U.S. military health officer draws complaint for writing blog post promoting prayer

U.S. Army Col. Thomas Hundley seeks to improve soldiers' 'spiritual fitness through increased prayer.' (Military Religious Freedom Foundation)

All military health officer Col. Thomas Hundley wanted to do was uplift the spirits of his comrades and share a touching conversation he had with his grandfather Jimmy Jordan of Millington, Tennessee.

On his January 4 blog post entitled "Motivational Monday Message: A Little Something to Work With," Hundley encouraged members of the armed forces to improve their "spiritual fitness through increased prayer."

Hundley was so encouraged by the wisdom shared by his grandfather about dedicating one's life to Christ that he shared Jordan's words on his post: "You don't need a whole lot to make it in this world. You just gotta give God a little something to work with. The Bible says that Jesus took two little fish and five loaves of bread and fed thousands. You know how He did that? He just gave God a little something to work with."

"If you desire to improve your health in this new year, just give yourself a little something to work with. During my grandfather's story he said, 'A person can't pray for a new job and expect to get it when they haven't even filled out an application. You have to give God a little something to work with,'" he added.

However, Hundley's post was met not with approval but rejection by the activist group Military Religious Freedom Foundation headed by Mikey Weinstein, who filed a complaint about it with the Army Regional Health Command in Virginia, according to Military.com.

"Apparently, Col. Thomas Hundley can't figure out whether he's an active duty senior Army officer or an evangelical Christian missionary," Weinstein wrote. "Col. Hundley has absolutely no business or authority under American law to be conflating his Army officer rank, title and position with his professed evangelical Christian faith."

When asked for a comment regarding the matter, the command's public affairs office did not provide any.

Newsletter Stay up to date with Christian Today
News
Sarah Mullally prays with Pope Leo XIV
Sarah Mullally prays with Pope Leo XIV

Sarah Mullally referred to previous ecumenical meetings between Anglican and Catholic heads.

Missionary behind milestone Paraguay Bible translation to retire after 44 years of service
Missionary behind milestone Paraguay Bible translation to retire after 44 years of service

A missionary whose work helped bring the Bible to indigenous communities in Paraguay’s remote Chaco region is retiring after 44 years of ministry and translation work.

Calls to EU to move beyond words as Syria’s Christians face escalating violence
Calls to EU to move beyond words as Syria’s Christians face escalating violence

Fresh criticism is being directed at European leaders over what campaigners describe as a failure to take meaningful action to protect Syria’s Christian communities amid renewed sectarian violence and reports of incessant persecution.

Documentary celebrates women in Church ministry
Documentary celebrates women in Church ministry

Living Loving Serving: Women Leaders in the Church is the debut documentary film from Keep the Faith, Britain’s leading magazine about the black Christian community.