Welcome to our Theocracy

From NPR: Religious Group's Ties to Pentagon Questioned

A military watchdog group is asking the Pentagon whether senior uniformed officers had permission to appear in a video endorsing an evangelical Christian group. The Christian Embassy is an evangelical missionary group focused on government workers in Washington, DC. The group's recent promotional video features endorsements from several prominent military officers.

The Video can be found here.

The Christian Embassy says on their website that, "We believe that by caring for people in positions of influence we help make a positive, eternal difference in the lives of those they serve." Notice that they do not mention the poor, the sick, or the least among us. They are there to empower the leaders of the country and the world to spread the word of god. The group also claims to be a non-denominational group serving the perpose of general spirituality. But all one has to do is watch the video to see that all the members use the phrase, "my savior Jesus Christ who died on the cross for my sins." That phrase is repeated over and over again in the 10 minute video. It is repeated by high ranking officers in the US military while in FULL UNIFORM.

More from the NPR story:

In response, another group, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, is preparing a possible class-action lawsuit against the Pentagon for what lawyer Michael Weinstein calls "the creation of a theocracy, of a particular fundamentalist perspective within our own military branches."

The foundation says a core of evangelicals are gaining influence at the Pentagon, and violating military policies. It cites Wednesday-morning prayer sessions in the Pentagon's executive dining room, which features speakers from the Christian Embassy.

The Pentagon released a statement Monday insisting it does not endorse any religious viewpoint or organization. But the Defense Department also promised to review the promotional video. In it, Brig. Gen. Vince Brooks and seven other uniformed officers endorse the Christian Embassy.

At first glance, the story may not seem like that big of a deal. Until you watch the video that is. The video has elements that are downright scary. I found myself thinking that we aren't in danger of being a theocracy, we are a theocracy. There is an Army Chaplain towards the end of the video who preaches that we need more good Christian people to fight the 'war on terror'. I find the dirty marriage of government and religion that's being flaunted in this video downright disturbing. It is not that these people are Christians, but that they are infusing their religion with government and military affairs. There is no law against going to Church and believing the way you want, but there is a law against being in uniform and endorsing a certain religion's or group's worldview.

Everyone needs to watch the video, especially if you are wary of the increasing influence of the evangelical right on our government and military. Also, Tom Delay makes an appearance about 8 minutes in.

Update: Washington Post and C&L have more.