US Army defines Christian ministry as 'domestic hate group'

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**Jihadin**

Several dozen U.S. Army active duty and reserve troops were told last week that the American Family Association, a well-respected Christian ministry, should be classified as a domestic hate group because the group advocates for traditional family values.

The briefing was held at Camp Shelby in Mississippi and listed the AFA alongside domestic hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazis, the Black Panthers and the Nation of Islam.

A soldier who attended the briefing contacted me and sent me a photograph of a slide show presentation that listed AFA as a domestic hate group. Under the AFA headline is a photograph of Westboro Baptist Church preacher Fred Phelps holding a sign reading “No special law for f***.”

American Family Association has absolutely no affiliation with the controversial church group known for picketing the funerals of American servicemembers.

It looks like the Obama administration is separating the military from the American people.

“I had to show Americans what our soldiers are now being taught,” said the soldier who asked not to be identified. “I couldn’t just let this one pass.”

The soldier said a chaplain interrupted the briefing and challenged the instructor’s assertion that AFA is a hate group.

“The instructor said AFA could be considered a hate group because they don’t like gays,” the soldier told me. “The slide was talking about how AFA refers to gays as sinners and heathens and derogatory terms.”

The soldier, who is an evangelical Christian, said the chaplain defended the Christian ministry.

“He kept asking the instructor, ‘Are you sure about that, son? Are you sure about that?’” he said, recalling the back and forth.

Later in the briefing, the soldiers were reportedly told that they could face punishment for participating in organizations that are considered hate groups.

That considered, the soldier contacted me because he is a financial contributor to the AFA ministry.

“I donate to AFA as often as I can,” he said. “Am I going to be punished? I listen to American Family Radio all day. If they hear it on my radio, will I be faced with a Uniformed Code of Military Justice charge?”

The soldier said he was “completely taken back by this blatant attack not only on the AFA but Christians and our beliefs.”

It’s not the first time the Army has accused conservative Christian groups of being domestic hate groups.

Earlier this year, I exposed Army briefings that classified evangelical Christians and Catholics as examples of religious extremism.

Another briefing told officers to pay close attention to troops who supported groups like AFA and the Family Research Council.

One officer said the two Christian ministries did not “share our Army Values.”

“When we see behaviors that are inconsistent with Army Values – don’t just walk by – do the right thing and address the concern before it becomes a problem,” the officer wrote in an email to his subordinates.

At the time the military assured me those briefings were isolated incidents and did not reflect official Army policy.

If that’s true, how do they explain what happened at Camp Shelby?

I contacted the Pentagon for an answer but they referred me to Army public affairs. And so far – they haven’t returned my calls.

And their claim that the classifications are “isolated” is not washing with AFA.

“The American Family Association has received numerous accounts of military installations as well as law enforcement agencies using a list compiled by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which wrongfully identifies and defames AFA,” reads a statement they sent me.

Bryan Fischer hosts a talk show on American Family Radio. He called the Army’s allegations “libelous, slanderous and blatantly false.”

“This mischaracterization of AFA is reprehensible and inexcusable,” he told me. “We have many military members who are a part of the AFA network who know these accusations are a tissue of lies.”

Fischer said their views on gay marriage and homosexuality are not hate – it’s simply a disagreement.

“If our military wasn’t headed by a commander-in-chief who is hostile to Christian faith, these allegations would be laughed off every military base in the world,” he said.

Hiram Sasser, of the Liberty Institute, told me the Army’s briefing is a smear.

He recalled what President Obama said last year when Muslim extremists attacked our diplomatic outpost in Libya.

“Since our founding, the United States has been a nation that respects all faiths,” President Obama said. “We reject all efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others.”

Sasser said he wished the president and the Army would treat the American Family Association with the same deference and respect they show those who mean to harm us.

“Why must the Army under this administration continue to attack Americans of faith and smear them?” Sasser wondered.

I fear the answer to that question.

Because it appears the Obama administration is separating the military from the American people – and planting seeds of doubt about Christians and some of our nation’s most prominent Christian ministries.

The instructor screwed the pooch. I really hope the instructor is new to EO.

**Peregrine**

Sorry, but I have to laugh at the idea of the AFA and "well-respected" in the same sentence.

**daedalus-templarius**

Oh no, did someone say Christian persecution! Oh lawdy!

**Kanluwen**

It's cute how no link is provided.

**Jihadin**

I've a lot of respect for them. Unlike the Westboro faction

**whembly**

Peregrine wrote:
Sorry, but I have to laugh at the idea of the AFA and "well-respected" in the same sentence.

But... an "extremist" group? o.O

**daedalus-templarius**

Jihadin wrote:
I've a lot of respect for them. Unlike the Westboro faction

Well, that is your first mistake. They are not deserving of respect.

**Kanluwen**

Jihadin wrote:
I've a lot of respect for them. Unlike the Westboro faction

By the way, the AFA has been listed as a "hate group" since 2010 by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

This is just being cursory right now, I'm sure I can find more about the whole thing.

