Televangelist Pat Robertson is furious that Air Force service members no longer have to swear an oath with the words “so help me God.” And he’s blaming “a little Jewish radical,” who Robertson claims “has just terrorized the armed forces.”
Those who enlist or reenlist with the Air Force no longer have swear to God or end their military careers. The decision came on Thursday in response to a protest from a Nevada airman, who became an atheist after joining the military.
The service member was being represented by the American Humanist Association, but Robertson accused Military Religious Freedom Foundation President Mikey Weinstein of pushing the issue.
“There’s a left-wing radical named Mikey Weinstein who has got a group about people against religion or whatever he calls it, and he has just terrorized the armed forces,” Robertson said. “You think you’re supposed to be tough, you’re supposed to defend us, and you got one little Jewish radical who is scaring the pants off of you.”
Asked by The Friendly Atheist for a response, Weinstein had this to say about Robertson: “Pat Robertson is to human dignity and sanity and integrity and character what dog sh*t is to a fine French restaurant on the menu.”
The Air Force’s now-changed policy, which was instituted in October 2013, prohibited service members from omitting any words from the oath.