Memo to Christian Troops: ‘We’ve Got Your Back’

When NBA basketball player Jason Collins recently announced to the world that he’s sexually attracted to other men, Michelle Obama tweeted, “So proud of you, Jason Collins! This is a huge step forward for our country. We’ve got your back!” Jason even got a personal call from the president.

Lovely.

But even as the Obama administration is busy validating lifestyle choices and values that fly in the face of sexual morality, this president is just as busy undermining the free exercise of the very Christian faith that dares to acknowledge morality even exists.

President Obama’s Pentagon recently released a statement threatening military personnel: “Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense … Court Martials and nonjudicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis.”

Although the Pentagon has walked back its new anti-Christian “proselytizing” policy within the realm of public relations (a policy drafted in concert with foul-mouthed atheist and anti-Christian bigot Mikey Weinstein), the Department of Defense (DoD) has yet to offer evidence that it intends to walk it back within the realm of application.

Merriam-Webster defines proselytization as an attempt “to recruit or convert especially to a new faith, institution, or cause.” Sounds an awful lot like the Pentagon is threatening to court-martial any service member who obeys Christ’s central command to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). Hard to read it any other way.

And so, to any member of the armed services who is harassed, demeaned, reprimanded or charged by this Obama Pentagon with obeying Jesus—with endeavoring to “recruit or convert” others to His exclusive saving grace—we at Liberty Counsel are delighted to say, “We’ve got your back!” Free of charge. Pro bono legal defense.

How are we able to do this? Through the generous financial and prayer support of more than 1.2 million Liberty Counsel donors and supporters. So please, get this information to every member of the armed forces you know. If you (or they) are being persecuted in any way at any time for sharing the love of Christ, let us know. Call us right away at 1-800-671-1776, or email us at [email protected].

“Making it a crime to share your faith is outrageous and morally unconscionable,” says Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “There has never been an administration more committed to its secularist philosophy at the expense of religious liberty. Liberty Counsel will do whatever is necessary to defend the religious liberty of our men and women who defend our liberties in the armed services.” 

You’re trained to fight. So are we. You risk your lives to defend us every day. Let us risk our time and resources to defend you. It’s the least we can do. We’d count it a high honor.

I’ve got news for Barack Obama. In America, serving God and serving country are not mutually exclusive. They never have been. In fact, until this president came along, the two went hand in hand.

In his farewell address, George Washington underscored the critical role religion and morality play to our nation’s survival. He warned of people like Barack Obama and Mikey Weinstein.

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports,” Washington said. “In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. … Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

It seems the central goal of this president and his Pentagon is to do that—to “subvert religion and morality” wherever they find it. George Washington called that unpatriotic.

I agree.

Mark Twain once wrote, “The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation.” Twain’s sage advice seems a slight variation of Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” In short, if you want to find happiness, find what God created you to and do it well. Do what you love and you’ll love what you do.

I love working for Liberty Counsel. I’m incredibly blessed to part of one of the fastest-growing (if not the fastest-growing) civil rights organizations in America.

Every brave serviceman or woman I’ve ever known loves serving this great nation. Every Christian I’ve ever known loves serving the one holy and sovereign Creator of the universe—King Jesus.

If President Obama or any other anti-Christian radicals believe the American people are going to just lay down and allow them to rip God from country, they’ve got another think coming.

I’m always proud of what we do at Liberty Counsel, but, having served 12 years in the military, I’m especially proud right now. It can’t be easy, laboring under an incompetent commander in chief who, over and again, has displayed overt hostility toward Washington’s “indispensable pillars” of religion and morality. It can’t be easy to serve under a president who constantly attacks your faith and freedom.

“It is beyond ironic that this administration chose to attack the religious liberties of the men and women who are charged with defending our nation’s freedom across the country and around the world,” Staver says. “The military has a unique relationship with chaplains in order to meet the spiritual needs of our soldiers. To threaten court-martial to anyone who shares their faith is reprehensible and un-American. This absurd policy will undermine the military and destroy morale. It must be rescinded immediately, and those responsible for instituting it should be disciplined.”

But until then—and once again—to those in the military, don’t forget: Stand tall, and proclaim your faith loudly and proudly. If Obama tries to muzzle you, don’t sweat it. Liberty Counsel’s got your back.

Matt Barber (@jmattbarber on Twitter) is an attorney concentrating in constitutional law. He serves as vice president of Liberty Counsel Action.