US Military Crusades in Middle East-Really!!!

So
It's being going on for 1000 years

It also goes the other way. Christians are leaving the ME in droves. The only place in the ME where the Chrisitian population is rising is Israel

Diana Hignutt said:

Still, to me, it seems VERY wrong for OUR military to be attempting to convert local Muslims to Christianity on OUR dime. If the soldiers want to go back after their tours of duty, on their time and dime, that's on them. This activity that American troops are engaged in makes the opposition forces correct--We are the Crusaders, like it or not. It makes us a great deal less safe and violates our core principles.

That should scare the BeJezzus out of everyone.

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QFT. That it doesn't scare people scares the BeJezzus out of me.

there should be no official policy geared towards proselytizing to any population and any reports of it should be investigated and those found to be doing it should be disciplined.

Diana Hignutt said:

Still, to me, it seems VERY wrong for OUR military to be attempting to convert local Muslims to Christianity on OUR dime. If the soldiers want to go back after their tours of duty, on their time and dime, that's on them. This activity that American troops are engaged in makes the opposition forces correct--We are the Crusaders, like it or not. It makes us a great deal less safe and violates our core principles.

That should scare the BeJezzus out of everyone.

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William Haskins said:

there should be no official policy geared towards proselytizing to any population and any reports of it should be investigated and those found to be doing it should be disciplined.

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I agree in general, though I completely disagree with the bolded part. I was just pointing out that while this incident will recieve ample attention, my original point will go largely ignored.

Here's the scoop, the Christian Right have taken control of our military and are using our Middle East presence to give out bibles and attempt to convert the locals.

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That's a little over the top. The links you provide indicate that some military service members are witnessing to the locals and handing out bibles, albeit in an organized fashion.

Is it wrong? In my opinion, heck yes. And Hensley and the like should be investigated and probably booted out of the service, dishonorably if possible.

But it doesn't look like they've "taken control" of the military.

Diana Hignutt said:

Your original point doesn't fall under US jurisdiction (well, yet, I guess)...

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I was not referring to criminal prosecution

Those horrible Christians. . . doing those terrible things. Why aren't those soldiers over there doing something worthwhile, like say, sacrificing goats??

The US Military is NOT crusading in the Middle East. Bullshit title, and a bullshit brush stroke to include a whole lot of people who aren't even remotely involved.

The Army has also unveiled it's new uniform.

tiny terror said:

The US Military is NOT crusading in the Middle East. Bullshit title, and a bullshit brush stroke to include a whole lot of people who aren't even remotely involved.

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Yup. I think so.

Diana Hignutt said:

Okay, but, they seem to be trying to take control of our military, and if this shit is going on so openly, then I think the case is strong that, at least to some degree, they have already established a foothold toward that end.

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Diana Hignutt said:

You're making fun of this situation, which shocks me completely. Yes, using the apparatus of our military and taxpayer money to attempt to convert Muslims in their own country to Christainity, is horrible.

Ask Haskins if he likes paying people to evangelsize. I don't. People who already believe that that's what we're there to do. It's absolutely making a bad situation worse.

But, laugh it off if you like.

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Diana, seriously. Talk about a crusade. . . .

A number of weeks ago I was in a Christian run - something like an import - store, but with arts and crafts and clothing promoted as "nonexploitive," meaning that the artisans were paid a fair wage, and sometimes their photographs were exhibited along with the items they had made. They were from all over the world. It's a great store. I talked to a person involved in running it for quite awhile. When it was time for me to leave, she handed me a Bible. I thanked her. It was such a kind gesture. If the same woman had handed me a Koran because it was a Muslim run store, I would have been equally as touched.

The few soldiers involved aren't filling their machine guns full of New Testament and strafing the crowd. If they give out Bibles, so what??
I'm sure the a lot of the recipients simply do/did what I did. It's not as if the soldiers were threatening them, "here, read this or else. . . ."

Given all the nasty things military personnel can be accused of, this is pretty low level stuff, and frankly, I don't even believe a couple of your sources. It seems to me a gross exaggeration for the express purpose to Christian bash.

Communists subverted our Congress. We subverted the military. Shit happens.

tiny terror said:

The US Military is NOT crusading in the Middle East. Bullshit title, and a bullshit brush stroke to include a whole lot of people who aren't even remotely involved.

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Yeah, personal views aside, I'm sensing a Chicken Little reaction, too.

considering some, if not all of your "sources" come from organizations that believe Christianity is a blight on the face of the earth, forgive me for not taking it seriously at all.

unless the military is purchasing and issuing these Bibles to each soldier with direct orders to convert the "heathen", it's a personal choice each soldier makes. Some hand out candy, some seem to prefer handing out Bibles.

if they were handing out Korans or some other religious tract that wasn't Christian-based I'm willing to bet that they'd be applauded for the "multi-cultural" attempt to "help" the residents from the same sites.