Another problem with these concerts, besides the issues like soldiers being punished for choosing not to attend them, is that they are run by the commanders, and not the chaplains' offices. It is absolutely permissible for a chaplain's office to put on a Christian concert. It is not permissible for the command to put on a Christian concert, or any other religious event. Having a religious concert series that is actually called and promoted as a Commanding General's Concert Series is completely over the top.
And then there's the cost. These concerts aren't just small events with local Christian bands. We're talking about the top, nationally known, award-winning Christian artists, with headline acts costing anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000, and even many of the opening acts being in the $10,000 range.
The cost of these concerts led MRFF's research department to start looking at some of the DoD contracts for other "spiritual fitness" events and programs, and what we found was astounding. One contract, for example, awarded to an outside consulting firm to provide "spiritual fitness" services, was for $3.5 million.
Unfuckingbelievable. I don't have anything clever to say about this. Millions of dollars of tax money spent on proselytizing to our troops, those same troops receiving inadequate care for their trauma and injury, those same troops protected by separation of church and state- you know, the Constitution they're supposed to be defending? Yeah, that.
The government sponsoring it is bad enough. Punishing soldiers for not attending is even worse. I'm not sure why there hasn't been a lawsuit filed to stop this.
ReplyDeleteMy tax dollars are being used, can I file a lawsuit?
ReplyDeleteI just found out over at Dispatches from the Culture Wars that the band in question was BarlowGirl.
ReplyDeleteImagine Miley Cyrus, but singing about Jesus. Then imagine a whole bunch of military people sitting out in the audience. My assumption is that the commanding officer who did this genuinely hates the troops.
troops aren't allowed to sue the government.
ReplyDeletebut there has to be SOMETHING. i mean, for fuck's sake, not just atheists, but jewish, muslim, hindu, pagan, native - i don't even KNOW how many religions are currently represented in the US military...!
Christian fundamentalists will stop at nothing to shove their religious beliefs down other peoples' throats. This is an example of how often corruption and Christianity go together.
ReplyDeleteThats alot of money being used and are not properly used. sad to hear that.
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