The U.S. Army Reserve has issued training materials that identify Evangelical Christians, Catholics, and Mormons as “religious extremists.”  The training document also lists “Islamophobia” as a form of religious extremism.

The Equal Opportunity training presentation lists “Evangelical Christianity” at the top of a list of “hate groups” and “anti-government organizations” that includes the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Quaeda, Hamas, and the Ku Klux Klan.

“Religious extremism is not limited to any single religion, ethnic group, or region of the world,” the materials read.  “Every religion has some followers that believe that their beliefs, customs, and traditions are the only ‘right way’…believing that their faith/religion are superior to all others.”

Ron Crews, executive director of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, calls the PowerPoint presentation “wrongheaded.”  Crews is a retired Army colonel and chaplain.  “Men and women of faith who have served the Army faithfully for centuries shouldn’t be likened to those who have regularly threatened the peace and security of the United States,” Crews commented.

“It is dishonorable for any U.S. military entity to allow this type of characterization,” Crews continued.  “I hope the Department of Defense will reconcile this extraordinary discredit to Christians all over the world.”

The Archdiocese for the Military Services, the Catholic entity that endorses military chaplains, said it was “astounded that Catholics were listed alongside groups that are, by their very nature, violent and extremist.”

Crews criticized the Army Reserve for using the Leftist the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as its source for the training materials.  The SPLC promotes the homosexual political agenda by attempting to marginalize traditional Christian teaching on sexuality by labeling these groups as “hate” groups.  Ironically, it is the SPLC that promotes bigotry against organizations that support the orthodox Judeo-Christian understanding of sex, marriage and sin.