warned superior officers that personal expressions of faith could be misunderstood as official statements.

Oh we can't have that! What's the point of achieving superior officer status if you can't use it to make official statements of religious dogma?

The first amendment applies to both speech and religion. How about that! Next thing you know someone will bring up the history of sectarian military chaplains and the damage they've done to our boys in harms way. "Keep those rosaries of our...whatever".

"Fox holes"

Here's my full reply.

It is noteworthy that the article never mentioned two things:

1. There is no free speech in the military.

2. Religious tests for offices of public trust in the US are strictly prohibited. (US Constitution, Article VI).

On that ground alone, officers' expression of personal religious belief are completely out of bounds.

Yes, soldiers have no right not to be exposed to certain speech and there is no test being applied.

Soldiers have no right to use their commission to preach their religion to a captive audience. Anyone who doesn't understand that has no business being in the military.

Our soldiers are fighting for that religion--it's important that they be united behind it.

OJ:

Perhaps you should familiarize yourself with the Constition:

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do Ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

BTW, you also completely misunderstand free speech as it applies to the military.

As I mentioned above, there is no such thing.

In its place is "equal speech."

Should the military allow a Captain Dobson, it must also allow Captain Dawkins.

One can only imagine the shrill evangelical whining in the event.

There is no stench quite so nauseating as that of hypocrisy.

No, we don't have to allow anything. We do encourage Evangelicals.

The military was not extablished to defend Christianity, it was established to defend the United States and its Constitution, which never mentions God. You have to be wilfully obtuse, or disingenuous, not to get the distinction.

We encourage more than evangelicals.

The military exists to secure the Blessings of Liberty.

Commanders have never had much trouble understanding that they're Crusaders:

Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have
striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The
hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.
In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on
other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war
machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of
Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well
equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of
1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats,
in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their
strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home
Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions
of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.
The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to
Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in
battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great
and noble undertaking.

SIGNED: Dwight D. Eisenhower, 6 June 1944

OJ:

Why do you keep altering and deleting my posts?

[Lack of interest.]