Tuesday Evening, September 10, 2024

MRFF MILESTONE:

OVER 90,000 CLIENTS SERVED!

AIR FORCE ACADEMY AT IT AGAIN!!!

“NEW LIFE CHURCH” WORSHIP SERVICES FORCED ON CADETS VIA LARGE SCREEN TV IN DINING HALL; MRFF DEMANDS ANSWERS

Veteran journalist and TV news producer Jonathan Larsen (MSNBC, CNN, ABCNews, TYT) covers the latest outrageous acts of Christian supremacy at the U.S. Air Force Academy — fundamentalist Christian worship services from New Life Church streaming to a captive audience on large screen TV in Academy’s dining hall. 

Meanwhile, the Academy’s new Superintendent is throwing up a giant roadblock for the Academy’s Jewish cadets, jeopardizing their participation in the semiannual “Jewish Warrior Weekend” being held this coming weekend at West Point.

New Life Church fundamentalist Christian worship service playing on huge TV screen

in Air Force Academy's Mitchell Hall dining facility. Photo taken by Air Force Academy

cadet and MRFF client on Sunday, September 8, 2024 at approximately 10:30 a.m.

JONATHAN LARSEN

COVERS MRFF

Air Force Academy Allegedly Quashes

Jewish Event While Airing Christian Sermons

Military academy has long history of

subjecting cadets to forced proselytization

By: Jonathan Larsen

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) tells me that a U.S. Air Force Academy cadet claims the school’s leader is stifling a Jewish group activity while sharing evangelical Christian content internally at the academy.

The MRFF is not identifying the USAF cadet who shared the information with the group, but MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein tells me his group is taking action. The USAF Academy did not immediately respond to my request for comment on the MRFF’s allegations.

According to an email the cadet sent to the MRFF, the academy’s superintendent — Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind, a nominee of Pres. Joe Biden — has sat on a request for Jewish students to be allowed to use its gifted funds to attend an event at West Point this weekend.

The event, Jewish Warrior Weekend, is held twice a year at varying locations.

According to the cadet’s email yesterday to MRFF, “The new Superintendent has instituted a policy requiring his personal approval for organizations to use their gifted funds, placing their attendance at this important event in jeopardy.”

As a result, the cadet claims, “Jewish cadets are facing uncertainty regarding their participation.”

By contrast, the cadet claims, the academy under Bauernfeind has subjected cadets, faculty, and staff to explicitly Christian messaging.

On Sunday, according to the cadet, “during breakfast and lunch at Mitchell Hall, a live sermon from New Life Church was broadcast on the large projector screen in the center of the room.”

Inset of MRFF photo showing New Life Church programming and

URL, upper left, as it aired in the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Mitchell Hall.

New Life Church is not only located less than a ten-minute drive from the academy, it was founded by Ted Haggard, best known for his scandal involving a male sex worker and methamphetamines, a scandal he recently repeated at another church he founded.



The day before the sermons aired, Christian rock and rap music were played on the loudspeakers at Falcon Stadium for a football game against San Jose State, the cadet says.

The Air Force Academy has a long, notorious history of top-down Christian proselytization that’s either illegal, violates military guidelines, or both. The Pentagon has a long history of not rectifying it, and there’s no indication Biden put Bauernfeind in place to end it or help the academy personnel victimized by it.

The nomination came as some Democrats, specifically the Congressional Freethought Caucus, have sought to raise the alarm about the dangers of Christian nationalism. Other Democrats, Biden included, have used rhetoric or participated in events, such as the National Prayer Breakfast, that intertwine church and state.

According to Weinstein, the MRFF is representing 154 academy cadets, faculty, and staff on the most recent Air Force Academy issue. The vast majority, 117 of them, are practicing Christians. Others are Jewish, members of other faiths, or not religious, according to Weinstein, who is Jewish and a frequent target, along with the MRFF and his family, of violent, antisemitic threats.

