Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Last week I reprinted an email sent to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation by a West Point grad and active duty Army officer about his many experiences of having Christianity forced on him through mandatory prayers and his religious freedom violated repeatedly. On Monday, I received an email from another military officer currently serving in Iraq. He wrote:
I am another officer in our Christian military. I am currently serving in Baghdad and came across your post. I couldn't agree more with what was said. It's a sad state that I never expected when I signed up, and is one of the factors that has contributed to my decision to leave the military next May when my commitment runs out.
His email contained more that I am not including here, including a picture that will absolutely blow your mind in light of the things we have seen from the military over the last few years. Despite Gen. Tommy Franks' explicit order that no proselytization take place in the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan and despite the very public fretting from the Pentagon over any actions that might send a message to the Muslims in those countries and around the world that the US is engaged in a holy war of Christianity against Islam, we have seen almost constant violations of those policies. We've seen chaplains and soldiers and officers handing out evangelizing material to the local populations, including Bibles and tracts, written in the local languages, for example.
But now we've got evidence of even more than that. I'm not going to reveal what it is now because I have forwarded it on to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and I am going to allow them to go public with it first and use it first for their work behind the scenes with Pentagon officials. Suffice to say that they got very, very excited about the picture that I sent them. I got an immediate response saying, "You have no idea how important this is and how perfect the timing is." So stay tuned. Hopefully before the end of the week you'll have all the details.
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But of course you do. Have a good idea of those things, I mean. Good work on your part to recognize the importance of what you received and to forward it on to the right people. We'll be looking forward to hearing the details.
Posted by: JuliaL | August 25, 2009 9:17 AM
I can't wait to see this picture.....What could possibly be worse then all the other stuff that has come out
Posted by: Will | August 25, 2009 9:25 AM
You're killing me with this tease.
On a similar note, when are we going to find out what Chris Rodda found about Klingenschmitt?
Posted by: FishyFred | August 25, 2009 9:58 AM
Will we shit bricks?
Posted by: djfav | August 25, 2009 10:10 AM
You'd think military discipline would teach clearly what 'No' means. My kids learned it at an early age. A few periodic reminders and things went pretty smoothly. When Franks says 'No' proselytizing, these guys still do this shit? Chain of command my ass. They have jesus at the top post and listen to nothing else. Poor way to run anything let alone an army.
Posted by: MikeMa | August 25, 2009 10:16 AM
Ah, innocence.
Posted by: D. C. Sessions | August 25, 2009 10:22 AM
I'm sure that the blogs resident schmuck, Mr. JD, will be along to poo poo this latest revelation. The question is, when is the current administration going to do something about it?
Posted by: SLC | August 25, 2009 10:29 AM
BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE INTERWEBS!
Seriously, great work Ed. Sometimes I lament how easy the internet has made it for crazy people, idiots and bigots to spread misinformation and lies. It's really refreshing to see it work the other way too.
Posted by: peaches | August 25, 2009 11:21 AM
Of course any hash treatment of soldiers found proselytizing will be immediately taken as persecution of the faithful and proof that Obama is a Muslim with an anti-Christian agenda.
Posted by: Art | August 25, 2009 12:06 PM
I can't possibly think of what could be worse than writing "Jesus Killed Mohammed" on a tank.
Posted by: Iason Ouabache | August 25, 2009 12:15 PM
MikeMA - of course military training teaches the concept of "no." However, it also teaches the concept of "no - (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)." Off-topic example - training on illegal use of weapons often noted that a .50 cal was not an anti-personnel weapon, it was to be used against vehicles and equipment only. This was normally followed up by noting that rifles, backpacks, and LBE harnesses are equipment.
Posted by: BobApril | August 25, 2009 12:25 PM
Fishy Fred:
The rest of the Klingenschmitt story was published by Jason Leopold at the following address:
http://pubrecord.org/religion/3355/ex-chaplain-offered-sacrifice-jesus/
Posted by: CAPT Norm Holcomb, CHC, USN (Ret) | August 25, 2009 12:30 PM
Actually, that's only the beginning of the rest of the Klingenschmitt story that Jason published. There are a couple more bombshells coming. Stay tuned!
Posted by: Ed Brayton | August 25, 2009 12:34 PM
Capt. Norm:
Thanks for the link. Klingenshmidt is such an asshalo. I love it when "victims" turn out to be lying Sacks-O-Crap.
Posted by: democommie | August 25, 2009 1:35 PM
Klingenshmidt is such an asshalo.
Ooh, thank you for that coinage! It so perfectly fits those (like Klingy) who make a career out of being major assholes in the name of their religion.
Posted by: Eamon Knight | August 25, 2009 2:37 PM
Eamon Knight:
Damn, I didn't think to do "asshalo™", I wonder if I can still own it? I thought it had to be in the public domain!
Posted by: democommie | August 25, 2009 3:50 PM
Asshalo? So asshats aren't good enough anymore? Is an asshalo like a holier-than-thou asshole?
Posted by: Gretchen | August 25, 2009 5:56 PM
Gretchen asks:
I didn't read it as holier-than-thou. Instead I read it that they wear a halo around their ass.
Posted by: Michael Heath | August 25, 2009 6:21 PM
Michael Heath & Gretchen:
Since neither of you is profane as a rule you would not be expected to know that an asshat and an asshalo are similar. In both cases, the headwear is replaced by their anus.
Posted by: democommie | August 25, 2009 8:38 PM
SLC: The question is, when is the current administration going to do something about it?
Of course not. That would be against the spirit of bipartisanship
Posted by: Captain Obvious | August 26, 2009 6:17 AM
Capt. O to the rescue! I laughed before the sad truth hit.
Posted by: trog69 | August 26, 2009 9:11 AM
So, about that picture..
Posted by: DB | September 21, 2009 5:05 PM