Friday Afternoon, December 22, 2023

MRFF IS DELIGHTED TO REPORT THAT 

CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST REP. MIKE TURNER’S 

NDAA AMENDMENT TO SHUT US DOWN 

HAS BACKFIRED BIGLY!!!

A fuller explanation of the myriad ways in which the Senate’s amendment to Turner’s amendment, which was agreed to by both the House and the Senate and has now been signed into law by President Biden, benefits MRFF will be coming soon, but to put the most salient aspect in a nutshell for now, Turner’s attempt to shut MRFF down has tremendously backfired and been turned into a boon for MRFF, with the edict to the military being changed from:

‘You can't respond to MRFF’ 

to 

‘You HAVE TO respond to MRFF!’

We want to thank all of our supporters who have been right here with us through the long and uncertain past six months!

We can now not only breathe a sigh of relief, but celebrate!!!

MRFF OP-ED

ON DAILY KOS

Trending story on Daily Kos

MRFF is delighted to report that

Rep. Turner’s NDAA amendment to

shut us down has backfired BIGLY!!!

By: MRFF Senior Research Director Chris Rodda

Friday, December 22, 2023

Two Wednesday nights ago, we at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), particularly myself and Mikey Weinstein, were waiting with bated breath for the release of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report. Would Christian nationalist Rep. Mike Turner’s amendment to shut MRFF down still be in the bill? Would it be out completely? Or would it be something in between?

Around 11 PM EST we got our answer, although it took us a few hours to fully digest it. The Senate, which had nothing corresponding to Turner’s amendment in its version of the bill, had indeed replaced Turner’s amendment, which had been Section 1045 of the House version of the bill, with an amendment of that amendment, which in the conference committee’s compromise bill was Section 1049.

At first glance, this new Section 1049, which seemed deliberately confusing, took us aback. But about a half hour or so into what would be a several hour phone call between Mikey and myself, it started to make sense, and in a very good way. It was at that point that I said to Mikey, who was also starting to grasp the beauty of this new Section 1049:

“This thing was either written by a legislative genius who really loves us or by someone as dumb as a bag of rocks.”

As we began running various common MRFF scenarios through what will be the process outlined in the section, which the NDAA orders the Department of Defense to enshrine in a new military-wide regulation within the next six months, our incredulousness that we were reading this thing right completely faded away. In many cases the procedure laid out in Section 1049 will have no effect at all, and in every case scenario that we came up with in which it would apply, this legislative work of art was our friend!

Then came an eight day wait, during which we were on pins and needles watching for the compromise bill to be agreed to by both the Senate and the House, staving off our anxiety that it would dawn on someone among our congressional enemies that this new section would give MRFF the upper hand and that its passage would somehow be derailed, as unlikely as that was to happen at this stage in the game. 

During those eight days, and until the bill was signed into law, which just happened today, a bit of subterfuge was necessary on our part so as not to risk our enemies finding out how tickled pink we were, with Mikey only saying when asked, which he was by numerous people and media, that we were “cautiously optimistic,” when in reality we were downright gleeful!!!

Now that President Biden has signed the bill, with the legislative marvel that is Section 1049 being a done deal, we can let the cat out of the bag.

A fuller explanation of the myriad ways in which this section benefits MRFF will be coming soon, in a post that I’m thinking of titling “Oh, Section 1049, how does MRFF love thee? Let me count the ways,” but to put the most salient aspect in a nutshell for now, Turner’s attempt to shut MRFF down has backfired bigly, with the edict to the military being changed from:

‘You can’t respond to MRFF’ 

to 

‘You HAVE TO respond to MRFF!’

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

COVERS MRFF

Religious expressions, displays get new protection under 2023 [sic] defense authorization bill

By: Mark A. Kellner

Thursday, December 14, 2023

The Washington Times article copiously quotes long-time MRFF foe Mike Berry of the Christian nationalist legal organization First Liberty Institute gushing praise on the NDAA’s Section 1049.

The article then says: “Less enthused about the move is Mikey Weinstein, founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation,” quoting Mikey as saying only that “we are cautiously optimistic that things will turn out very well for us,” the deliberately unenthusiastic line that Mikey was using so as not to tip MRFF’s hand that we are beyond thrilled with the bill’s Section 1049.

