The elevation of Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio to His Holiness, Pope Francis I, yesterday afternoon was an historic day.  He is the first Pope born outside of Europe since the papacy of Pope Gregory III in 731 A.D., and the first one to become Pope following a papal resignation in six centuries.  He will now serve as Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, and Sovereign of the State of Vatican City.  All Christians, whether Roman Catholic or not, will pray for God’s protection and blessings on the continued ministry of His Holiness.

Less known was the burial yesterday in southern Egypt of Ezzat Atallah, an Egyptian Christian.  Mr. Atallah recently died in prison in Libya after he was detained by Islamic militants for sharing his Christian faith in Libya.  Mr. Atallah lived in Libya for many years.  Few details have emerged about his death, however.  The Associated Press reported that Mr. Atallah was tortured by Islamic militants in Benghazi, Libya, for eleven days.  Then, Mr. Atallah was transferred to Tripoli, where his wife was able to visit him.  She reported signs of torture on his body, and he told her that he had been beaten, hung by ropes, and whipped.  Media reports indicated that as many as 100 others, most of whom are Egyptian, are being held in Benghazi by Islamic militias for sharing their Christian faith.  The detainees also include a Swedish-American, a South Korean, and a South African.

Two men were elevated yesterday.  One rightfully received the accolades of the entire world.  Mr. Atallah, a brother in Christ less known by the world, and about whom the world was unworthy, was also elevated.  In his case, he came into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, where he was lovingly received by our Lord with the words from St. Matthew’s Gospel 25:23, “Well done, good and faithful servant!  Come and share your master’s happiness!”  Peace to the memory of the blessed martyr Ezzat Atallah.  Please pray for our Christian brothers and sisters detained in Libya, and for Mr. Atallah’s family.

The mass grave of the indian martyrs at the Gnadenhutten Massacre Site

Today is a shameful date in American history that is mostly unknown.  I did not know of this event until recently, but it was on this date in 1782 that 96 Native American members of the Lenape tribe, most of whom were women and children, were slaughtered by Pennsylvania militiamen as they knelt in prayer to Jesus Christ at a Christian mission in Ohio.  The martyred Christians lived in a Moravian village called Gnadehutten.  Those murdered were 28 men, 29 women, and 39 children.  After their murders, their bodies were burned.  They were murdered by the militiamen in retaliation for Indian raids on white settlers.  However, there is little reason to believe that any of those murdered were involved.

The great Shawnee Chief Tecumseh was only 14 when the massacre occurred, but it made an indelible impression on the teen.  Years later, in 1810, in a negotiation with the territorial governor and Army officer, William Henry Harrison, who was to become president years later, Tecumseh reminded Harrison, “You recall the time when the Jesus Indians of the Delawares lived near the Americans, and had confidence in their promises of friendship, and thought they were secure, yet the Americans murdered all the men, women, and children, even as they prayed to Jesus?”

A mission house and cooper’s shop were reconstructed on the site of the village in East Central Ohio.  A monument was also erected in honor of those martyred.  The inscription simply reads: “Here triumphed in death ninety Christian Indians, March 8, 1782.”  Peace to their memories, and may their memories be eternal.

I was having a doppio on a recent sunny afternoon last week, and watched President Obama on television speaking about the sequester.  He reminded our nation that the sequester would cause our nation great pain.  Some of the supposed pain has been manufactured, including canceling all public tours of the White House, and the release of five thousand detained illegal immigrants.  I suppose that we can expect much more manufactured pain to come.  As a Bible-believing Christian and conservative who holds deep respect for our nation’s founders and the Constitution, I have always had a profound sense that when President Obama speaks, he lives in an alternate reality from mine.  As we enter into the fifth year of his presidency, I can predict with 100% confidence that what I would say or do in near any political or economic situation is diametrically opposed to what the President will say or do.  As I contemplated this, I was astounded at how truly predictable this man is.

