“That answer is not good enough for Weinstein and the MRFF, who allege that the officer who conducted the investigation – Col. Lisa Johnson – is the officer who authorized Maj. Lewis to have the Bible on his desk in the first place. The military has not addressed Weinstein’s allegation about Col. Johnson’s leadership of the investigation.”
The U.S. Air Force has ruled that an officer at Peterson Air Force Base who had an open Bible on his desk was not in violation of military regulations and the Bible can return to where it was.
Last week, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation – led by former Air Force officer Mikey Weinstein, who claims Christians are trying to take over the military and subvert the Constitution – alleged the presence of the open Bible with highlighted passages was an act of coercion on the enlisted personnel who came near the officer’s workstation.
Weinstein called the open Bible a “brazen display of sectarian Christian triumphalism and exceptionalism” on the part of Maj. Steve Lewis. He also said there would be “limitless, overflowing blood in the streets” if a Quran or a Book of Satan was allowed on the desk.
He demanded in a letter to Col. Damon Feltman, commander of the 310th Space Wing, that Lewis and an officer over him who allowed the display be swiftly and severely punished for the “egregious” violation.
Feltman responded quickly to Weinstein’s letter and said he would investigate the matter. The Bible was removed from the desk during the course of the investigation.
Now, however, the Colorado Springs Independent reports that Lt. Col. David Fruck, the public affairs officer for the wing, wrote in an email to the paper that the promised investigation failed to uncover a nefarious plot or a violation of regulations.
“As pledged, we have reviewed the situation there. We have concluded that no abuse of liberties has occurred, and Maj. Lewis’s behavior and the workplace environment at the RNSSI are well within the provisions of Air Force Instruction 1-1, Air Force Standards, paragraphs 2.11 and 2.12, ‘Free Exercise of Religion and Religious Accommodation’ and ‘Balance of Free Exercise of Religion and Establishment Clause.’”
