seem to be getting much attention, and post after post has 0 comments, I suggest you head on back there and a.) find something interesting to write about, b.) learn the art and science of research and documentation, and c.) work on your people skills.
Hi, I just stumbled onto this site today. Glad to hear you are outing these "cardboard" Khristians. As someone who was raised in a Evangelical Protestant church, attended Bible school and eventually went to a Catholic High School and studied four years of Theology, the current crop of those you call Khristians are the farthest thing from what I was taught the faith meant as a child.
As my mother used to say, "they are cardboard Christians" which meant, "Christian in name only". Please keep up the good work! We must keep the Military safe from a theocratic influence. I am also the child of a soldier, the sibling of several soldiers and the parent of a soldier and most of all I am an American who believes in our Constitution and the Freedoms we all are guaranteed. Thanks again!