tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post5516063844460820480..comments2024-02-14T03:56:12.027-08:00Comments on La Salette Journey: Department of Veterans Affairs censoring the words "God" and "Jesus" during funeral services at Houston National CemeteryPaul Anthony Melansonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08455719838570381999noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-63792885405920423972011-07-01T15:07:49.135-07:002011-07-01T15:07:49.135-07:00I have some difficulties imagining a DVA's cen...I have some difficulties imagining a DVA's censor sharply interrupting a priest's or a relative's speech during funerals because he dared to say "God bless..." or "May God grant you grace, mercy and peace".<br />Can you imagine that?<br />In my opinion he would take a big risk to be assaulted by the attendants on the end of the ceremony.<br />In my opinion so inappropriate and offending directives must be ignored with contempt.jachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17650477732170495698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-21604286615966567552011-06-30T14:28:13.099-07:002011-06-30T14:28:13.099-07:00AFA issued a press release today. It reads:
The ...AFA issued a press release today. It reads:<br /><br />The Department of Veterans Affairs and its Director of the Houston National Cemetery, Arleen Ocasio, are engaging in religious viewpoint discrimination in violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, by adding new incidents of religious hostility.<br /><br />Since taking the directorship of the Houston facility in April, 2010, Arleen Ocasio has used her position to bully Christians, repeatedly trampling on the religious liberties of Veterans of Foreign Wars District 4, The American Legion Post 586, and the National Memorial Ladies.<br /><br />On March 15, Director Ocasio told Nobleton Jones, Honor Guard Junior Vice Commander, that he couldn't say "May God grant you grace, mercy and peace" to grieving families.<br /><br />"The hostile and discriminatory actions by the Veterans Affairs officials in Houston are outrageous, unconstitutional and must stop," said Jeff Mateer, Esq., general counsel of Liberty Institute. "Government officials who engage in religious discrimination against citizens are breaking the law. Sadly, this seems to be a pattern of behavior at the Houston VA National Cemetery."<br /><br />Our friends at Liberty Institute have amended an earlier lawsuit against the VA that states the new violations against religious liberty include:<br /><br />• VA Forbids Mention of God at Funerals for Veterans and Requires Families to Submit Prayer for Approval to the Government<br /><br />• VA instructs the VFW and a Private Funeral Home that they may not present the option of prayer to families<br /><br />• VA Tells Volunteers to Remove "God Bless" from Condolence Cards to Grieving Families <br />• VA Closes Cemetery Chapel; Uses it for Storage<br /><br />You can read Liberty Institute's detailed report of Director Ocasio's offenses here:<br />http://libertyinstitute.org/<br />current_cases.php?category=<br />6&article=220Paul Anthony Melansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08455719838570381999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-39761392629804186762011-06-30T13:50:52.051-07:002011-06-30T13:50:52.051-07:00Which penalties are scheduled if one doesn't c...Which penalties are scheduled if one doesn't comply and continues to pray God and Jesus namely?<br />Fines, jail, death?jachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17650477732170495698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-25120578505571444032011-06-30T12:45:56.245-07:002011-06-30T12:45:56.245-07:00See this article:
http://blog.beliefnet.com/
on_t...See this article:<br /><br />http://blog.beliefnet.com/<br />on_the_front_lines_of_the<br />_culture_wars/2011/06/va<br />-cemetery-defies-judge-bans-religious-words-from-services.<br />htmlJonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-6581566404359760212011-06-30T12:45:06.805-07:002011-06-30T12:45:06.805-07:00I agree with the veteran who said "what's...I agree with the veteran who said "what's happening to our country"? Things are going downhill so fast now. It is as if this nation has placed itself under a curse. Everything is now going wrong: the economy, one war after another overseas, terrorism, rampant unemployment, a collapsing housing market, rampant youth gangs and so on. We are in deep crisis people.Jonathannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-5183200269169466322011-06-30T10:41:50.436-07:002011-06-30T10:41:50.436-07:00Seems a bit silly. Anyway, couldn't they just ...Seems a bit silly. Anyway, couldn't they just disregard this silly rule? What's to stop someone saying God or Jesus? So you get your speech/prayer approved, and on the day, you add in the special words. Simple.Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-41734004810891601132011-06-30T07:39:48.938-07:002011-06-30T07:39:48.938-07:00I never thought I would see the day when veterans ...I never thought I would see the day when veterans were told they couldn't invoke Jesus' Holy Name at a funeral service. These heroes served their country so nobly and now they are being told by the country THEY SERVED AND SACRIFICED FOR that their Christian faith isn't welcome at a national cemetery.<br /><br />America is dying a quick death now. It's not the country I grew up in.Ted Loiseaunoreply@blogger.com