The first class cadet, the equivalent of a college senior, told the MRFF, “It is troubling to witness Christianity being promoted at mandatory events, such as meals and football games, while other faiths face administrative hurdles for participation in their own religious observances.”

In a letter to Bauernfeind that the MRFF shared with me, Weinstein wrote, “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING at USAFA vis-à-vis your disgusting and relentless efforts to promote fundamentalist Christianity?!”

Bauernfeind only assumed command this summer. Already, he has earned MRFF’s wrath more than once.



Last month, the MRFF flagged an Air Force Academy website article promoting a course about C.S. Lewis, the prominent 20th century Christian apologist best known for the allegorical Chronicles of Narnia books.

MRFF Researcher Chris Rodda wrote last month that the academy’s decision to promote that course specifically “has raised the ire of 62 Academy cadets, faculty, staff, and 10th ABW (Air Base Wing) personnel.”

The MRFF told me that neither Bauernfeind nor the Air Force Academy has responded to the complaints.

In his new letter today, Weinstein writes, “MRFF demands that an immediate, transparent and aggressive Air Force investigation be launched from the Air Staff at the Pentagon in D.C. as we surely would never trust YOU to conduct such an inquiry into your own USAFA-directed, malodorous malfeasance, and misfeasance.”

He also calls for the Air Force to punish any personnel, including Bauernfeind, found to have violated First Amendment religious freedoms or military guidelines. Weinstein, an Air Force veteran who attended the academy, specifically cites an Air Force directive that “Leaders at all levels … must ensure their words and actions do not discriminate against any individual or group because of their faith, belief, or absence of belief, or extend preferential treatment for the same.”

Previous coverage of MRFF by Jonathan Larsen

“I would be hard-pressed to even imagine a single person in the United States for whom antisemitism is more quotidian than 

Mikey Weinstein. He and his family are routinely attacked for

being Jewish and have been for years, if not decades. ...

“... So I pay attention when Weinstein writes, as he did on

Thursday, ‘This time it just feels very different.

The anti-Jewish hatred, I mean.’”

— Veteran journalist and TV news producer Jonathan Larsen

on Mikey Weinstein's Daily Kos op-ed

“Jews, Jews, Jews; How Do We Choose?”

E-mail from a Jewish Air Force Academy Cadet on the possibility of not being able to attend “Jewish Warrior Weekend” and the “incredibly offensive” playing of fundamentalist Christian worship services in dining hall

From: (USAF Academy Jewish Cadet/MRFF Client’s e-mail address withheld)

Subject: Jewish Cadet Testimony

Date: September 10, 2024 at 2:21:53 PM MDT

To: "mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org"

Good Afternoon Sir,

My name is (USAFA Jewish cadet’s name withheld), and I am a member of the Jewish Community at USAFA. I was informed of your organization by my friend (USAFA cadet’s name withheld). Recently the new Superintendent has completely overhauled the funding system at USAFA, for all organizations that use gift funds, which has caused us to likely be unable to attend Jewish Warrior Weekend. This is a bi-annual event hosted at the various service academies, which allows Jewish Cadets and Midshipmen from around the country to connect with the entire Jewish military community. Never in past years have we faced this problem, as our attendance at this semester's event is still in the air. All of this comes as this past weekend as I entered the dining facility (Mitchell Hall), I was surprised to see an online church sermon from New Life Church on the Mitchell Hall projector. I find this incredibly offensive, as I call USAFA my home, as I prefer to not be pseudo-proselytized to while I eat my meal. I appreciate your help. I would like to keep my anonymity regarding this issue, and be referred to as “Jewish Cadet.”

