Tuesday, March 19, AD 2024 1:05am

You Catholic Extremist!

army-extremism

Hattip to Ed Morrissey at Hot Air.  Your tax dollars at work:

A slideshow presentation shown to US Army Reserve recruits classifies Christians, including both evangelicals and Roman Catholics, as religious extremists, placing them in the same category as skinheads, the Ku Klux Klan, Hamas and Al Qaeda.

The presentation also warned that members of the military are prohibited from taking leadership roles in any organization the Pentagon considers ‘extremist,’ and from distributing the organization’s literature, whether on or off a military installation.

The opening slide warns that ‘the rise in hate crimes and extremism outside the military may be an indication of internal issues all [armed] services will have to face.’

Citing a Southern Poverty Law Center report as evidence that extremism is on the rise, the Army Reserve presentation blames ‘the superheated fears generated by economic dislocation, a proliferation of demonizing conspiracy theories,the changing racial make-up of America and the prospect of 4 more years under a black president who many on the far right view as an enemy to their country.’

Nice to know that the Army has people in it who are paranoid as some of the loonier far Left web sites.  The resulting furor caused the Pentagon to issue this statement:

An Army spokesperson said the presentation “was  produced by an   individual without anyone in the chain of command’s knowledge  or   permission.” The Army removed the offending  slide after receiving   complaints.

The person responsible for the presentation, the spokesperson said,   “was  not a subject matter expert, and produced the material after   conducting  Internet research.”

Hogwash.  The significance of this time waster presentation, and the Green Machine has always been big on time wasting, turgid presentations to bored troops, is the clear political slant.  The officer preparing this assumed that such a slant would be what the higher ups wanted to hear.  One should never forget that the careerists in the military always outnumber the heroes, and bashing Christians and Conservatives is the way to attract favorable attention from the Leftist powers that be who currently control the  military.  The current administration views Christians and Conservatives as the enemy, and too many promotion hungry officers are perfectly willing to fall into step behind whatever banner will advance their career.

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OrchardVille
OrchardVille
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 6:18am

Isn’t that scary? It’s like they’re testing waters; checking how the public will react to the slide; calling Catholicism extremist. If the public reacted in favor of the slide, then Catholicism’s/Catholics’ safety will be in danger because it encourages masses to form into mobs to attack the Catholics; telling themselves that they’re doing it for the good of society. Same thing happened during during the French Revolution. For now the leftists’ attempt to brand Catholicism “extremist” is subdued, but evil does not rest, so surely, this will happen again, the leftists will brand Catholicism “extremist”, until the leftists succeed.

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Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 6:23am

[…] Stein: Are We Really Alone? – Jeff McLeod, Catholic Stand You Catholic Extremist! – Donald McClarey, TAC Damnable Heresies – Allison, Catholic Sistas The Better […]

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Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 6:31am

[…] Stein: Are We Really Alone? – Jeff McLeod, Catholic Stand You Catholic Extremist! – Donald McClarey, TAC Damnable Heresies – Allison, Catholic Sistas The Better (Catholic […]

Anil Wang
Anil Wang
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 6:55am

A bit odd that Catholicism as classified as “Catholicism (US/Christian)”, implying that American Catholicism is extreme but not global Catholicism.

A half century ago it would have been written “Catholicism (Vatican/Whore of Babylon)”.

Howard
Howard
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 8:13am

He removed the slide and apologized. Case closed. Or so we are told.

If this had been a slide praising praising the KKK, or condemning unions as extremist, or even (more plausibly) identifying Jeremiah Wright and his followers as dangerous extremists, would a mere nominal apology have sufficed?

SYWink
SYWink
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 9:15am

Guess I’ll point this out to my nephew, a priest, who talks about going into the army from time to time. I’ve never thought about the priesthood as a career limiting factor before.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 10:26am

The second clue about the wickedness of the presentation is its citation of a so-called “study” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is a Leninist/Stalinist front group filled with covert, violent revolutionaries.

Of course, this is their tactic. Psychologists call it “projection.” They fabricate charges against others that are analogous to their planned evil acts.