Oh, and by the way, people at The Washington Times, it’s the 2024 bill, not the 2023 bill!

MRFF’s coverage of the six month journey of

Christian nationalist Rep. Mike Turner's

NDAA attempt to shut us down

MRFF Matters – 6/27/23 – GOP DISGRACE!!! Amendment Passed to Make

Communication with MRFF Illegal!!!

“Through interaction with MRFF, hopeless situations become meaningful ways forward through powerful messaging that assists in the process of change. There is simply no better feeling than to have a team backing you, and helping you be your best against those acting against you.” — MRFF Catholic Client

“Grateful for the MRFF”

From: (MRFF Catholic Client’s name withheld)

Date: December 20, 2023 at 12:32:04 PM MST

To: Military Religious Freedom Foundation <info@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>

Subject: Grateful for the MRFF

Dear MRFF -

I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude to MRFF for your support. I can't emphasize how it feels to be alone; without support for basic rights, lacking a circle of support to advocate for your position or to simply have a group that feels the same way you do. A group that shares the same kind values, that can help shield the effects of, and overcome isolation, retaliation, and public humiliation visited on the innocent by those in positions to do so.  

It is so very important that people of all experiences, levels and backgrounds feel they can be heard and valued, especially when it is basic constitutionally protected rights that are being attacked, all the way down a spectrum of mistreatment for simply being different in some way. I'm extremely thankful for MRFF, your outreach and a mission that listens, assists and advocates for people in difficult positions.

This is what the MRFF means to me; invaluable support and charting a course of action toward positive and meaningful change through being heard. Your expertise and understanding of situations, application of law, core values and common sense helped me to understand the positive nature of a negative situation I found myself in, and how I might better advocate for myself through a variety of organizational tools.

The best thanks I can give you is to let others know they can be heard and helped through MRFF assistance and action. The MRFF is a group that can help give a voice to those in seemingly isolated and hopeless situations. Through interaction with MRFF, hopeless situations become meaningful ways forward through powerful messaging that assists in the process of change. There is simply no better feeling than to have a team backing you, and helping you be your best against those acting against you.

While there is a lot of hard work and engagement involved in moving forward, the partnership, skill and confidence gained are well worth the time invested. I can't tell you how much MRFF advocacy has meant to me and my journey forward to ensure a more fair, vibrant and hopeful future for all people, and to find the energy and dedication to being part of that change.

Catholic Client

“Asking Your Opinion: The Chaplain Ideal”

From: (name withheld)

Date: Thu, Dec 14, 2023, 4:03 PM

Subject: Asking Your Opinion: The Chaplain Ideal

To: <info@militaryreligiousfreedom.org>

Dear Mikey and all at MRFF,

While I am a civilian, I nonetheless greatly appreciate what you all do in maintaining the non-partisan nature of our nation's military. No government institution, least of all one exclusively intended for violence, should ever favor any faith, save for faith in our country's ideals.

That being said, I'm curious to know what you all think on the nature of chaplains, both at present and what purpose you think they may still hold, especially in the modern day where we must hold ourselves more strongly than our founders to the fairest nature of their ideals.

Would the ideal chaplaincy be a representative from each faith represented in a company, up to including civilian volunteers, if needed? (A friend jokingly suggested that in this deal, athiests should just get $25 gift cards). Or would chaplains serve more akin to the (ideal, not actual) commissar, fostering loyalty to the values of the military and branch, and promoting unit cohesion and esprit de corps? (I'd have suggested that perhaps they could serve a role in ensuring that members of different faiths can work together, but if you can't play well with others, this probably isn't the best career path for you.)

Curious to hear your thoughts, and grateful for what you do,

(name withheld)

To see response from

MRFF Grants & Database Administrator Andy Kasehagen:

“POW/MIA”

On Dec 1, 2023, at 9:40 AM, (name withheld) wrote:

Mr. Weinstein,

Good morning, would you help be representing the me and the other thousands of disabled vets in prottecting our religious freedom and get the Bible on the Lexington V.A. facility?

(name withheld)

Retired U.S. Air Force

To see response from

MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein: