Another military group protests televangelist Copeland’s appearance at Fort Jackson
Another national military advocacy group is protesting Fort Jackson’s invitation for televangelist Kenneth Copeland to speak at an annual prayer breakfast there on Thursday.
VoteVets.org, a left-leaning organization that purports to have 500,000 members, has begun an online petition drive asking that the fort’s commander, Maj. Gen. John P. “Pete” Johnson, rescind the invitation to the Fort Worth, Texas-based evangelist.
Copeland’s broadcast has encouraged troops suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to seek treatment through prayer rather than traditional medicine or counseling, VoteVets spokeman Will Fischer said.
“It is simply outrageous for the U.S. Army to give the stamp of approval to someone who tells our men and women in uniform to reject their doctors, and reject medicine, when they suffer from PTSD,” said Fischer, a Marine Corps Iraq War veteran and director of government relations for VoteVets. “Men and women have taken their own lives because they have not gotten the proper treatment for the horrible mental wounds of war they suffered. People like Copeland only make it harder on those suffering to seek out the help they need.”
He also called Copeland the “epitome of a charlatan,” because of his aggressive fundraising practices, noting that Copeland last week purchased a Gulfstream V private jet — for cash — from actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry.
The ministry did not disclose the purchase price, according to the Kansas City Star newspaper. But the paper quoted AV Buyer saying it has the “lowest-priced Gulfstream V on the market” listed at $5.9 million, while other used ones are listed on various websites for up to $12 million and more.
“He’ll probably fly into Columbia on that jet,” Fischer said.
Efforts to reach the Copeland ministry for comment were unsuccessful.
On Friday, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation wrote a letter to Johnson asking that he rescind the invitation.
The group claimed in the letter that it represents 56 soldiers at the fort, including 45 Protestant or Catholic soldiers who have contacted the group to complain about the visit.
Foundation founder and president Mikey Weinstein told The State newspaper the soldiers asked not be identified for fear of repercussions from superiors.
The two groups cite Copeland’s statements about PTSD as well as alleged homophobic and Islamophobic comments in his broadcasts. In addition, his political stances, Weinstein said, erode military cohesiveness and do not conform with Army values.
Fort Jackson, the nation’s largest basic training installation, responded to The State on Friday saying that military prayer breakfasts and luncheons have been held since the 1950s and have hosted “religious leaders from many faith traditions and denominations, cultural leaders, and foreign heads of state.”
“The Prayer Breakfast is open to all community members, is entirely voluntary, and is cost free to the Army and attendees,” it said. “Mr. Copeland’s participation in the prayer breakfast is not an endorsement by Fort Jackson of him or of any comments that he may present. Fort Jackson respects and protects all (individuals’) rights under the First Amendment to the Constitution, including ensuring access to religious services and events for those who wish to participate and protecting the rights of those who do not.”
Efforts to determine the status of Copeland’s visit were not immediately successful late Monday afternoon.
This story was originally published January 29, 2018 at 6:45 PM with the headline "Another military group protests televangelist Copeland’s appearance at Fort Jackson."