However, that “economic dislocation” thingy is correct. Four more years of this “black president” (President DroneKiller) and his horrible policies will complete the wrecking of the “evil, unjust private sector economy.” Four more years and there will be nothing left.

That is a reason for the current popularity of “zombie”/alien invasion (no, not undocumented democrats) movies and TV series. They likely are prophetic.

Pray for the best. Prepare for the worst.

Pat
Pat
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 12:46pm

More pathetic, costly government management failures for the blown budget landfill.
( not to mention the irresponsible, bigoted definitions therefore furthering the contagion of mental disorders which are the unspoken excuse for all the latest gun control efforts )

Art Deco
Art Deco
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 1:21pm

The second clue about the wickedness of the presentation is its citation of a so-called “study” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is a Leninist/Stalinist front group filled with covert, violent revolutionaries.

Um, no. It is a seedy direct mail mill whose institutional purpose is financing Mrs. Morris Dees’ taste for expensive knick-knacks. This has been known for some time. That the newspapers quote the SPLC as if it were something other than a mercenary operation says something about the diligence or integrity of reporters and editors.

Clinton
Clinton
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 2:38pm

It’s a curious policy for the army to allow presentations to be cooked up by
someone ‘not a subject matter expert’ and ‘without anyone in the chain of
command’s knowledge or permission’. Pray tell, then on what authority were
the recruits ordered to attend? How often do these so-called ‘not a subject
matter experts’ (NASMEs) give their crappy presentations without any sort
of oversight? Can anyone just walk in off the street and indoctrinate recruits?

If it is true that this presentation was cooked up and given by some random
NASME without oversight or sanction, then shouldn’t the officer actually in
charge of those recruits’ training be charged with dereliction of his duty?
The army’s glib ‘explanation’ of this snafu doesn’t add up.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 3:41pm

AD: SPLC is vital. It contributes to the narrative.

Pravda = truth = that which advances the revolution.

Paul W Primavera
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 4:13pm

We should have no issue with being classified as religious extremists. Jesus Christ was an extremist, so much so that He told Pontius Pilate that His Kingdom is not of this world, and thus submitted Himself to crucifixion. St. Paul was an extremist, saying in Philippians 1:21-23, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” And St. Ignatius of Antioch was an extremist, saying in his letter to the Romans, “I am writing to all the Churches and I enjoin all, that I am dying willingly for God’s sake, if only you do not prevent it. I beg you, do not do me an untimely kindness. Allow me to be eaten by the beasts, which are my way of reaching to God. I am God’s wheat, and I am to be ground by the teeth of wild beasts, so that I may become the pure bread of Christ.”

Jesus Himself declared in John 15:18-19, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Based on this, we should want to be hated by this world. As 1st John 2:15-17 states, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever.”

Alphatron Shinyskullus
Alphatron Shinyskullus
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 4:18pm

“Isn’t that scary? It’s like they’re testing waters; checking how the public will react to the slide; calling Catholicism extremist.” Bingo, OrchardVille! That’s what they are doing. Or at least it will have that effect. There is a concerted effort to marginalize Catholics and evangelicals underway, and this was part of it.

David Spaulding
David Spaulding
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 6:31pm

The inclusion of “Ultra-Orthodox Jews” is odd.

We aren’t alone in this presenter’s eyes. Apparently distinctions between similar things is a problem. Hopefully the soldier’s main job isn’t identifying aircraft.

trackback
Wednesday, April 10, AD 2013 6:42pm

[…] not considered “newsworthy” … Catholicism has been classified as “religious extremism” by the US Army Reserves. The Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services is not […]

Foxfier
Admin
Thursday, April 11, AD 2013 1:44am

It’s a curious policy for the army to allow presentations to be cooked up by
someone ‘not a subject matter expert’ and ‘without anyone in the chain of
command’s knowledge or permission’. Pray tell, then on what authority were
the recruits ordered to attend? How often do these so-called ‘not a subject
matter experts’ (NASMEs) give their crappy presentations without any sort
of oversight? Can anyone just walk in off the street and indoctrinate recruits?