Respectfully,

Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx

MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein’s

“Open Letter of Revulsion to the Christian

Nationalist United States Air Force Academy”

sent to Air Force Academy Superintendent

Lieutenant General Tony D. Bauernfiend

September 10, 2024

Lieutenant General Tony D. Bauernfiend

Superintendent

United States Air Force Academy (USAFA)

RE: Egregious First Amendment Violations Under Your “Leadership” at USAFA

Hey, Lt. Gen. Bauernfiend, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING at USAFA vis-à-vis your disgusting and relentless efforts to promote fundamentalist Christianity?!

We at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) had just contacted you a mere 13 days ago (https://conta.cc/4dHNeQq) about yet another shameful promotion of the ”favorite religious faith of USAFA, i.e. Fundamentalist Christianity,” and now you are at it yet again even MORE egregiously??!!

The MRFF is currently representing 154 USAFA faculty, cadets, and staff under your command on this REPULSIVE matter at hand, 117 of them practicing Christian’s themselves. Many of the others are of the Jewish faith, I might add, as well as a number of other minority faith and no faith traditions.

The specific request for help from MRFF below and the accompanying photograph (photo credit belongs to MRFF) details the wretchedness of what is happening under your command at USAFA.

From: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx

Subject: Concerns Regarding Religious Endorsements at USAFA

Date: September 9, 2024 at 7:01:18 PM MDT

To: bekki.miller@militaryreligiousfreedom.org

Cc: mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org, info@militaryreligiousfreedom.org

Good evening,

I am a Firstie at the United States Air Force Academy, and I have encountered several concerning situations this past week that I would like to bring to your attention.

This Sunday, during breakfast and lunch at Mitchell Hall, a live sermon from New Life Church was broadcast on the large projector screen in the center of the room. Additionally, at the football game against San Jose State on Saturday, Christian rock and rap music were played over the loudspeakers. These instances occurred while Jewish cadets are facing uncertainty regarding their participation in Jewish Warrior Weekend at West Point, a bi-annual event for Jewish cadets from all service academies. The new Superintendent has instituted a policy requiring his personal approval for organizations to use their gifted funds, placing their attendance at this important event in jeopardy.

It is troubling to witness Christianity being promoted at mandatory events, such as meals and football games, while other faiths face administrative hurdles for participation in their own religious observances.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Respectfully,

Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx

First Class Cadet

United States Air Force Academy

Attached is a photo of new life church’s live stream at Mitchell hall. Also further context for the football game, both the commandant and the superintendent were present and the music was rather audible.

HOW DARE YOU PIPE THE SUNDAY RELIGIOUS SERMONS ET AL FROM THE FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN MEGA ENTITY, THE “NEW LIFE CHURCH,” LOCATED JUST ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM USAFA, ONTO THE GIANT VIEWING SCREENS OF THE ACADEMY'S CAVERNOUS DINING FACILITY, MITCHELL HALL, WHERE CADETS MUST BE CAPTIVE AUDIENCES THEREIN IF THEY WISH TO EAT THERE??!!

Oh, and nice job on blasting sectarian Christian rap and rock songs over the loudspeaker systems at Falcon Stadium directly prior to USAFA’s football loss to visiting San Jose State 4 days ago. How wonderfully convenient for all those who subscribe to such Christian sectarian precepts! 

By the by, Lt. Gen. Bauernfiend, tell us all about your unwavering support of USAFA’s Jewish cadets to participate in “Jewish Warriors Weekend” at West Point this coming weekend?! I guess if you don’t allow it, these Jewish USAFA cadets can always enjoy a rousing, nonsecular, fundamentalist Christian sermon in Mitchell Hall on Sunday, eh, bro?!

BESIDES SAVAGELY VIOLATING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION’S FIRST AMENDMENT PROHIBITION OF ESTABLISHING RELIGION, AMONG A NUMBER OF OTHER DoD AND USAF DIRECTIVES, INSTRUCTIONS AND REGULATIONS, YOU AND YOUR FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN-ADORING USAFA STAFF ARE IN DIRECT VIOLATION OF AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 1-1, SECTION 2.16.

