Church flyer stirs controversy

Whoever wrote this clearly has no military experience:

1. It doesn’t follow standard OPORD format

2. The BDU pattern is gone. Finished. Has been for some time. They should have chosen the new ACU, or gone inter-service and used the MARPAT or Navy “Smerf” patterns.

3. News flash - there are other people in the military besides “special forces.” It is common for folks indoctrinated on a diet of Hollywood movies to believe this, but it is true. I only had contact with a few Special Forces guys in my career. I arrested one of them. No, he didn’t try any Hollywood style hand-to-hand combat techniques to escape me. He was too drunk for that …

4. The use of military-esque phrases like “re-up” is pathetic

5. The use of “chow hall” is an Army-centric term. The author is clearly discriminating by not referring to it as the “galley.”

The author also clearly has little discernment.

Quite obviously, this was never meant to deliver the message that it did, but we as church leaders need to be discerning in the way we present thematic things, especially when the event is opened to the community. We live in a world were military action mixed with religion is not seen as good. In the view of uneducated atheists and other members of society can see militant language as extreme radicalism, even if it is just meant as a simple thematic meeting. Whether we like it or not, we live in a world were radical religious groups terrorize people, there are ‘Christians’ who use our same terminology, such as Westboro Baptist who preach hyper-calvinist message of hate. We need to be careful with our words because we live in a sinful world. Having a military themed event for men is probably a good idea, but sending flyers out to the community that say things like weapons will be provided (probably meaning scriptural truths to battle sin) and declaring certain lifestyles as the enemy to which we must take up arms against, is probably not the most intelligent way to word things in a world full of militant religious zealots.

Having a military themed event for men is probably a good idea

Maybe I’m just a stick in the mud, but I think it’s a really silly idea. There is no magic in gimmicks. I don’t like them. Never have.

That makes their pro-Army rhetoric even more silly. It could be seen as something akin to heresy in military circles …

That’s like me trying to reach a Navy community by distributing flyers with tanks on them.

We have as many Army and Navy personnel here as Air Force. There isn’t much in the way of rivalry here. We had a Navy guy in our old church get sent to Afghanistan to lead an Army platoon.

I completely agree that it’s a cheeseball flyer. But IMO it’s not hate speech just because the words ‘homosexuality’ and ‘weapons’ are on the same page. Are they really afraid that someone is going to come to their house and shoot them with a literal gun? Seriously.

Calling homosexuality sin is being labeled hate speech by the world. The Gay & Lesbian agenda has almost won this battle in the USA. Adjust accordingly (or not). It’s going to be a tough world for those who are not meek or wise. OBTW, with 7 years in the USN and Spec Op son, I found the flyer to be silly.

You are right Tyler, their is no magic in gimmicks, but a theme tying things together really isn’t a gimmick. Christians use thematic things everywhere, from popular and effective sportsmen’s dinners to youth events to sermon series. A gimmick is when you bring in some fancy and flashy usually pop-cultured “attention-grabber” like in this case if you were to actually bring in a weapon or a popular war hero or use pop-culture idioms to draw a crowd. Now I don’t know what this event was it very well could of been using gimmicks, but military and soldier themes often have very good ties to biblical ideology (spiritual warfare/Soldier of the cross). It seems that this one was warfare against sins men struggle with. Now I really don’t care if you think its silly or not, but that is not the issue at hand, their is nothing ungodly about having a theme. The issue is what happened in regards to the flyer being put out. Personally I do not agree with the last two posts. I think it is silly to assume that the world will never take what we say in these types of things literally, especially when religious extremism is so prevalent in our world. We must work to separate ourselves from other “religions” and even those within Christianity who give a false view of it. Calling homosexuality sin is not yet being labeled hate speech. We may be on our way to that, but in my view (like I’ve stated in previous posts) a lot of that is our own fault. Christians tying to impose their beliefs on these issues is what upsets people and labels them as discriminatory and hate mongers. As to my knowledge no instance of a church or individual preaching against homosexuality has ever even graced the presence of a court room.

[paynen] SNIP

As to my knowledge no instance of a church or individual preaching against homosexuality has ever even graced the presence of a court room.

http://youtu.be/WObJ1EkWGsA

Now I really don’t care if you think its silly or not, but that is not the issue at hand, their is nothing ungodly about having a theme.

My initial post was done in a light-hearted manner. I don’t care that you don’t care. The flyer is stupid and poorly done. I am repelled by attempts by civilians to imitate military lingo. I do not like gimmicks. You may like them. Good for you. I wish you the best.

Now I don’t know what this event was it very well could of been using gimmicks, but military and soldier themes often have very good ties to biblical ideology (spiritual warfare/Soldier of the cross).

Lovely. Civilians should not attempt to make a military-themed event if they haven’t the foggiest idea what the military is like. It is ridiculous and makes me very upset. The flyer is a joke. It is a poor testimony in general. It is stupid. It offends me.

I don’t like gimmicks either, but you have a loose definition of a gimmick.

What Would Robert Heinlein Do?