Pretty standard, actually.

I was in charge of training most of the time– Navy side, it’s a collateral duty, and I don’t see it being any different Army side.

You get told to make a presentation on a subject, you try to find something to fill up the time, usually everybody sleeps through the thing and then signs off that they did their yearly training in X topic.

Just in this case the gal who made it (I believe I heard it was a gal?) was dumb enough to go to the SPLC site and try to be creative.

No idea if it was an officer or enlisted, but I would not be surprised if it was a female reservist officer who got her college paid for and chose something very PC.
(Lest folks thing I’m dumping on Army, my first division officer was a shiny little airheaded guy who got his degree in submersed textile manufacture… AKA, Underwater Basket Weaving. He’d blink and brightly tell you that the senior chief he was in ROTC under had suggested it. I managed not to laugh. This is the same guy who was utterly horrified that I had a W sticker on my car, because “she seems like such a NICE girl!”)

Tom Davis
Tom Davis
Thursday, April 11, AD 2013 7:00am

Mr Primavera, your post that begins “We should have no issue with being classified as religious extremists…” is so very true, and is a bit beside the point.

We as American Christians need to take your message to heart, because we need to remain faithful to the teachings of our religion. We need to remember this.

But, we as Christian Americans do our country no good if we give any ground to those who seek to marginalize us. Doing so may make our faith pure but it leads to a further coarsening of our society, to the detriment of all who do not share our faith. Paradoxically we need to avoid the temptation to turn inward and to use our faith as mere consolation.

eddie too
eddie too
Thursday, April 11, AD 2013 3:13pm

what good is a command that does not know what is going on?

maybe we should get rid of the military?

CatholicLawyer
CatholicLawyer
Thursday, April 11, AD 2013 3:52pm

Typical of poor leadership – they do not take responsibility for their lack of leadership and violate Army Leadership Principles, Characteristics, Training and Doctrine:
[Leaders] also take full responsibility for their actions and those of their subordinates. (FM 6-22)
Accept responsibility for organizational performance. Credit subordinates for good performance. Take responsibility for and correct poor performance. (FM 22-100)
Give credit for success to others and accept responsibility for failure themselves. (FM 22-100)
Take responsibility for decisions and actions. (FM 22-100)
Accept responsibility for mistakes and shortcomings. (FM 22-100)
Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions (Army Leadership Principles)
Know your soldiers and look out for their welfare. This is one of the most important of the principles. You should know your soldiers and how they react to different situations. This knowledge can save lives. A soldier who is nervous and lacks self-confidence should never be put in a situation where an important, instant decision must be made. Knowledge of your soldiers’ personalities will enable you, as the leader, to decide how to best handle each soldier and determine when close supervision is needed. (Army Leadership Principles)

Closer supervision was needed here.

CatholicLawyer
CatholicLawyer
Thursday, April 11, AD 2013 4:33pm

‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.”

It is better to be “extreme” than to be “inoffensive”, neither hot nor cold.

Jon
Jon
Thursday, April 11, AD 2013 5:32pm

It seems the one who devised the list classifies authentic people of orthodox faiths alongside destructive terrorists! I find that incredibly weird.

Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Thursday, April 11, AD 2013 5:35pm

Let them show up at my door. I will show them the meaning of extremist.

Our government stinks, and anyone who would use the Southern Poverty Law Center as a source belongs in a mental hospital.

Proteios1
Proteios1
Thursday, April 11, AD 2013 9:15pm

I disagree with everything I’m reading here. First of all, the us military is a once, but no longer proud organization. They have been fractured from the inside by the gay agenda, internal corruption, graft and a lack of focus as to their role in america. They can’t get enough recruits offering a years pay signing bonus. And. 90% of it is just civilian jobs. It is hurting and weakening and is a better reflection of initial fracture like the Church is experiencing with liberal Catholics. Consequently, some left leaning hack probably did 15 minutes of prep and googles the hate groups and comes across the left lauded splc link which appears atop google search. They paste it in there and read it. This is sad, but no different than some priest having liturgical dancers. Actually both are sad. The hierarchy of the military is disinterested and worried about career prospects and schmoozing for more funds. They don’t care. D whatever. If there are complaints. Stop. It could hurt my appropriation.
This isn’t the military that won WW2. This isn’t the Church pre-Vat2.
They are weak willed. Disorganized. Fractured and with the exception of a small dedicated group amongst them. Who also probably want to take it back to former glory. It’s mainly populated by cowards who conform….actually I forgot if I was talking military or church…or church militant.