I have often wondered whether he might just have a narcissistic personality disorder (“NPD”).  This is what our parents’ generation referred to as megalomania, but NPD is a far milder and more benign diagnostic term, though it means the same thing.  Although the President has admitted to extensive drug abuse, he has not released any documents regarding his medical or psychological history, except for a one-page doctor’s note in 2008.  The new DSM-V, due to be published in May 2013, eliminates NPD as a personality disorder, but the condition has unfortunately not disappeared from our society.  It is estimated that approximately one percent of the population has this type of disorder.  As one can imagine, the elimination of NPD from the DSM-V has caused a great deal of concern among mental health professionals.  Nevertheless, the symptoms of NPD, as defined by the DSM-IV-R, include some of the following typical characteristics:

Believes he is “special” and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people or institutions

Imagining unrealistic fantasies of unlimited success, power, and intelligence

Exaggerating one’s own importance, achievements, and talents, and expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements

Requiring excessive admiration, constant attention, and positive reinforcement from others

Has a strong sense of entitlement

Shows arrogant, haughty, patronizing, or contemptuous behavior and attitudes towards others

Is often envious of others

Selfishly takes advantage of others to achieve his ends

Reacts to any criticism with anger

Lacks empathy and disregards the feelings of others

Has trouble keeping healthy relationships

Becomes easily hurt

Wants the best of everything for himself

Although the causes of NPD are deemed to be unknown, some factors have been identified as possible underlying causes with most factors arising during childhood.  These include:

Excessive admiration that is never balanced with realistic feedback

Excessive praise for good behaviors or excessive criticism for bad behavior during childhood

Overindulgence by parents, and/or other family members

Being praised for perceived exceptional abilities by adults

Unpredictable or unreliable care-giving by parents

Of course, we can posit that parental nurture is fundamental to the development of a healthy personality.  When a person grows up with such childhood experiences, it makes it more difficult to form a healthy attachment to one’s parents.  This results in a child’s perception as being unimportant to them.  Thus, to compensate for a self-perceived personality defect that makes the child feel unwanted and unloved, they typically become self-absorbed, controlling, intolerant of others’ views, and blind to the effect of their behavior on others.

Even moderate NPD impairment results in the following behavior and attitudes: (a) missing days from work and household duties, (b) significant performance problems on the job, (c) frequently avoiding or alienating friends and professional colleagues, (d) significant risk of harming others by neglecting family, abusing others, ignoring laws, and committing criminal acts.

The Apostle John, writing in I John 1:4, commends us as follows, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world..”  Thus, it is appropriate for us to consider what we see in the world around us.  But am I the only one who is thinking that the President may have a serious problem?

A 16-year-old student who attends the Cypress Lake High School in Fort Myers, Florida, was suspended, along with two of his classmates, from school.  What was their infraction?  They wrestled away a loaded .22 caliber RG-14 revolver from a younger student who had aimed point-blank at another student on a school bus.  The student with the gun allegedly threatened to shoot a football teammate because he had been arguing with his friend.  (Incidentally, Cypress Lake HS has had trigger-happy students before.  Among the distinguished alumni of the Cypress Lake High School is Lee Boyd Malvo, one of the Beltway snipers whose murderous rampage of ten persons kept our nation on edge for three weeks in October 2002.)

Media reports indicate that the local authorities did confirm that the revolver involved in the incident was loaded.  Further, the arrest report indicated that the suspect, identified as 15-year-old Quadryle Davis, was “pointing the gun directly” at the student and “threatening to shoot him.”  It was at this time that our unknown hero and his friends tackled the suspect and wrestled the gun away.  The three heroes were suspended the next day by Principal Tracy Perkins.  The heroes were not named for fear of retribution, but in an interview with WFTX-TV said, one of the suspended students said that there was “no doubt” he saved a life, as “I think he was really going to shoot him right then and there.  Not taking any pity.”

Florida law allows a principal to suspend a student on an emergency basis pending a hearing, and the suspension form in this case indicated that the students were given an “emergency suspension” for being involved with an “incident” with a weapon.  In an interview with local media, the mother of one of the suspended teens observed that the children sought to protect their lives.  The mother further observed that the teens, rather than being suspended, should have received recognition because they saved someone from burying their child.  Indeed they should.  I am not a cynical man, but a cynic might suggest that anti-gun activists and their political allies need more dead children because our society should not allow young people, or anyone else for that matter, to defend themselves or others.  When faced with a shooter, that same cynic could readily think that our nation cannot permit citizens to think that they can defend themselves.  After all, shouldn’t one allow himself to be killed for the good of the collective.

