Thursday Afternoon, April 17, 2025

MRFF VICTORY!!!

MRFF STOPS CHRISTIAN COMMANDER 

FROM FORCING SOLDIERS TO ATTEND 

MANDATORY EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE —

SOLDIERS MAKE MRFF “BATTLE BUDDIES”

“Very recently our commander ORDERED our unit to attend

Easter Sunday sunrise services this weekend set for April 20. The commander stated that doing so would ‘show respect to one of the world’s great religions’ and that it was ‘mandatory unit spiritual fitness training.’ He also stated that failure to attend the mandatory sunrise services for Easter would be ‘disrespecting one of the world‘s great religions’ and ‘insulting to the Christians in our unit.’”

— MRFF client writing on behalf of 61 soldiers in unit

MRFF OP-ED

ON DAILY KOS

Trending story on Daily Kos

MRFF stops Christian commander from forcing soldiers to attend mandatory Easter sunrise service

By: MRFF Senior Research Director Chris Rodda

Thursday, April 17, 2025

Well, the Easter season is upon us once again, bringing with it the schemes of Christian nationalist and Christian supremacist commanders in our military to force a little Christian “love” on their unsaved subordinates. 

In the last few years, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) has put a stop to a few particularly creative Easter season proselytizing schemes, like the Good Friday lowering of the American flag on one military base “In honor of the Easter blood sacrifice of Our Savior Jesus Christ,” and a commander-hosted Easter event during duty hours at which the heavily-coerced attendees’ palms would be marked with red lipstick to symbolize the blood of Christ. 

This year’s Easter story comes from a large military base where a commander didn’t just pressure but ordered all soldiers in his unit to attend an Easter sunrise service so as not to insult the Christians in the unit. 

As one of the 61 soldiers who came to MRFF to stop this Christian commander’s illegal and completely unconstitutional order wrote:

“Very recently our commander ORDERED our unit to attend Easter Sunday sunrise services this weekend set for April 20. The commander stated that doing so would ‘show respect to one of the world’s great religions’ and that it was ‘mandatory unit spiritual fitness training’. He also stated that failure to attend the mandatory sunrise services for Easter would be ‘disrespecting one of the world‘s great religions’ and ‘insulting to the Christians in our unit’.”

Can you even imagine if a Jewish commander ordered their Christian subordinates to attend their synagogue or a Muslim commander ordered theirs to fast during Ramadan, telling them that not doing so would be “insulting” to the Jews or Muslims in their unit? The Christians (of the MAGA/Christian nationalist ilk) would be running to Fox News screaming “WOKENESS!!!!” and, with the MAGA regime in power, the non-Christian commanders would be unceremoniously and expeditiously fired.

Now, the Christian commander won’t get fired, of course, but MRFF did get his mandatory Easter service attendance order nixed, and he has now apparently gone off to sulk somewhere, as MRFF’s client continued:

“Mr. Weinstein contacted three levels of our chain of command above our commander. And in a period of just 24 hours the order to attend easter Sunday sunrise services has now been canceled by (superior unit name and nomenclature withheld) HQ! Our senior command made it clear to “belay that order” so that is a BIG WIN for all of us here. And it would not have happened without the direct intervention of Mr. Weinstein and the MRFF! Currently our commander is MIA and no one knows where he is?”

But the best part of the client’s e-mail was this paragraph:

“In appreciation for standing up for us when we couldn’t do it for ourselves we would like Mr. Weinstein and the entire Military Religious Freedom Foundation to become our unofficial ‘battle buddies’ in our combat unit! This is a big honor which is not often bestowed on anyone who would not be in our combat unit.”

MRFF is tremendously honored to become unofficial “battle buddies” with these 61 intrepid soldiers!

