Opinion: Air Force Academy Recognizes Paganism: Independence Day or Halloween?

The United States Air Force Academy in Colorado has formally recognized 'earth-centered religions'.

KNOXVILLE, TN (Catholic Online) - The United States Air Force Academy in Colorado has formally recognized earth-centered religions along with Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism. It is extremely disconcerting that this kind of thinking has infiltrated our armed forces, and I believe that it is dangerous.

In a February 3, 2010, press announcement, Lt. Gen. Mike C. Gould, the Academy superintendent, says that earth-centered worship falls within the definition of religion as defined in the United States Air Force. He cites Instruction 36-2706:

'"a personal set or institutional system of attitudes, moral or ethical beliefs and practices held with the strength of traditional religious views, characterized by ardor and faith and generally evidenced through specific religious observances"'.

The Associated Press reported that "Lt. Col. William Ziegler, one of the academy's chaplains, said [it] is part of the school's effort to foster religious tolerance and to defend the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom" .

Lt. Gen. Mike C. Gould informs us that the recognition of paganism is an expression of the highest respect and dignity toward others; that it serves and protects our freedom, including religious freedom; and that it supports and defends the Constitution of the United States. So how come I do not feel assured?

Well, one reason is that earth-centered religions are classified under neo-paganism, the new-age revival of a loose collection of ancient European pagan religions and witchcraft.

Paganism and witchcraft are not equal to the major religions of the world. I believe that it largely died out throughout much of the world because, based on the idea of "survival of the fittest," it was not the fittest.

In general it was violent and blood thirsty and mired in superstition and magic. It was seemingly unable to provide the glue necessary to maintain a healthy culture and society.

It is true that others have the right in our country to believe what they want, and we should defend that right, but it is another thing altogether to treat every belief as being equal when they are not.

Consequently, it does not seem competent or rational when the Air Force Academy, one of the premier training institutions of our military, equates neo-paganism with the major religions of the world and claims this is, somehow, indicative of tolerance and respect.

The language that Lt. Gen. Gould uses in his announcement further exacerbates my lack of assurance. He repeatedly uses the phrase "earth-based religion." I do not think it is an accident that he uses vague, new-age language.

Earth-based religion obviously has a completely different connotation than the cruel, primitive reality commonly associated with paganism and witchcraft. Thus, even while Lt. Gen. Gould speaks about tolerance and respect, his use of language gives the appearance of manipulation and disrespect.

And it is not just a matter of language either. At the very same time the General is trying to sell us on the idea that recognizing paganism and witchcraft as legitimate religious practices is tolerant and respectful, Christianity and Catholicism are being degraded in the schools, media, courts, and by powerful political groups and individuals.

There are many examples. The following is a short list.

We are accused of being ignorant and backward because we are a people of faith. But our faith is based on the assent of our intellect moved by grace. Reason supports our faith. Reason does not resolve the great mysteries of our faith since it is finite, but it informs us that it is reasonable to accept these mysteries as true.

On the other hand, neo-paganism is anti-reason. It is grounded in superstition, magic and emotionalism. And this phenomenon is not just found within neo-paganism. Secularism claims to be modern, rational and scientific, but it seems to be increasingly anti-reason.

We are accused of causing wars. But I do not believe that many of the so-called religious wars throughout history were primarily religious; they were primarily political and economic wars. For instance, the horrible modern wars of the twentieth century were due to secular dictatorships such as fascism in Germany, Spain and Italy; Marxism in South America; and communism (a form of Marxism) in Russia, China, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

Of course, some wars are fought over religion. Ever since the Muslims conquered the Middle East, they have attempted to invade Western Europe. They have been at war with Christian Europe on and off between the eighth and sixteenth centuries. Furthermore, it seems that most of the wars occurring in the world today are due to Marxist and Muslim aggression.

We are also accused of being intolerant. Despite our failings, our faith teaches us to be truly tolerant and respectful toward others. Our faith is other centered. The Gospels teach us that we are to love our neighbor, even to the point of self-sacrifice, and that all persons are our neighbors. As a result, the Church has been universal from its inception.

I do not see how secularism will ever achieve the universality that the Church has achieved, in large part, because secularism is not other centered; it is self-centered. It focuses on the avoidance of sacrifice and the maximization of personal pleasure, sometimes, even when it is at the expense of others.

Of course, we do not agree with much of the secularist morality. But we are intolerant of sin and immorality for a very good reason. For example, we do not approve of abortion, euthanasia, murder, lying, stealing, sexual promiscuity, and same-sex marriage for the very reason that these behaviors are not truly tolerant or respectful of human persons.

These behaviors may seem to offer a short-term benefit, but, in reality, they foster intolerance and degrade all of us in the long run.The most fundamental reason being that secularists deny God and natural law in human affairs. And this puts us at their mercy because this means that there are no limitations on what they can do.

We can see this for ourselves. In 2006, Massachusetts state law forced Catholic Charities of Boston to shut down unless it agreed to place children with homosexuals.

In 2009, the state of Connecticut Senate tried to pass a law that would take governing and financial power away from the clergy, leaving them only with teaching authority, for now.

And during the special election for Ted Kennedy's former Senate seat, the Democrat candidate, Attorney General Martha Coakley, when questioned about the conscience clause for healthcare workers, said that devout Catholics should not bother working in an emergency room.

It is for these reasons that I am not assured by Lt. Gen. Gould's comments. Instead, they make me feel even less assured because I know that they are not true, even if he believes they are true. But if the Air Force Academy's formal recognition of neo-paganism does not reflect tolerance or respect for others, then what does it reflect?

I believe that Herbert Marcuse, a 1960's neo-Marxist philosopher, may give us an idea. He believed that "genuine tolerance did not tolerate repression. Therefore, he advocated a discriminatory form of tolerance that did not allow so-called 'repressive' intolerance to be voiced". He is advocating tolerance for some and intolerance toward others.

When we look at the Secular, now, neo-Pagan Age we are living in, we can see that it is hostile toward Christians and Catholics. Despite fancy talk, we are clearly being discriminated against in our society in the name of tolerance, respect and freedom.

Therefore, when pagan worshipers and witches are given formal approval by the United States Air Force Academy, a branch of the armed forces, I believe that this is very disconcerting and dangerous for all of us.

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Michael Terheyden is a contributing writer for Catholic Online. He is Catholic because he believes that truth is real, that it is beautiful and good, and that the fullness of truth is in the Catholic Church. He is greatly blessed to share his Catholic faith with his beautiful wife, Dorothy. They have four grown children and three grandchildren.

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