Chris Rodda reports, from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation:
I was sent a PowerPoint presentation by an airman at RAF Lakenheath, the largest U.S. Air Force base in England…In March 2008, this presentation, titled “A New Approach To Suicide Prevention: Developing Purpose-Driven Airmen,” was shown at a commander’s call that was mandatory for an estimated 1,000 of Lakenheath’s Air Force personnel, and sent out by email to the entire base of over 5,000 the following day. As the use of the phrase “Purpose-Driven” in its title implies, also incorporated into this presentation is the wisdom of presidential candidate inquisitor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, a book that, second only to the Bible itself, is the most heavily promoted religious book in the military.
The presentation was made by a certain Capt. Christian Biscotti, and its purpose appears to have been to inflame hatred against scientists and those lacking in religious faith:
Captain Biscotti must find it particularly annoying using British money.
According to a 2006 profile,
Christian Biscotti…serves as an Air Force Chaplain in Stavanger, Norway, and he has taught World Religions at Thomas Nelson Community College, Church History and Philosophy at Beacon College, and Philosophy at Chattahoochee Valley Community College. He received a Bachelor of Art degree in English from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Divinity degree from Regent University. Christian Biscotti is currently working on his dissertation as a Ph.D. student in Organizational Leadership at Regent University.
“Thomas Nelson” refers to the American patriot rather than the Christian publisher; Regent University, of course, was founded by Pat Robertson. Biscotti has also been active in Afghanistan:
More than 70 ISAF soldiers from 14 nations provided aide to a local refugee camp here Aug. 15 as an ongoing effort to make a difference in the quality of life of citizens in the local community.
U.S. Air Force Chaplain (Captain) Christian Biscotti helped establish ISAF’s first Voluntary Community Relations program.
“We have gone on missions to orphanages, schools and children’s hospitals and service men and women that go on these missions get the benefit of seeing first hand the importance of taking care of people’s personal needs for example, food, shelter and clothing before a nation can be rebuilt and stabilized,” Biscotti said. “ISAF missions put Afghanistan and our mission in context, in four dimensions, and helps ISAF not spend four, six, or even 15 months in a make-believe world behind an iron curtain.”
Incidentally, although I have reservations about Rick Warren for a number of reasons, I doubt that this presentation really reflects the strategy of his “Purpose Driven” brand-name. Warren is a slick operator with a moderate evangelical PR image; this kind of vulgar anti-science “red scare” stuff is far too crude.
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