Foxfier
Admin
Thursday, April 11, AD 2013 9:56pm

They can’t get enough recruits offering a years pay signing bonus.

That is not true; sadly, a lot of what I’m reading about the military from folks who aren’t already known here is about as well informed.

Ever get the idea that you managed to googlebomb on accident, Donald?

CatholicLawyer
CatholicLawyer
Friday, April 12, AD 2013 9:06am

When less than 1% is currently serving and less than 10% have ever been in the military there will be a disconnect between the ppl and the ones who serve. One would hope the disconnect would benefit the military in that they would not suffer the same problems as the population in general but it does not appear that this is true. When I was in, there was a feeling by some leaders that a “good” war would get rid of all the hangers-on/politicians/marginal performers that the military accumulates. I always wondered at what cost – how many had to die because of the incompentence of others.

Greg Mockeridge
Greg Mockeridge
Saturday, April 13, AD 2013 11:13am

“Actually I would encourage all faithful Catholics interested in a military career to join up.”

I would encourage all those with a readitional value/conservative mindset to join the military. I would also encourage them to consider civilian careers in teh government as a whole. We can talk about how morally wretched our governemnt is becoming and how much we need to cut spending until we are six shades of blue in the face. But if we don’t amke a concerted effort to get control of the bureacracies that run our governemtn as much as our elected leaders actually don’t, the left will still determine how what money is left over and still be able to use the government as a means to advance the moral decay with impunity.

To do otherwise is to simply cede [the military] to the Left…

I regret to inform you Donald that has already happened in large measure. The political correctness that has run amok in the military with the repeal of DADT (I favor the pre-DADT outright ban on homosexuals in the military myself), forcing male soldiers to go through the day with a strap-on bun-in-the-oven (you know you are getting old if you ever heard that phrase) as an empathy exercise, and women in combat will garuntee our demise if this is not only staved but reversed. Of course, let us not forget Gen. Casey (who was Army Joint Chief at the time I believe) being more worried about “diversity” in the wake Ft. Hood terrorist attack than he was about the fact that it was…well…a terrorist attack. I regret pointing out that the opposition of the GOP leadership on these matters has been practically, if not theoretically, non-existent.

“.. and that has already occurred with too many institutions in our society”

As I say in my comments above, I think we need to make a concerted effort to fight for some control over these other institutions like Dept. of State, Justice, and yes Defense. Anyone who has served in the military and/or worked for DoD in a civilian capacity understands that the suits (civilians) run the Defense Dept and hence the military, not the brass (uniformed military). And yes those suits are mostly worn by leftists.

Greg Mockeridge
Greg Mockeridge
Saturday, April 13, AD 2013 11:23am

“When I was in Army ROTC the official line was that we should never fear offending higher ups with the truth. Then we quickly learned outside of the classroom that telling superiors what they didn’t want to hear could lead to a career ending bad evaluation.”

True. However, I had Engineering Officer I worked for on my first ship that if you held your ground and were right, it actually upped your stock in his eyes. But the catch was you had better be right, because woe unto thee if you were wrong. But I was just a low rnaking enlisted man and was a LT (0-3 in the Navy) who was an old school Mustang (prior enlisted) who ran boats up and and down the Delta in Vietnam. A demanding boss, but great to work for.

trackback
Tuesday, April 30, AD 2013 6:33am

[…] carelessness;  third time is enemy action.  Faithful readers of this blog will recall this post here about an Army briefing which labeled Christians, including Catholics, as extremists.  Another […]

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