**Some_Call_Me_Tim?**

What the actual feth?

~Tim?

**Kanluwen**

whembly wrote:
Peregrine wrote:
Sorry, but I have to laugh at the idea of the AFA and "well-respected" in the same sentence.

But... an "extremist" group? o.O

Extremism doesn't necessarily mean violence.

**Dreadclaw69**

Kanluwen wrote:
It's cute how no link is provided.

In case Google suddenly stopped working in NC

https://www.google.com/search?q=Several+dozen+U.S.+Army+active+duty+and+reserve+troops+were+told+last+week+that+the+American+Family+Association%2C+a+well-respected+Christian+ministry%2C+should+be+classified+as+a+domestic+hate+group+because+the+group+advocates+for+traditional+family+values.&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS514US514&oq=Several+dozen+U.S.+Army+active+duty+and+reserve+troops+were+told+last+week+that+the+American+Family+Association%2C+a+well-respected+Christian+ministry%2C+should+be+classified+as+a+domestic+hate+group+because+the+group+advocates+for+traditional+family+values.&aqs=chrome..69i57.818j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Take your pick

**whembly**

Kanluwen wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
I've a lot of respect for them. Unlike the Westboro faction

By the way, the AFA has been listed as a "hate group" since 2010 by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

This is just being cursory right now, I'm sure I can find more about the whole thing.

I hope you're not legitimizing SPLC here...

**Jihadin**

Think the instructor bolo the delivery of the subject matter at hand. Me myself and I would have clarified a bit more on "Hate" group and Extremists. Just to avoid later on of "portraying" the Bible as "Hate" material.

edit

Isn't Southern Poverty Law Center extremely liberal?

**Kanluwen**

Dreadclaw69 wrote:
Removed because someone can't properly hide URLs

Fox News,Rightwingnews(not even trying on that one), blog, blog, blog, blog.

Right so it's a nonissue. Where was all this rabble rousing in 2010 when SPLC declared AFA a hate group?

**Peregrine**

Dreadclaw69 wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
It's cute how no link is provided.

In case Google suddenly stopped working in NC
https://www.google.com/search?q=Several+dozen+U.S.+Army+active+duty+and+reserve+troops+were+told+last+week+that+the+American+Family+Association%2C+a+well-respected+Christian+ministry%2C+should+be+classified+as+a+domestic+hate+group+because+the+group+advocates+for+traditional+family+values.&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS514US514&oq=Several+dozen+U.S.+Army+active+duty+and+reserve+troops+were+told+last+week+that+the+American+Family+Association%2C+a+well-respected+Christian+ministry%2C+should+be+classified+as+a+domestic+hate+group+because+the+group+advocates+for+traditional+family+values.&aqs=chrome..69i57.818j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Take your pick

So are there any sources that aren't conservative tinfoil hat sites?

**feeder**

Don't want to worry about USMJ? Don't sponsor entities they label as hate groups.

Want to think for yourself and set your own standards? Don't join the Army.

**Kanluwen**

whembly wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
I've a lot of respect for them. Unlike the Westboro faction

By the way, the AFA has been listed as a "hate group" since 2010 by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

This is just being cursory right now, I'm sure I can find more about the whole thing.

I hope you're not legitimizing SPLC here...

Sorry, do you have anything to suggest that SPLC is not legitimate?

**Jihadin**

Kan I take it you believe in everything SPLC puts out?

**whembly**

Kanluwen wrote:
whembly wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
I've a lot of respect for them. Unlike the Westboro faction

By the way, the AFA has been listed as a "hate group" since 2010 by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

This is just being cursory right now, I'm sure I can find more about the whole thing.

I hope you're not legitimizing SPLC here...

Sorry, do you have anything to suggest that SPLC is not legitimate?

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was once a good civil rights organization that sued racists and violent extremists.

Nowadays? It's demonizes anyone who conflicts with it's knee-jerk liberal politics, and despite this... it is still regularly cited by the media as a “nonpartisan” watchdog. Couldn't be farther than the truth.

**Kanluwen**

whembly wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
whembly wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
I've a lot of respect for them. Unlike the Westboro faction

By the way, the AFA has been listed as a "hate group" since 2010 by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

This is just being cursory right now, I'm sure I can find more about the whole thing.

I hope you're not legitimizing SPLC here...

Sorry, do you have anything to suggest that SPLC is not legitimate?

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) was once a good civil rights organization that sued racists and violent extremists.

Nowadays? It's demonizes anyone who conflicts with it's knee-jerk liberal politics, and despite this... it is still regularly cited by the media as a “nonpartisan” watchdog. Couldn't be farther than the truth.

You do know what "nonpartisan" means right?

And really, I find your emphasis on "violent extremists" to be amusing. Did you ever stop to think that the reasoning behind going after "violent extremists" is because the cases are high profile and easy to get done?

**AlexHolker**

This is an organisation that literally blames the Holocaust on gays. According to them, only gays would lower themselves to these acts of genocide. Damn right they're a hate group.