Here’s the full e-mail from the client quoted from above:

From: (Active Duty U.S. Army Soldier’s/MRFF Client's email address withheld)

Subject: MRFF stops mandatory Easter Sunday sunrise services

Date: April 15, 2025 at 11:42:07 AM MDT

To: Mikey Weinstein <mikeyw4444@gmail.com>

In appreciation to Mr. Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation staffers:

I am a United States soldier stationed at a large military base and part of a large combat unit. Very recently our commander ORDERED our unit to attend Easter Sunday sunrise services this weekend set for April 20. The commander stated that doing so would “show respect to one of the world’s great religions“ and that it was “mandatory unit spiritual fitness training”. He also stated that failure to attend the mandatory sunrise services for Easter would be "disrespecting one of the world‘s great religions" and “insulting to the Christians in our unit". This order seemed to be totally sketch and completely illegal and unconstitutional to many of us soldiers and we were shocked. Nobody knew what to do? Least of all to confront our commander without facing immediate and severe revenge and reprisal.

I happen to be Christian myself but many of the soldiers in our unit with whom we have combat trained for months and years are either not Christians or practice other types of religions. Or some of them don’t practice any religion at all.

As soon as this order came down we all knew how this would be perceived by soldiers of other faiths than Christianity and no faith. We contacted one of our installation MRFF representatives who connected us with Mr. Weinstein. He took our phone call even though it was late night time where he was and well past normal business operating hours.

The total number of our group now in our unit asking for the help of Mr. Weinstein and the MRFF is at 61 soldiers. Which includes 38 Christians like me and the others are Muslim or Jewish or Buddhist or Sikh. And some others along with atheist and agnostics etc. Mr. Weinstein listened very carefully and asked us for the contact information for our commander’s immediate chain of command. Mr. Weinstein contacted three levels of our chain of command above our commander. And in a period of just 24 hours the order to attend easter Sunday sunrise services has now been canceled by (superior unit name and nomenclature withheld) HQ! Our senior command made it clear to “belay that order” so that is a BIG WIN for all of us here. And it would not have happened without the direct intervention of Mr. Weinstein and the MRFF! Currently our commander is MIA and no one knows where he is?

In appreciation for standing up for us when we couldn’t do it for ourselves we would like Mr. Weinstein and the entire Military Religious Freedom Foundation to become our unofficial “battle buddies“ in our combat unit! This is a big honor which is not often bestowed on anyone who would not be in our combat unit.

We are so thankful to our installation MRFF representative and to Mr. Weinstein and all of the MRFF staffers. They all provide a place for those of us in the military who are being abused regarding our religious rights under our constitution to fight back against the offender!

We thank all of you for standing up for our civil rights and for teaching yet another lesson to this particular commander and others. Finally please do not release any identification on me and the other MRFF clients here. Thank you MRFF.

(Active Duty U.S. Army Soldier’s/MRFF Client’s name, rank, unit, MOS, and military installation all withheld)

Some of MRFF’s many past Easter victories

for our service members and veterans

BLAZE MEDIA

COVERS MRFF

'Anti-Christian activist' viciously attacks

DOT Sec. Duffy for seeking return of

Jesus painting at Merchant Marine Academy

By: Joseph MacKinnon

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Wrongly calling MRFF a “New York-based activist group,” when we’re based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Glenn Beck’s Blaze Media takes issue with Mikey Weinstein for calling Trump’s transportation secretary, former reality TV star Sean Duffy, mean names.

“Rubio’s awful announcement”

From: (name withheld)

Date: April 14, 2025 at 12:51:36 PM MDT

To: Michael L Weinstein

Subject: Rubio’s awful announcement

Hi

From what I can gather, if you work for the government you cannot now criticize a fellow Christian worker and on the other hand they can criticize anything they see as against their beliefs however crazy they may be.

So if you were an atheist or Jewish they could harass or complain about you and there would be no recourse.



The government has gone full Christo-fascism.

(name withheld)

“With God On Our Side: One Man’s War Against an Evangelical Coup in America’s Military book?”

From: (name and e-mail withheld)

Subject: With God On Our Side: One Man’s War Against an Evangelical Coup in America’s Military book?