It seems to me that wise parents would get their kids out of Cypress Lake High School as soon as they can.  And perhaps Principal Perkins should also undergo an “emergency suspension” as well for failing to protect students properly by preventing students from coming onto school property with loaded weapons.  If you wish to contact Principal Tracy Perkins, you can telephone her at 239.481.2233.  I telephoned her, but she hasn’t returned my call yet.

The Bible encourages thrift and avoidance of debt.  Of course, the Bible does not prohibit the use of debt, but Proverbs 22:7 warns us that the borrower is the slave to the lender (China anyone?).  But if we do borrow, we should pay back the debt (see, e.g., Psalm 37:21, and Ecclesiastes 5:4).  Then, building on these biblical admonitions, Adam Smith reminded us in his magisterial tome, The Wealth of Nations, “the maxim of . . . prudence in the conduct of every private family, can scarce be folly in that of a great kingdom.”

So, as we go over the “sequester cliff” later this week, I think we will hear many statements by the President and other politicians who intend to frighten us with the dire consequences of the sequester mess.  (Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano warned earlier this week that the $85 billion in automatic spending cuts “makes it awfully, awfully tough” to mitigate threats faced by the nation.  She stated, “I don’t think we can maintain the same level of security at all places around the country with sequester compared to without sequester.”)   Despite the hyperbole, my sense is that we do have a spending and government mismanagement problem in our nation.  If you work in the private sector and pay taxes, I suspect you feel as I do that you are paying more than enough taxes for little direct benefit to you and others.  At the end of 2012, federal spending totaled $11,292.79 for each of the 313 million people living in the United States.  (Do you feel that you got your money’s worth?)  You might not be aware as it is not reported in most media, but the Federal Aviation Administration spends $500 million each year on consultants (and an additional $200 million on supplies and travel); the Environmental Protection Agency has sent more than $100 million in grants to foreign countries (for example, $718,000 went toward “air pollution” efforts in China; $191,638 went toward “clean cooking technology” in Ethiopia; $299,468 went toward “methane recovery” in Ecuador;  $170,000 went toward “liquefied gas extraction” in Poland; a  $7.6 million grant went toward “technical assistance” in Russia; and several million dollars in grants were given to international groups like the United Nations).  In addition, the Internal Revenue Service has a $4 million-a-year television studio (where presumably they could film the next Al-Jazeera surprise hit, Return from the Vampire Crypt: Secret Tales of IRS Auditors).  At the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (“NREL”) in Colorado, employees decide how to “invest” hundreds of millions each year in taxpayer dollars.  NREL’s top executive, Dr. Dan Arvizu, makes almost one million dollars per year, and his two top lieutenants earn more than half a million each, with nine other staffers making  more than $350,000 a year.  And the federal Office of Personnel Management reported that federal employees were paid $156 million in 2011 for their work as union representatives.  But it is still not enough.  Presently, at the federal hiring website, USAJobs.gov, among the many job opportunities for federal “public service,” there are these: a staff assistant at the Labor Department, that pays up to $81,204 a year to do scheduling and screening calls (these positions were once called receptionists); a new lawyer for the Morris K. Udall Scholarship program, with a salary of up to $155,000 a year; and a new director for the Air Force’s history and museums program, with a salary of $165,300 a year.  In all the hubbub of the sequester mess, you might not realize that this current year’s federal spending, even with the sequester, will still be greater than last year’s federal spending.

One often hears about the need to get special interests out of government, but our government itself has become its own most powerful special interest group that protects its vital interests.  As one recent example, the newly-installed Secretary of State John Kerry said in his first foreign policy address that, because of the sequester, the Republican House of Representatives is a greater threat to our nation’s foreign policy than an emerging China or Middle East unrest.  (See Secretary Kerry’s comments reported here:   http://www.bostonglobe.com/2013/02/20/john-kerry-budget-problems-greatest-challenge-foreign-policy/aMyhzlhSIj6gyX3c35o2EP/story.html.)  He might have forgotten that even the mainstream media reported that the idea of the budget sequester originated in the White House.

Since early 2009, while the total number of private sector jobs has decreased, the number of federal jobs has grown steadily.  Moreover, the average pay and benefits has increased as well.  The average total compensation (wages and benefits) for a federal worker was $123,049 in 2009, more than double the average total compensation for a private sector employee.  It is reasonable to infer that this number is even greater today.  Further, the average salaries have grown as well.  At the beginning of the last recession, our nation’s Transportation Department had one employee making over $170,000 per year.  Eighteen months later, there were 1,690 employees making over $170,000 per year.  Again, at the start of the last recession, the Department of Defense had 1,868 persons making $150,000 per year.  Eighteen months later, 10,100 employees make $150,000 each year.  The number of employees that made $100,000 per year has now doubled in two years, and represents 19 percent of the federal work force.  (In fact, President Obama’s dog walker reportedly earns $102,000 annually.)

About those special interests: Today, there are more than 21 million employees in the federal, state and local governments.  Thus, approximately 16 percent of the electorate depends on government-provided jobs.  Further, many government employees have family members living with them who benefit directly from governmental employment, who would also vote to support the expansion of government jobs, and generous wages and benefits.   And this does not even begin to include the tens of millions more who benefit from generous government benefit programs.  President Clinton famously said in his 1996 State of the Union speech that the era of big government is over.  And he was correct, because today, we are now in the era of Gigantic Government.  Over the decades, I have managed the budgets of many companies in the US and around the world.  When needed, a good manager in the private sector cuts back on the easiest and least disruptive items.  But with this upcoming sequester, as we saw earlier from Janet Napolitano’s comments, we can expect that our politicians and bureaucrats will cut those items that will cause the greatest disruption and create the most danger to our national security.  It is, of course, a churlish way to show how important they are.  But as government workers work for us, and not vice versa, I say let the sequester begin!  A very good first step!

This past weekend, I spent part of my quality time practicing at a local gun range.  Of course, in doing so, I exercised my Second Amendment right to self-defense.  As I was shooting, I was reminded of some recent remarks by the ersatz Police Superintendant of Chicago, Garry McCarthy.  Last year, I wrote on these pages about Superintendant McCarthy.  ( http://touchstonemag.com/merecomments/2012/03/chicago-chapter-of-cair-admires-chicago-police-superintendant/ ).  However, during his relatively short term as Chicago Police Superintendant, he has made some bizarre observations.  For instance, speaking at Father Michael Pfleger’s St. Sabina’s Parish in Chicago, he blamed the street violence and ubiquity of illegal guns in African-American and Hispanic communities to “government-sponsored racism” akin to “slavery, segregation, black codes [and] Jim Crow.” He also blamed Sarah Palin as well.  (No, I am not making that up!)  Of course, “government-sponsored racism” did begin with slavery and Jim Crow, but there is a bit of a logical leap from those policies to the availability of illegal guns in Chicago, and children murdering children.

Then Superintendant McCarthy, appearing recently on a Chicago Sunday morning talk show, stated that lawful firearm owners are agents of “political corruption.”  (Who would have known?  I wonder whether he thinks there are other agents of political corruption operating in Chicago.)  He made this assertion because firearm owners who lobby their elected representatives or who donate money to political campaigns are engaged in “corruption.”  Of course, there is a minor detail that the First Amendment affirms the right of the people to petition the government for a redress of grievances.  This is particularly important when citizens seek a redress of their constitutionally-protected rights.  Then to compound his constitutional ignorance, he said that judges and legislators should rely upon public opinion when interpreting our nation’s Constitution.  This, of course, is serious foolishness, as there have been periods of our nation’s history when, for example, public opinion polls would oppose non-landowners, former slaves, or women’s rights to vote.  Or that the forced relocation and genocide of Native Americans would be an appropriate government policy.  Or that a poll last year found just over one-half of Americans (51%) of Americans believe that the government is more of a threat to individual rights than a protector of them.  Of course, there would be many other possible examples.

