Marine Court-Martialed for Refusing to Remove Bible Verse from Work Computer

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: May 27, 2015

Marine Court-Martialed for Refusing to Remove Bible Verse from Work Computer

A U.S. Marine was court-martialed and discharged from the military for displaying a piece of paper with scripture on it at her work computer. 

Fox News reports Monifa Sterling had posted the Old Testament quote, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper,” on her computer. When a superior asked her to remove it, the lance corporal refused. The next day, Sterling found the paper in the trash. 

Sterling was court-martialed on Feb. 1 where she was convicted of failing to go to her appointed place of duty, disrespect of a superior, and four counts of disobeying lawful order. Her rank was lowered to private and she is now unemployed. 

The Liberty Institute is now representing Sterling for an appeal. Michael Berry of the Liberty Institute said Sterling’s charges were amped up “to make it look that things were worse than they were.” 

Berry said, “If the government can order a Marine not to display a Bible verse, they could try and order her not to get a religious tattoo, or go to church on Sunday. Restricting a Marine’s free exercise of religion is blatantly unconstitutional.”

Publication date: May 27, 2015



Marine Court-Martialed for Refusing to Remove Bible Verse from Work Computer