Pretty shitty decision on the church leadership’s part. So much for setting an example. Then again, it doesn’t surprise me. More members leads to more money.

I thought all were welcome in a church.

I guess I was wrong.

Bob

Bob- you seem to have a very black and white view of what makes up a Church's membership. So, according to you, we should just let anyone in? Child-molestors and rapists, scammers and white-supremacists, potential violent offenders all should be welcome, eh, Bob?

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
I thought all were welcome in a church.

I guess I was wrong.

Bob

I would say that we are all welcome in church BUT if a person is entering the congregation and deliberately telling lies about their life, that is a problem. And it is not too much of a stretch to think that a person who would tell the type of lies that Sid is describing might also wind up trying to scam people.

Welcoming everyone in church does not automatically mean everyone should be trusted.

quote:

Originally posted by DrewR:
I might be mistaken but I am pretty sure there is no way in hell a former service member would wear his cover indoors (never mind strutting around with a green beret). I have friends who have been out of the military for decades and they still remove their cover at the door.

This!!!

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
I thought all were welcome in a church.

I guess I was wrong.

Bob

"I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member." Groucho Marx

quote:

Originally posted by Palm:

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
I thought all were welcome in a church.

I guess I was wrong.

Bob

I would say that we are all welcome in church BUT if a person is entering the congregation and deliberately telling lies about their life, that is a problem. And it is not too much of a stretch to think that a person who would tell the type of lies that Sid is describing might also wind up trying to scam people.

Welcoming everyone in church does not automatically mean everyone should be trusted.

Welcoming in church doesn't mean allowing baptism and granting membership. If the man hasn't repented (e.g. visibly living a lie by wearing green beret) then baptism definitely should not be allowed.

https://www.foia.gov/how-to.html

Freedom of information act. You can make a request as to the information you want.

There is little doubt that this individual is a fake. Throughout my LE career I encountered a surprising number of individuals who falsely claimed military service and combat experience. We saw many in the 80's and 90's who claimed PTSD from Vietnam experiences. Invariably they were never in a combat zone, some didn't make it through basic training, and some were never in the service at all. I can tell you it was a pain in the ass there for a while with these idiots taking themselves hostage and triggering a SWAT call to get them out. At least the negotiators got lots of practice and the SWAT guys got a lot of practice getting their gear on.

It seemed to me to be a particular form of mental illness, or a means of seeking allowances for past bad behavior. Most were not dangerous but some were. Most were not after anything more than some recognition, but some had an ulterior motive, like getting some woman to cater to them or perhaps to scam them. It was often a shock to those around them to find out they were a fake.

A VA psychologist once told me he thought some individuals saw themselves as such miserable failures in life that they could not bear the reality so they create a new reality. Posing as a war hero is a popular role for them to assume since war hero is generally a universally admired persona. They tend to continue doing it because they get so much positive feedback from people who don't know better.

quote:

Originally posted by HayesGreener:

A VA psychologist once told me he thought some individuals saw themselves as such miserable failures in life that they could not bear the reality so they create a new reality. Posing as a war hero is a popular role for them to assume since war hero is generally a universally admired persona. They tend to continue doing it because they get so much positive feedback from people who don't know better.

this has to be the best rationale i have ever heard

=-----------------------------------

Well, I guess the guy is in the right place. He needs LOTS of forgiveness. Sad, sad people like that probably need help of a psychological kind.

sidss1;

I do not understand how someone could be baptized with a beret on. In 40+ years of membership, I have never seen anyone be baptized with anything on their head, ever. The clothing was/is always white. Never once have I seen any variance from this.

Ask for a his coin.

In my line of work I run into a lot of the real deal guys. The guys that advertise that they did this or that and were a part of this or that are 100% of the time phonies. The ones that don't flaunt it are the real deal .

deepocean : in the 20 odd years I have been a member, I have never seen another guy who wore his beret for the Baptism Ordinance. He apparently had a spare beret ready, because after getting out of the font and having changed, he came out wearing a dry beret with all of his badges!!!!

Today after Church, I asked him why he wears his beret inside the Church Building. How come other soldiers remove their headgear the moment they enter a Building. He just gave me a dirty stare and walked off in a huff!!!!

Also ask him what's on his DD-214.

If it’s really that important to you, have a private conversation with him, or ask an actual service member to have that conversation... otherwise ignore him and laugh behind his back.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
Also ask him what's on his DD-214.

”Ah, it was destroyed in that record fire....”

99.9% of ppl tooting their own horns to non-military members are fakes.

To a person, everyone I know, in or out, wouldn’t be caught dead wearing well earned medals, badges or the like - with the possible exception being an event where it was permissible or required to do so (military event, etc). But strolling in public? No fucking way.

Given the type of church that you belong to, is it possible that the elders know this guy is a fraud and accepted him into the church with the intent of straightening him out through the power of your religion?

quote:

Originally posted by RAMIUS:
... otherwise ignore him and laugh behind his back.

Screw that, I'd laugh in his face!

As many have said, you already know it isn't true.

Ignore him. He isn't doing anything but make himself look like a nut, and worse. I suspect that, like your mother used to tell you, ignoring people like this is the worst thing you can do to them. He wants attention.