The Air Force announced on Thursday that the words “so help me God” were an optional part of the oath after an atheist airman crossed out the words on his reenlistment paperwork. Military officials had initially refused to accept the paperwork, but Department of Defense General Counsel eventually ruled that the words could be omitted.
Although the American Humanist Association had represented the airman, Robertson on Thursday blamed Military Religious Freedom Foundation President Mikey Weinstein for the movement against religion in the armed services.
“There’s a left-wing radical named Mikey Weinstein who has got a group about people against religion or whatever he calls it, and he has just terrorized the armed forces,” Robertson opined. “You think you’re supposed to be tough, you’re supposed to defend us, and you got one little Jewish radical who is scaring the pants off of you.”
“You want these guys flying the airplanes to defend us when you got one little guy terrorizing them?” he asked. “That’s what it amounts to.”
“You know, we swear oaths. And ‘so help me God,’ well, what does it mean? It means with God’s help, and you don’t have to say you believe in God. You just say, ‘I want some help besides myself [with] the oath I’m taking.’”
The televangelist concluded that the entire situation was “crazy.”
“What is wrong with the Air Force? How can they fly the bombers to defend us if they cave to one little guy?”
Pat Robertson sees an enemy under every rock, it appears. It’s easy to forget that Robertson was also the spiritual and academic leader of one Bob McDonnell, our former governor who is now awaiting sentencing for corruption. Robertson really should just be very, very quiet these days.
Even though the American Humanist Association led the charge on this particular case, Mikey Weinstein, founder of Military Religious Freedom Foundation, is the one getting the blame.
Just who is Mikey Weinstein? According to the MRFF website:
Mikey is a 1977 Honor Graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. Mikey has been married for over 37 years to his wife, Bonnie. He is the proud parent of two sons, one daughter and one granddaughter. His oldest son and daughter-in-law are 2004 Graduates, Mikey’s youngest son graduated in the Class of 2007, and his son-in-law is a 2010 graduate from the Air Force Academy. Seven total members of Mikey’s family have attended the Academy. His father is a distinguished graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Mikey served for more than 10 years with the Judge Advocate General (“JAG”) Corps.
Mikey has his political roots in the Reagan administration where he served as legal council. He formed Military Religious Freedom Foundation after his Jewish kids who attended the Air Force Academy were subjected to harassment from peers and staff because they were not Christian. Mikey’s story can been seen in the documentary film Constantine’s Sword.
At any rate, good for the Air Force Academy for dropping the mandatory requirement that the words “so help me God” be used as part of the oath of office when joining or rejoining the Air Force. Doing otherwise very clearly becomes a Constitutional issue. Mandatory religious observance really has no place in America. All religious observation should be voluntary. Conversion at the end of a sword just doesn’t seem Constitutional.
Robertson’s an embarassment to his God … what he says is irrelevant to mainstream American thought. It’s probably a bad idea to engage in much thinking or talking about the guy.
Except as, you know, proof perfect that his God doesn’t really exist. If he did, presumably he wouldn’t let Robertson carry on like this in his name.
The USAF didn’t cave in to one little guy. They got orders from the DOD to make the “so help me God” portion of the oath optional in order to end problems with the enlistment of non-believers. USAF believers can still take the full oath and, if they find themselves in trouble someday in the wild blue yonder, still do as the Greatest Generation and sing: “Comin’ In on a Wing and a Prayer.”
Heywood Broun: “Nobody talks so constantly about God as those who insist that there is no God”
Perhaps some people who believe in both God and the first amendment elect to omit “so help me God.” I seriously don’t believe religion and government are a good mix.
I don’t think Mikey had anything to do with this. He is just someone to demonize.
The other three branches make it optional.
What other three branches?
@Moon-howler
Army, Navy, Marines.
What if you want to be air force? Are you suggesting there is no place at the table if you aren’t willing to acknowledge God.
@Moon-howler
No…I’m just pointing out that the Navy, Marines, and Army make that sort of oath optional. There are different versions.
So, this change to the Air Force oath should be no big deal.
It should change. The AF has a really bad reputation for shoving God down people’s throats.