Then, Superintendant McCarthy, after dispensing with the First Amendment, went on to target the Second Amendment.  His opinion was that the Second Amendment limited citizens to owning smooth-bore muskets (presumably he considers only muskets that front-load the wadding, bullet, and powder by ramrod as constitutional, but I am making that inference).  Of course, if Superintendant McCarthy freezes constitutional protections to the technology of our nation’s early history, then would freedom of speech be limited to newspapers, pamphlets and handbills published on hand-press devices?  And 18^th century notions of what constitutes “cruel and unusual” punishments might not include prisons with Nautilus gym equipment, HD Sony Bravia 46” televisions, big law libraries, and movie nights.  (By the way, did you know that the Federal Prison Camp at Leavenworth, Kansas, has an organic and self-sustaining farm as part of the prison’s Therapy and Mentoring Horticulture Program?  But I digress.)  Or perhaps, under Superintendant McCarthy’s view, abortions could only be constitutional if performed on late 18^th century medical instruments?  In addition, Superintendant McCarthy said that the Second Amendment also supports mandatory liability insurance for firearm owners, and the mandatory application of GPS tracking devices to civilian-owned firearms.  (I wonder why the Founders did not expressly include that in the Second Amendment.  Superintendant McCarthy did not explain.)

As you can imagine, Superintendant McCarthy is not a formally educated man.  But he might enjoy taking the free online Constitution 101 course from Hillsdale College before he makes his next public presentation.

We were recently enthralled by the images of the meteor that exploded over the Russian Ural Mountains near the city of Chelyabinsk, injuring nearly 1,000 persons, and damaging many homes and businesses from the sonic boom as the meteor broke up in the atmosphere.  Then, there were other great flashes of light over Cuba, southern Florida, and the California coast in recent days.  Further, an asteroid, DA14, flew past Earth Friday at a very close, but safe, distance of approximately 17,150 miles from the Earth’s surface, closer than many satellites that orbit our planet.

Are we to make much about this?  After all, as we remember from elementary school, meteorites hit the Earth every year, but most meteors break up into small pieces high in our atmosphere.  But I wonder whether these recent events are a harbinger of the imminent return of Jesus Christ?  Just as the meteorologist can study the sky to make an educated guess about tomorrow’s weather, Jesus encouraged us to use our minds to make educated guesses about His return.

Of course, we know from Matthew 24:36 that only the Father knows the exact day of our Lord’s return.  But Jesus gave some indications of what our world would be like before His return.  We read in Matthew 24:29 about “. . . the sun being darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.”   Further, in Revelation 6:12-13, as the sixth seal from Revelation is broken, we read: “. . .  when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.”  Jesus described this sixth sign in His Mount Olivet discourse in Luke 21:25-26: “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

Of course, the Lord also gave us other signs to foretell His return, but the fact that we notice an increasing number of frightening heavenly signs should encourage us to grow closer to Jesus Christ.  St. Paul, writing in I Thessalonians 4, after he writes about the return of Christ, concludes in verse 18: “Therefore encourage each other with these words.”  So, despite the terrifying events in the heavens, we should be encouraged by Luke 21:28, where Christ teaches us, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”  And so, what we have seen in the heavens in recent days actually blesses me greatly.

I recently wrote about the plight of Christian believers in Uzbekistan, Egypt, and Iran.  Now, on the heels of increased Uzbeki persecution, the Norwegian human rights organization, Forum 18, is reporting that the secret service of Kyrgyzstan (one of the former Soviet republics and a neighbor to Uzbekistan), together with the State Commission for Religious Affairs (“SCRA”), have proposed new regulations and enhanced  punishments for those exercising their religious freedom rights in that nation.  These new regulations will increase the range of activities that are punishable and the severity of the penalties.  You can read the Forum 18 report here: http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1788

