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Generals Criticized For Endosring Spiritual Book

By Howard M. Friedman

Military.com reported yesterday on the controversy surrounding the endorsement by high army officials of a book written by a military chaplain offering spiritual guidance to soldiers. The book is Lt. Col. William McCoy's, Under Orders: A Spiritual Handbook for Military Personnel. Gen. David Petraeus has been quoted as saying that the book "should be in every rucksack for those times when soldiers need spiritual energy." Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling is quoted on the book jacket: "a great book for soldiers to read several times throughout their careers." The endorsement has led the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) to call for Patreas' dismissal and court martial. However now the book's author says that he was mistaken in publishing the endorsements: "[they] were intended for me personally rather than for the general public." The author has requested that distribution of the book be halted until a new book jacket overlay is designed. Mikey Weinstein, head of MRFF, says he will add these endorsements as part of an ongoing lawsuit that alleges "a pattern and practice of constitutionally impermissible promotions of religious beliefs within the Department of Defense (D.O.D.) and the United States military.' (Full text of complaint.)

Full post as published by Religion Clause on August 21, 2008 (boomark / email).