US Army Reserve training: Catholicism, like Ku Klux Klan and Al-Qaeda, an example of ‘religious extremism’

April 08, 2013

A slide presentation used in training US Army Reserves in Pennsylvania has included Catholicism and evangelical Christianity on a list of 18 religious extremist organizations. Also included on the list of religious extremists are Al-Qaeda, the Ku Klux Klan, Hamas, Sunni Muslims, and “Islamophobia.”

“Every religion has some followers that believe that their beliefs, customs, and traditions are the only ‘right way’ and that all others are practicing their faith ‘the wrong way,’ seeing and believing that their faith/religion [is] superior to all others,” the slide explained.

“Extremist organizations’ goals are inconsistent with the Army’s goals, beliefs, and values with regard to equal opportunity,” another slide stated. Soldiers are prohibited from “participating in” an extremist organization’s “public demonstration or rally,” from “taking a visible leadership role” in the organization, or “distributing literature” on behalf of the organization, whether “on or off a military installation.”

The slide presentation prompted a protest from the Archdiocese for the Military Services.

“The Archdiocese is astounded that Catholics were listed alongside groups that are, by their very mission and nature, violent and extremist,” according to an archdiocesan statement. “According to an investigation and reply from the Army Chief of Chaplains office, the training in question appears to have been an isolated incident not condoned by the Department of the Army.”

“The Archdiocese and the Chaplain Alliance explained that the Army can and should take steps to prevent such incidents in the future,” the statement continued. “The Archdiocese calls upon the Department of Defense to review these materials and to ensure that taxpayer funds are never again used to present blatantly anti-religious material to the men and women in uniform.”

 

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Further information:

• AMS Calls on U.S. Defense Department to Review Army Reserve Training Material for Anti-Religious Content (Archdiocese for the Military Services USA)
• Army Reserve slide presentation (Alliance Defending Freedom)
• US Army Labeled Evangelicals, Catholics as Examples of Religious Extremism (Fox News)