It is with profound sadness that I approach this Fourth of July. Coming from a long line of veterans and speaking as an Honor Graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy, my decision to challenge our nation's armed forces has been a painful one. Through my children, three of whom are U.S. Air Force Academy graduates, along with thousands of other military personnel and chaplains, I have learned firsthand of aggressive internal efforts to evangelize our fighting men and women into a narrow branch of Christianity that claims salvation only for the "born-again" few. Having once sworn to defend and protect our constitution, I had no choice but to found the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and mount a full-frontal legal attack against these forces of intolerance waging war on our foundational freedoms.

In the hierarchical subculture of the military, when your immediate superior tells you to fall in line for Christ or face the consequences, responding with "get out of my face, sir or ma'am" is simply not an option. Imagine then how a young soldier might respond to a multiple-star general ordering his staff to create a PowerPoint presentation showing a direct parallel between the Book of Revelation and our movements in Iraq and Afghanistan. Or a four-star general distributing a flyer "urging" attendance at a religious class at a church outside the base, entitled "Jesus Versus Mohammad: an examination of the life of both prophets and why Jesus is superior to all."

Soldiers and chaplains contact me from the frontlines on a daily basis telling of troops who refuse to be evangelized and are then sent to combat zones with higher concentrations of insurrectionists, jihadists, and IEDs. Many battle staff meetings conducted by commanders begin with evangelical prayers. When a captain confronted his full colonel about one such exclusionary prayer, the colonel grabbed his uniform and said, "Captain, you better get this down right now, boy! We're here to spread American democracy and the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!" Rather than exceptions, these seem to be the rule.

Today, 12 percent of Americans are Dominionists. This subset of Christianity is dedicated to enforcing a literalist reading of the Bible, and is our own home-grown band of religious fundamentalists. For decades, they have sought to influence government officials, institutions, and policy, with the stated goal of returning our nation, and the world, to Christ. Over the past 6 years with George W. Bush in office, they have made significant inroads into the upper echelons of the Pentagon and rank-and-file, fueling the crusader-like mentality that lies behind the debacle we face in Iraq and beyond.

On every one of the 737 U.S. military installations in 132 countries across the globe, there is now an "Officers Christian Fellowship" for officers, and a "Christian Military Fellowship" for the enlisted, the goal of both being to "Carry the gospel through the medium of ordinary relationships among the entire military community: all services, all ranks, all Christian traditions, and all searchers. There are other well-funded groups such the Military Ministry, a division of Campus Crusades for Christ, that specifically targets basic training installations to convert vulnerable new recruits, and Cadence Ministries, whose "Strategic Ministry" includes preying on those facing the possibility of "deployment and deadly combat" because "shaken people are usually more ready to hear about God than those who are at ease, making them more responsive to the gospel."

America now has a radicalized version of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that revels in the imminence of End Times, engaging "the machinery of the state," which includes weapons of mass destruction. The goals of Dominionist Christians run counter to everything for which our nation stands. Their vision of a spiritually transformed U.S. military, with Ambassadors for Christ in uniform, "empowered by the Holy Spirit," is not one wit the religious freedom our founding fathers intended.

The First Amendment is under attack and if the wall separating church and state crumbles, nothing else will matter. It won't matter how the Dallas Cowboys do or if Intelligent Design is taught in Kansas. Nothing will matter if we lose the U.S. military to this toxic brand of fundamentalism. On this July 4th, instead of fireworks, I'll be hearing Sinclair Lewis' words thundering in my head, "Let me tell you something. I've seen fascism up close and personal. . . . Not if, but when, it comes to America, fascism will be wrapped in the American flag carrying a cross."

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

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Michael L. "Mikey" Weinstein is founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. He was formerly Assistant General Counsel in the Reagan White House and later served as General Counsel for H. Ross Perot and Perot Systems Corporation. For 10 years, he was a Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Air Force.