2.16. Balance of Free Exercise of Religion and Establishment Clause. Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for free exercise of religion and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion. They must ensure their words and actions do not discriminate against any individual or group because of their faith, belief, or absence of belief, or extend preferential treatment for the same. Leaders must ensure that their personal expression is not reasonably associated with their government role, but may engage in such expression per DAFI 52-201, Religious Freedom in the Department of the Air Force. (Emphasis added)

MRFF demands that an immediate, transparent and aggressive Air Force investigation be launched from the Air Staff at the Pentagon in D.C. as we surely would never trust YOU to conduct such an inquiry into your own USAFA-directed, malodorous malfeasance, and misfeasance. 

MRFF further demands punishment! Indeed these public and visible consequences MUST be levied against any and all USAFA personnel, including especially YOU, sir, who are found per this official USAF investigation to have either directly or indirectly supported these rancid, First Amendment No Establishment Clause and DoD/USAF regulatory violations!

You should be miserably ashamed of yourself, sir, and your only 39 days of “senior leadership” at USAFA to date. You have managed to only infinitely buttress the already sorry-as-hell, well earned & decades long, despicable record of USAFA as a willing generator of poisonous, fundamentalist Christian Nationalism.

With great sincerity and no respect whatsoever,

Michael L. “Mikey” Weinstein, Esq.

Founder and President

Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF)

USAFA Graduate, Class of 1977

For a two-decade history of MRFF’s numerous battles against outrageous Christian proselytizing and Christian nationalism at the Air Force Academy, visit:

MRFF’s longest-serving Advisory Board member,

Reverend MeLinda Morton, a former USAF chaplain who

served at the Air Force Academy, shares her reaction to the Academy’s New Life Church dining hall proselytization:

“Twenty years later and NOTHING has changed!”

Mikey,

Why does this sound SO familiar? Twenty years later and NOTHING has changed!

Sermons at mandatory meal formations?? And we need not play semantic games with whether a Sunday Mitchell Hall meal is "mandatory". True, in general, a cadet is not "required" to be seated at a Sunday breakfast or dinner...but where else is a three or four degree to eat on the weekend? Most underclass cadets have no access to private transportation for travel off campus or to other eating venues on-base; even if they had the disposable funds or free time to eat out. Therefore, Mitchell Hall is the only Academy-provided dining option for the Cadet Corps weekend or weekday. Anything presented during these regulated dining periods should be secular in nature. Announcements of optional cadet activities, such as the Cadet Chapel worship schedule may be presented in the same format as other optional scheduled activities. Denominationally specific activities such as retreats, religious study sessions, or other religious activities should be communicated to cadets through denominationally specific email or text lists, and during denominational worship services.

By my count, on any given Sunday morning there are no less than four Christian services held in the Cadet Chapel, three to four more Christian services held at or through the Academy Base Chapel, and numerous Christian churches provide transportation to eligible Cadets who desire to worship off campus in specific religious communities. Any Cadet wishing to hear a conservative Christian sermon has ample on-base and off-base opportunities. (Currently the Cadet Chapel is under renovation. Therefore, these many Christian services may be held at other convenient venues around the Cadet Area.)

Attempting to present one Christian denominational expression as normative for Cadet religious contemplation is a clear sectarian power play destined to divide and weaken the esprit de corps of the entire Academy. Such sectarian intrusions into shared Cadet space demean the sincerely held religious, philosophical, and humanitarian beliefs and practices of other Cadets. All Cadets should respect the right of fellow service members to believe and worship as they choose, as well as the right to not hold or express any particular religious belief. As evidence of the military's high regard for common religious practices, each formal Cadet meal begins with an opportunity for Cadets to silently pray or reflect. However, projecting conservative Christian sermons into common Cadet mealtimes sends an inescapable message that such sectarian speech has the approval of command authority and is privileged religious speech and practice at the U.S. Air Force Academy. 

MeLinda S. Morton, J.D., Ph.D.

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