FWD: Iron Mountain, Michigan V.A. Hospital

date:19 February 2015 at 08:52
subject:Fw: Iron Mountain, Michigan V.A. Hospital

Subject:  Iron Mountain, Michigan V.A. Hospital

"Stop This Insanity" 
 

 
EDITOR: 
 
I went to the Veteran's Hospital in Iron Mountain today on business. While there I stopped at the Chapel and found 
 
pinky-purple type curtains with mesh at the top, covering the altar. (You know the type. They use them between sick patient beds in the hospital). 
 
I stopped in my tracks, shocked at what I saw. I peeked behind the curtain, and found what used to be the welcoming part of the chapel, the Cross, a picture of Christ, and other Christian icons familiar to the majority of Americans.  I found Chaplain Bob Mueller, to ask what the meaning was of this change. This is what he told me. 
 
"A couple of months ago, an order came down from Washington DC to cover all things associated with Christianity in the Vet Hospitals. Their solution is to cover everything in all the VA Chapels across the country." 
 
Chaplain Bob went on to say, "A few weeks ago an official from the Madison, WI. Vet Administration came down here to tell me to "stop talking about Jesus, and to stop reading scripture out loud." 
 
Chaplain Bob also said that the rest of the Obama plan is to send more curtains to cover the rest of the stained glass windows, because there are Christian symbols on the stained glass. 
 
I was skeptical of the accuracy of this article, so I checked it out through Truthorfiction.com
 
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/v/VA-Covers-Religious-Symbols.htm#.VGzFkmdNcVA

If this isn't a wake up call to all Americans, I don't know what is -- another 911!!! 

SEND THIS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY OUR VETERANS. 

7 comments:

LiberalGunner said...

Here is Truth or Fiction

The Truth:

It’s true that Christian symbols were once covered by a curtain when Christian services were not being held in the chapel at the Oscar G. Johnson VAMC, but that policy is no longer in place.

The story went viral in the spring of 2014 after a number of news outlets reported that the VA facility in Iron Mountain was not in compliance with a 2008 federal regulation that requires houses of worship to be nonsectarian. The story went viral again in early 2015, so TruthorFiction.com followed up with staff at the Oscar G. Johnson VAMC for an update.

Bradley Nelson, the public affairs director at the facility, told TruthorFiction.com that the curtain was temporarily used to meet requirements outlined in the VA’s Spiritual and Pastoral Care Procedures that were issued in 2008. The policy states that the VA must “uphold the free exercise of religion by all medical, domiciliary, and nursing home patients in the health care facility.”

“In keeping with this, it has been long standing policy that VA chapels not reflect any one denomination or faith when not being used for specific faith services or activities,” Nelson said. “This allows for our patients and their families who do not identify with the Christian faith to use the room for prayer, meditation or reflection according to their faith tradition. We were coming into compliance with this policy last spring and the person responsible for the Chapel thought the curtain would be the easiest way to do this, i.e., open it for chapel services and close it when not being used. Based on constructive feedback and what other VA medical centers have done, the curtains were taken down.”

But VA medical facilities must still comply with the Spiritual and Pastoral Care Procedures. Today, Christian symbols are allowed in the main chapel while Protestant and Catholic services are being held, as well as 24/7 in the Holy Sacrament room located inside the chapel, Nelson said.

“We have the smaller Holy Sacrament Room, which is dedicated solely to Christian worship and includes the crucifix, statues of Jesus and Mary, Stations of the Cross, Holy Water, stained glass windows, and other accoutrements found in churches, all of which remain in place 24/7,” Nelson said. “The room is available for anyone wishing to use it.”

And there aren’t any specific directives that prohibit the use of scripture or religious items like the crucifix and statues of Jesus and Mary during worship services in the main chapel — but they can’t remain there 24/7.

“These religious items are put away between chapel services, however, they are accessible for any group or individual wishing to use them in the chapel for their own prayer, meditation or worship,” Nelson said.

Several versions of the Holy Bible and Catholic Rosaries are also available in the chapel.

Nelson also provided a number of photos of the Oscar G. Johnson VAMC chapel:

ferschitz said...

http://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/page/blogs.detail/display/1806/Iron-Mountain-VA-controversy.html

"This is not part of a vast Marxist conspiracy to 'take God out' of American culture. If that was really the goal, the chapel probably wouldn’t be there at all.

Besides, the policy in question dates to the last months of the Bush administration. I'm doubtful that W. would have allowed a Marxist agenda to infiltrate the VA.... And who’s really 'offended' here? The loudmouthed minorities, or the people that get upset at the idea of recognizing religious beliefs other than their own?"


Whose religion is more oppressive? Whose religion is more bigoted? What really constitute "freedom of religion" in the minds of Talibangelists?

gruaud said...

Chaplain Bob, why ya gotta lie?

You're a chaplain, for god's sake.

Hooray4US said...

So VA patients/visitors who aren't Christians can only worship/pray/meditate in a Christian chapel with Christian symbols/artifacts/icons, etc?

Why?

Since there was a somewhat heated discussion about Mormons, down below, I'll point out that Mormons don't use the cross or other typical Christian icons, nor do Quakers. There may be others who consider themselves Christians but don't utilize or want to see those types of symbols and icons.

So providing a neutral space that can be enjoyed by anyone is now a reason to throw temper tantrums and blame it all on "Marxism"?? Sheesh.

Schitzengiggles said...

Most of the people who fall into believing this sort of shit are the older GG watchers of Fox News. They don't bother to look shit up or verify facts. They've been conditioned to listen and knee-jerk to whatever Hannity, O'Reilly, Rush, Levin or the other host of lunatics tell them to believe without question. They don't bother with checking anything, they just forward to everyone in their contact list as directed.

Anonymous said...

That's true Schitzengiggles, but doesn't that make the point about how propaganda works? Citizens mindlessly accepting what's pushed out at them, and then reflexively passing it on as truth/fact.

Some commenters here (not the trolls) get very defensive around some of the posts that are debunked.

Propaganda is very powerful, which is why it's valuable to bear witness, as well as debunk it.

IOW, it's not a "joke," and the lies do matter.

Mike Hawk said...

LOL @ gruaud's comment.

Sharp deadpan humor, my man.

BTW - Is that lil' bridge in your vicinity still for sale? :-)

Mike Hawk

 
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