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-- WITH PHOTO -- TO NATIONAL, AND RELIGION EDITORS:
Liberty Institute Outraged By Air Force Academy Decision To Erase
Cadet's Bible Verse
PLANO, Texas, March 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Liberty
Institute expressed outrage at an Air Force Academy decision to erase
a cadet's Bible verse from a dry erase board hanging on his dorm room
door. The decision came in response to a complaint from Mikey
Weinstein, President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
According to an Air Force spokesperson, the incident was not
punishable, but "a teachable moment."
"If the cadet didn't violate any rules, then why was the quote
removed?" said Michael Berry, Liberty Institute's Senior Counsel and
Director of Military Affairs. "It appears that the Air Force now
believes Bible verses are a violation of AFI 1-1."
The cadet wrote on his door the Bible verse Galatians 2:20: "I have
been crucified with Christ therefore I no longer live, but Christ
lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
The Air Force's action violates Department of Defense Instruction
1300.17, a new Pentagon regulation meant to protect religious liberty.
"This is a blatant violation of 1300.17 and the Constitution," said
Berry. "But the Air Force seems to think that AFI 1-1's neutrality
towards religion requirement means forbidding religious freedom. If
that's true, then I suggest the Air Force officials read DODI 1300.17,
which supersedes AFI 1-1 and guarantees religious freedom for all
service members."
Liberty Institute, the largest nonprofit legal firm dedicated solely
to defending religious freedom in the U.S., stands ready to defend,
for free, any cadet whose religious rights have been violated.
About Liberty Institute Liberty Institute is a national nonprofit
legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty
across America - in our schools, for our churches, inside our military
and throughout the public arena. Liberty's vision is to reestablish
religious liberty in accordance with the principles of our Founding
Fathers. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120523/DC12743LOGO-b
SOURCE Liberty Institute
-0- 03/12/2014
/CONTACT: Gregg Wooding, Cell: 214.558.9455, Office 972.941.4453, gwooding@libertyinstitute.org
/Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120523/DC12743LOGO-b
/Web Site: http://www.libertyinstitute.org
CO: Liberty Institute
ST: Texas
IN: ARO
SU: AVO NPT REL
PRN
-- DC81867 --
0000 03/12/2014 14:22:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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