XPost: ba.politics, dc.media, soc.penpals   
   XPost: alt.burningman   
   From: dickchan@qwest.com   
      
   Is it time to line up atheists and start eradicating them?   
   Almost.   
      
   Bible Baptist Church in Carthage, Missouri is a small country   
   church bursting with American pride. Old Glory is posted in the   
   sanctuary. And every morning at summer youth camp, the teenagers   
   pledge allegiance and sing the national anthem.   
      
   Patriotic holidays are big doings at Bible Baptist. On Memorial   
   Day, the church ladies put out quite a spread – fried chicken,   
   potato salad. Veterans would wear their uniforms and the   
   preacher would salute them during the morning worship service.   
      
   “We are a very patriotic church,” Pastor Kent Hogan told me. “We   
   love America. We love this country.”   
      
   So it was not that big of a surprise when the church decided to   
   honor the military during their annual Vacation Bible School.   
   The theme was “God’s Rescue Squad.” And each day of the week,   
   the church invited local “rescue squads” to visit with the boys   
   and girls.   
      
   The paramedics came on Monday and on Tuesday, the fire   
   department showed up. The boys and girls were taught how to   
   stop, drop and roll. On Wednesday, the Jasper County Sheriff’s   
   Dept. brought their K-9 unit..   
      
   But our story picks up with what happened on Thursday. That was   
   the day when the church was supposed to honor the National   
   Guard. They had invited troops from the nearby armory to drop by   
   with one of their Humvees.   
      
   “We were going to thank them for protecting our religious   
   liberty,” said Pastor Hogan. “It was more of a promotion for the   
   military – to show the kids what the military does.”   
      
   But the National Guard did not visit Bible Baptist Church on   
   Thursday night, and the reason why has caused great anger and   
   frustration among church members.   
      
   “We were told it was against military policy for National Guard   
   troops to participate in Vacation Bible School,” Pastor Hogan   
   said. “They said if the National Guard had assets on church   
   property it would look like the National Guard is sponsoring the   
   Baptist religion.”   
      
   Pastor Hogan said he was dumbfounded.   
      
   “We are right in the middle of the United States of America,”   
   the pastor said. “We are part of the Bible Belt. You read about   
   this stuff going on in big cities. But in Carthage?”   
      
   The pastor said the military was concerned about people getting   
   offended by the sight of National Guard troops visiting a church.   
      
   “They said they didn’t want to offend anybody. Well, it’s   
   offended our whole church.”   
      
   So Pastor Hogan reached out to his state representative – a   
   Republican named Mike Kelley. Kelley then called the adjunct   
   general of the Missouri National Guard.   
      
   “They told me that federal policy prohibits them from doing   
   anything with any specific church,” Kelley said. “The guys on   
   the state level did everything they could. I have great respect   
   for our local Missouri National Guard. But we are dealing with   
   an over-burdensome federal regulation.”   
      
   The Missouri National Guard did not return my calls for comment   
   – but it doesn’t matter. Kelley sent me a copy of the Army   
   regulation.   
      
   It states: “Army participation must not selectively benefit (or   
   appear to benefit) any person, group, or corporation (whether   
   profit or nonprofit); religion, sect, religious or sectarian   
   group, or quasi-religious or ideological movement.”   
      
   The policy also states that troops are to avoid any activities   
   that might involve or appear to involve the promotion,   
   endorsement, or sponsorship of any religious or sectarian   
   movement.   
      
   Rep. Kelley told me he is incredibly disappointed with the   
   federal policy and feels especially bad for the church.   
      
   “He (Pastor Hogan) basically got blown off by the federal   
   government,” Kelley said.   
      
   Several members of the Missouri National Guard told me they were   
   disgusted by what happened. They only agreed to be quoted   
   provided I not disclose their identities.   
      
   “I can tell you I’m ashamed and embarrassed right now,” one   
   Guardsman said. ‘This isn’t the military I signed up for.”   
      
   Other soldiers said it was extremely disappointing and   
   embarrassing.   
      
   “We had a lot of disappointed kiddos because of the National   
   Guard being unwilling to allow a Humvee and a few soldiers to   
   spend an hour at a Baptist Church,” another Guardsman said. “It   
   makes we wonder what I’m actually fighting for.”   
      
   But I believe this soldier’s observations and analysis truly sum   
   up our nation’s current state of affairs.   
      
   “I will never understand why it’s okay for the military to march   
   in a gay pride parade but not be allowed to spend an hour   
   talking to children who look up to them (soldiers),” the   
   Guardsman said. “I honestly never thought I’d see the day that   
   this would happen in my hometown.”   
      
   In June, the Department of Defense gave permission for a   
   military color guard to march in Washington, D.C.’s gay pride   
   parade. It marked the first time in history the U.S. Army   
   Military District of Washington participated in the parade.   
      
   Pastor Hogan said the entire incident is both appalling and   
   ludicrous.   
      
   “I don’t think most Americans realize how much their religious   
   liberty is in jeopardy,” he said. “If they did this to us – how   
   bad is it somewhere else? This is not just a big city issue.   
   This is a small town America issue. Americans need to wake up.”   
      
   Welcome to the age of enlightenment, Pastor Hogan - where the   
   military can march in a gay pride parade but they can’t hang out   
   with six-year-olds at Vacation Bible School.   
      
      
   Todd Starnes is host of Fox News & Commentary, heard on hundreds   
   of radio stations. Sign up for his American Dispatch newsletter,   
   be sure to join his Facebook page, and follow him on Twitter.   
   His latest book is "God Less America."   
      
   http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/07/25/military-bars-troops-   
   from-attending-vacation-bible-school/?intcmp=obnetwork   
      
       
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)