www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Is The US Military Anti Christian ?

According to the Rutherford Institute, which appears to be 100 pct behind the war effort, the military is acting in a blantantly discriminatory manor towards practicing Christians serving in the Gulf.


http://www.rutherford.org/articles_db/commentary.asp?record_id=213

They've been doing this for a long time, they don't want to offend the host countries where they have bases, especially Saudi Arabia. There's no way they can wage war without bases closer there, and that means making concession to the Muslims. I remember reading a post by one Catholic chaplin who had been stationed there saying it was very hard to get sacramental wine to use for Mass because alcohol isn't allowed in a Muslim land.

Ha! Not according to my uncle. He was a PT in the Gulf serving in hospitals and treating everyone from commoners to higher ups (in Kuwait, he treated diplomats, and in Oman he served the Sultan, along with regular folks). He was often invited to people's homes for drinks, and given wine and spirits as gifts. He told me that the Muslims drink and smoke whatever they want, they just restrict everyone else. So I guess it might be difficult for Catholic priests to get wine for Mass, but that is not because it is a Muslim country and they don't allow alcohol; it's just not allowed for non-Muslims. Perhaps his experience is limited, and elsewhere it is different, but that was his experience in Kuwait, Oman, and Iraq.

I dont know about anyone else, but this article seems to smack of American imperalist rhetoric. Why should our soldiers stationed in other countries ***NOT*** be required to follow the same laws that bind everyone else in that nation? The article is also incorrect in stating that the Constitution "follows" Americans around all over the World?!

Mabye I am just being "unpatroitic" but it appears to me that certain Americans are under the persuasion that this country is Mount Olympus and we citizens are all some type of gods who have the right to go barging into the rest of the Planet making demands.

It is America more then Saudi Arabia who desires to have military bases on the Arabian pennisula. We should be expected then to abide by the laws of our host nation instead of constantly trying to "import" our own concepts of justice and freedom to them.

Just my two cents!


In Christ,

Robert Kearney