The new regulations punish unregistered religious activity, or for refusing to register a religious organization, or for holding prayers and other religious rituals in places unapproved by the government, or for teaching religious beliefs without personal registration to do so, or for “violating procedures established by law for the organizing and conducting of religious meetings, processions and other worship ceremonies,” a broad catch-all that can mean almost anything to prosecutors.  Other clauses punish clergy and others who set up religious groups for young people, as well as reading clubs and work groups that are “not related to the performance of worship,” or punish religious organizations that conduct any other activity inconsistent with the church’s aims and objectives (again, another deliberately vague phrase).  Importantly, one of the new clauses would punish “the approaching by believers of one denomination to others (proselytism), as well as any illegal missionary activity,” and forbids children to participate in religious activity.  Foreign nationals and foreign missionary organizations may be fined and deported, with bans on the activity of mission organizations.  The new regulations also call for increases in fines for these violations.  Requests for comments by the Kyrgyz Embassy in Washington, D.C., were not returned.

When the Soviet Union fell, there was a rush to disseminate the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in each of the former Soviet republics, including those in Central Asia.  At the time, missionaries and missions scholars warned that there would be only a relatively small window of opportunity for sharing Christ before a new religious Iron Curtain fell.  That time is fast approaching unless the Kyrgyz government rescinds these new regulations.  Please pray for Kyrgyzstani Christians. And if you want to contact His Excellency, Muktar Djumaliev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kyrgyz Republic to the United States and Canada, you can reach him at 1.202.449.9822 or 1.202.449.9823.  You can also email him at kgembassyusa@gmail.com.  From his photograph on the Embassy website, he seems like an amiable and friendly chap, and so I am sure that he also would enjoy hearing from American Christians about the increasing persecution of Christians in his country.  I will be letting him know my thoughts about his government’s new policies.  I hope my readers and friends will as well.

Many of us have heard of the terrible plight of Rev. Saeed Abedini, the American pastor who was sentenced in late January to eight years in the notorious Iranian Evin prison for his Christian faith.  Press reports indicate that Pastor Abedini is being beaten and tortured in prison, as well as being subjected to psychological abuse.  Further, he is being denied regular access to his family.  Missions group Asia Harvest denounced his sentence in a statement on their website:

He was convicted on charges of starting house churches throughout Iran in the early 2000s.  Friends, an eight-year prison sentence in that demonic prison is basically a death sentence.  Many people who go into Evin Prison only last a few days or weeks before they perish.

An appeal in his case has been filed in Iran.  However, as you can readily imagine, Iranian appellate courts lack any semblance of substantive due process and justice, and are typically a rubber stamp of the initial unjust trial.  The trial and incarceration have been emotionally devastating for Pastor Abedini and his family.  But according to his wife, Naghmeh, “Saeed had great peace and joy and was able to share that he was united with other believers and they were praying every night and have seen much fruit!  This situation has caused great boldness in the body of Christ in Iran and even outside of Iran.”

In addition to praying for Pastor Abedini and his family (he has two young children), if you, and/or your Sunday School group, or small group, or your parish and church wish to send Pastor Abedini a short note of encouragement, the address to the Evin prison is as follows:

Pastor Saeed Abedini
Evin Prison
Saadat Abad
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

People might ask me, what if the cards and letters never get to Pastor Abedini. Even if Pastor Abedini never sees your cards, they will get to the prison offices, and will be read and summarized for their superiors.  I am reminded of the powerful words of Irina Ratushinskaia, the Christian poet who was imprisoned in the former Soviet Union for her Christian faith.  She wrote that during her time in solitary confinement:

I had the physical sense of being prayed for.  Even when I knew nothing and received no letters, I felt warmth as if sitting near a fire.  Sometimes this happened in punishment cells, which are very cold.  It was like hearing someone pray for me and think about me.  This supported us much.  It is difficult to explain . . . We felt and knew we were not forgotten.  This was sufficient to make us resist the most difficult moments.

For most of us, I suspect that it will only be in eternity that we will learn how our small encouragement in writing to Pastor Abedini, and our prayers on his behalf, meant to him and his family.