Date: April 13, 2025 at 2:05:28 AM MDT

To: mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org

Hi Mikey,

One day soon you anti-christ Jews are going to have to accept that Jesus was and is the messiah and your predecessors killed him and accepted his blood on yourselves and your children.

The evangelical White Anglo-Saxon Protestants who founded America and still comprise the biggest segment of the population are actually the tribe of Manasseh just as here in England we WASPs are the lost tribe of Epraim. 

It is we WASPs who inherited the birthright Jacob-Israel bestowed on Joseph’s sons as written at Genesis 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.

18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

Jews have never been a multitude of nations as we British were and Jews have never been a great nation but then and now are a nation of liars, pedophiles, idolaters, thieves and antichrists.

Renounce your Jewishness today and learn how you can live eternally on a renewed Earth governed by Jesus Christ!

(name withheld)

To see response from

MRFF supporter Fr. Steve Dundas:

“Shame on you”

From: (name and email withheld)

Date: April 16, 2025 at 8:09:24 PM MDT

To: Mikey Weinstein

Subject: Shame on you

Mister Weinstein

I am appalled at what you said about the midshipman at the Merchant Marine Academy. I couldn’t believe the foul things you said calling them insects, cowards and pieces of sh*& just because they committed the unpardonable sin of not agreeing with you. You know most mature people give up childish name calling in the third grade. I fully support them putting that painting of Jesus back up wherever they please. That painting was in honor of Merchant Seamen who served in World War II and hung there for 76 years with no complaints. Only one person in a hundred enlists in the military and those fine young cadets are among them how dare you insult them. I pray they have to serve in peace and not war and I salute them. To me all those videos you make show is that you are a foul mouthed playground bully and I am glad someone has stood up to you. I think I know who the real coward is in this case.

An old Soldier who does not support you

To see responses from

MRFF Board Member John Compere and

MRFF Grants & Database Administrator Andy Kasehagen:

“cowards”

From: (name and e-mail address withheld)

Subject: cowards

Date: April 16, 2025 at 12:56:19 AM MDT

To: mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org

Please explain what is cowardly about wanting to restore a picture of Jesus to its historic location.

(name withheld)

To see responses from

MRFF Board Member John Compere and

MRFF Supporter Mike Challman:

“True Christianity”

Date: April 16, 2025 at 8:58:59 AM MDT

To: mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org

Subject: True Christianity

Mr. Weinstein,

I am a US Army veteran who like you believes in Constitutional freedom. I am sorry for the pain that was caused to you by other Christians. True Christianity is not about religion or condemnation. It is about Hope and redemption through sacrificial love. Jesus said to go into all the world making disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19) Sir I am a follower of Jesus and I take him at His word. It is not my position or anyone else’s position to condemn, but to pray and when hearts are open to listen show them the way.  My prayer for you is that you will see the Light of Jesus and recieve him in your heart. As I think of this Passion week my heart cries for those who did not see the fruition of God’s promises come to pass. I pray that your heart will become a heart of flesh so you can enjoy the same hope and love Yahweh has shown his people. It is very true that you are still God’s chosen people I pray also that you will see as King David saw when he wrote the Psalm 22. Jesus spoke these same words “my God my God why have you forsaken me” this was when he was on the cross. Psalm 22 talks all about his day of crucifixion. Not one bone was broken, the Roman soldiers casting lots for his clothes, and the spear piercing his side. He was laid in a rich man’s tomb. Then Sunday comes and he has conquered death for you!!!!!! How great of a love is that?!?!? Jesus loved all of us enough to give his life so that we can have eternal life with Yeshua Hamashiach. I praise Abba Father for his goodness and mercy. I pray you will see his Love and Grace for you my friend. I am praying for you and all of Israel. I pray this gives you Hope in Jesus Christ.

A follower of Christ and former soldier,

(name withheld)

To see response from

MRFF supporter Fr. Steve Dundas:

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