**LordofHats**

AlexHolker wrote:
This is an organisation that literally blames the Holocaust on gays. According to them, only gays would lower themselves to these acts of genocide. Damn right they're a hate group.

Also the organization that called Elena Kegan a lesbian unfit to serve on the Supreme Court and claimed that Homosexual sex is as bad for you as drugs. I'm Christian and I think they're a hate group. The only people who wouldn't are people who haven't been paying attention to any of the crap they spew out. Hell I'd call them the PETA of Christian organizations. They do nothing but unhelpful things with all the money they're given that are really counter productive and yet people keep giving them money.

**feeder**

Or the type of person who thinks it's okay to hate on gays. God said so.

**whembly**

Kanluwen wrote:

You do know what "nonpartisan" means right?

And really, I find your emphasis on "violent extremists" to be amusing. Did you ever stop to think that the reasoning behind going after "violent extremists" is because the cases are high profile and easy to get done?

I just think that SPLC is a hate group as well.

They may be other things... but, they ain't "nonpartisan".

**sebster**

Jihadin wrote:
I've a lot of respect for them. Unlike the Westboro faction

Bryan Fischer is a lying, deceitful little gak, who peddles his lies in order to spread hatred.

Fischer said God could have stopped the Conneticut school massacre, but didn't because God won't go where he's not wanted (so Fischer's God is so petulant he'll let children be killed...)

He's also a great old racist; "Hispanics … don’t vote Democrat because of immigration. … It has to do with the fact that they are socialists by nature. They come from Mexico, which is a socialist country. They want big government intervention, they want big government goodies."

This is a direct quote from Fischer, through his twitter account;
“New pill stops HIV virus. But won’t stop AIDS since caused by extensive inhalant drug use, not HIV.” So in addition to worshiping a really cruel, hateful God, and being an old fashioned racist, Bryan Fischer is also an AIDS denier.

I've got pages more of this stuff if you want it. There is an immense amount of blog work done on the Patheos network discussing Fischer's hateful little place in the Christian far right.

Now, it might be that you just didn't know about Fischer and the kind of work he does as the leader of issue discussion for the organisation, but there it is. Fischer is hateful bigot, and he's been given a platform by the American Family Association because they are a hateful, bigoted organisation, and exactly the kind of fringe Christian organisation that people, including soldiers, need to be made aware of.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

whembly wrote:
I hope you're not legitimizing SPLC here...

They do good work. The only reason the right wing likes to make out that they're at all contraversial is that SPLC will often speak out about the hate speach that goes on in groups like AFA.

**whembly**

sebster wrote:

Automatically Appended Next Post:

whembly wrote:
I hope you're not legitimizing SPLC here...

They do good work. The only reason the right wing likes to make out that they're at all contraversial is that SPLC will often speak out about the hate speach that goes on in groups like AFA.

I don't know anything about AFA... but, I object to the idea that SPLC is "legitimate".

Um... they tried to push Jared Loughner as right winger in shooting Rep. Gifford.

Floyd Corkins admitted he was radicalized by SPLC's hate map when attempting mass murder at a FRC.

They smeared Swain as an “apologist for white supremacists” because Swain did a review of a film which contained controversial racial comments by the filmmaker's film. I remember her because of her epic retort:

One of the most troubling facets of life today is the powerful movement by left-leaning organizations and governmental officials to engage in character assassination, by labeling anyone who disagrees with their liberal utopian vision for society as unworthy of participating in the conversation about our nation’s future. A quick look at global history reveals the dangers of following such a short-sighted approach.

Today, conservatives and Christians (of which I am both) are targeted by groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center that regularly seek to discredit us.

They exaggerate KKK and Neo-Nazi activties... they perpetuate that actual hate crime is on the rise in the US.

The have abject hatred over the Tea Party and Traditional Marriage groups.

So... no... they are not "non-partisan".

In fact, I'd put them right up there with the Westboro crew.

**Maddermax**

Perhaps consider changing the headline here to "Army defines the AFA as a Domestic hate group" would be better, as currently it seems to be implying Christians in general are considered the hate group, which is misleading.

Meanwhile, yep, AFA is a hate group. They hate homosexuals.

That's their director of issues. Homosexuals were slaughtered in the Holocaust I might add, and the law in Uganda was going to introduce the death penalty until international pressure helped water it down.

**Ahtman**

Keep bringing up the SPLC, but the article is about the US Army categorizing this asinine group as a hate group, and the US Military isn't some liberal think tank, and is, as far as I know, a legitimate organization.

**Peregrine**

And let's not forget that the Uganda law in question is the one which gives the death penalty for homosexuality. It's kind of hard to be more of a hate group than that.

**whembly**

Ahtman wrote:
Keep bringing up the SPLC, but the article is about the US Army categorizing this asinine group as a hate group, and the US Military isn't some liberal think tank, and is, as far as I know, a legitimate organization.

I just challenged Kan on this:

By the way, the AFA has been listed as a "hate group" since 2010 by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Moving on...

Meh... still wouldn't label them as a "hate group".

*shrug*