On these pages, I have written in the past year on several occasions how I can no longer in good conscience encourage young men or women to join our nation’s military.  At the time, some of my readers expressed mild criticism for my position.  But the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and the open military service of homosexuals in the military, and now Defense Secretary Panetta’s lifting of the ban on women in combat beginning in 2016, makes the United States military an increasingly unwelcome (and dangerous) environment for more conservative and/or Christian believers.  Even high-ranking general officers agree with an assessment that devout Christian and more conservative soldiers are no longer welcome in today’s Army.  In fact, in 2010, Lieutenant General Thomas P. Bostick, then the Army’s deputy chief of staff in charge of personnel, said military members who dissent from Obama’s homosexual agenda should “get out.”  General Bostick, speaking before several hundred troops at the European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, stated:

Unfortunately, we have a minority of service members who are still . . .  bigoted and you will never be able to get rid of all of them.  But these people opposing this new [homosexual] policy will need to get with the program, and if they can’t, they need to get out.  No matter how much training and education of those in opposition, you’re always going to have those that [sic] oppose this on moral and religious grounds.”  (Emphasis added.)

So, I guess that would apply to Christian/Orthodox Jews/Moslem soldiers in our new military.

But there is more.  It is also a dangerous place for women.  The February 2013 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology (available here: http://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/Fulltext/2013/02000/Unintended_Pregnancy_Among_Active_Duty_Women_in.5.aspx ) reports that ten percent of women in the military said they had an “unintended pregnancy” in 2008, a figure significantly higher than rates in the general population.  Dr. Daniel Grossman from the University of California, San Francisco, and his fellow researchers  who worked on the study noted that sexual assault in the military could be a contributor to high rates of unintended pregnancy.  Dr. Grossman, quoted by Reuters, said, “There are studies showing anywhere between 20 and 40 percent of servicewomen (experience) rape or attempted rape during their military career, and the vast majority don’t report it.”  Dr. Vinita Goyal, who has studied unintended pregnancy in female veterans at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, observed, “It does definitely have implications for troop readiness, ability to deploy (and) troops in combat missions if they are potentially at high risk for unintended pregnancy and pregnant women can’t be deployed.”  Soldiers and sailors who become pregnant while overseas or on ships must be evacuated back to the United States.  Sexual harassment has also been a major problem in the military, and hearings were held on Capitol Hill just weeks ago in relation to a rash of sexual assaults at Lackland Air Force Base.  Even the prestigious Air Force Academy has struggled with its own scandals surrounding inappropriate treatment of female cadets that went well beyond harassment.

And it is also dangerous for men as well.  A review of “case synopses” of all 1,643 reports of sexual assault reported by the four branches of the military for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, found that 8.2 percent of all military sexual assault cases were homosexual.  Based upon the review of case synopses, the most common type of homosexual assault is one in which the offender fondles or performs oral sex upon a sleeping victim.  Assaults upon victims who are intoxicated are also common.  Although thousands of homosexuals have been discharged from the military since the implementation of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 1993, many of those discharged have been found guilty of same-sex sexual assault.  (I bet you never heard that from Katie Couric or read that in The New York Times.)

Finally, Ashley Broadway, an Army wife, was voted the 2013 Spouse of the Year for Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  As the representative for Fort Bragg, she is now eligible for “Military Spouse” magazine’s overall Army Spouse of the Year.  Ms. Broadway, who is married to Lt. Col. Heather Mack of Fort Bragg’s 1^st Theater Sustainment Command, was denied membership in the Association of Bragg Officers’ Spouses.  This was because Ms. Broadway does not have a spouse identification badge issued by the military as she is not recognized as a spouse under federal law.  However, after Fort Bragg received national attention for its “discriminatory” conduct, Ms. Broadway has now been invited to join the Association of Bragg Officers’ Spouses.  Ms. Broadway also recently announced that Colonel Mack gave birth to the couple’s second child, a baby girl, earlier this month.

You see, Dorothy, this is not your mother’s army anymore.  War is always dangerous, of course, but now American military personnel, both men and women, increasingly should fear those on our side as well.  So would you encourage any young Christian join our nation’s military now?  I am afraid that I can no longer do so in good conscience.