Posted on 11/11/2008 9:15:45 PM PST by GATOR NAVY
WASHINGTON — A coalition of atheists and agnostics wants the new White House to protect young military members from what they see as rampant religious discrimination in the services.
The Secular Coalition for America held a news conference Monday urging new rules against proselytizing and more training for chaplains on how to handle nonreligious troops.
"When they say ‘there are no atheists in foxholes’ it’s slanderous," said Wayne Adkins, a former Army first lieutenant who served in Iraq in 2004 and 2005. "To deny their existence is to deny that they serve."
The coalition also wants President-elect Obama to develop a new directive for all chaplains and commanders that eliminates public prayers from any mandatory-attendance events for troops and ensures the Defense Department will not endorse any single religion, or even the idea of religion over nonreligion.
Jason Torpy, a retired soldier and president of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, said his group isn’t opposed to Christianity or any other organized religion.
"We just recognize that religion and religious people get a lot of support from the military," he said. "What about the rest of us?"
Torpy said his group has fielded hundreds of complaints from servicemembers who believe they’ve been harassed, passed over for promotion or forced into retirement for not following the religious preferences of their commanding officers.
Adkins said equal opportunity office investigators in the service ignored his complaints about harassment and mistreatment because he was an atheist, which in part led to his decision to leave the service.
Army Maj. Laurel Williams, currently stationed in Florida, said she has filed complaints about military conventions and programs that are little more than Christian rallies, but received little or no response.
About one-fifth of current servicemembers identify themselves as having no religious preference, according to Defense Department statistics.
Only a small percentage of troops identify themselves as atheists or agnostics, but Torpy said that’s because they fear retribution. Without new rules, he said, there isn’t any guarantee they can avoid that kind of treatment.
"We’re as dedicated to the military as our Christian counterparts," he said. "We just want to serve our country, too."
As far as "support" for the rest of us, during an extended stay I had at Yokosuka Naval Hospital 500 miles from my family and command, the only non-medical person who regularly came to see me was the hospital chaplain. He sure didn't ask me if I was a Christian before helping me.
I'm guessing GOD might feel the same way.
Do atheists watch movies or tell their kids stories? If so why can’t they just chalk religion up as a fairy tale? Do they celebrate the holidays? What do they do for Christmas? Easter? Do they tell their kids the absolute truth about everything?
SNIPPET FROM POST NO. 1: “”We’re as dedicated to the military as our Christian counterparts,” he said. “We just want to serve our country, too.””
#
OPINION:
WELL NOW, THAT’S GREAT. If you really mean that; then there’s no problem.
If you don’t mean it...see that door?
Atheism is NOT a religion, so it can’t be discriminated against.
Oh it is a religion? Then I have a SERIOUS problem with mixing their religious agenda into the schools (Evolution)....
Aren’t all chaplains counselors/support staff without regard to religion?
Gays want new rules on marriage in California.
Whats the difference?
huh?
It's just a saying, an expression. Nothing more.
"We just recognize that religion and religious people get a lot of support from the military," he said. "What about the rest of us?"
You're right. What's your point?
Religion provides comfort for soldiers and their families.
Torpy said his group has fielded hundreds of complaints from servicemembers who believe they’ve been harassed, passed over for promotion or forced into retirement for not following the religious preferences of their commanding officers.
Investigate each complaint.
I'm sure - given the number of complaints - that there are a handful of cases where the atheist was unfairly treated, but I'm willing to bet the majority of the cases involved a whiny atheist that started something he couldn't handle.
For the record: I'm an atheist.
Ping to read later
Though I’m a Christian, what you’ve said in post 1 jibes with what I saw during my term of service.
These people are liars with an agenda, and they dishonor the uniform.
LOL!
Don't these people have anything better to do?
In my years as a chaplain on active duty, I saw exactly one regular occurence that might cause an atheist to wonder. It is as pointed out on this thread...the prayers at required public ceremonies.
(1) One can end all such prayers because they unnecessarily promote a variety of religion each time one is prayed.
(2) One can continue such prayers because they are a tradition in the same way as a “pass and review” in a required ceremony is a tradition. In other words, the religious content is not the point. The point is maintaining the tradition. In this sense, they would be similar to the statue of the 10 commandments placed in the town square in 1851. They are tradition and are not there because of a religious message being imposed on anyone.
I think #2 is a valid explanation of their existence. At the same time, if the prayers are going to be required to take a certain form that avoids religious content, then I would be opposed to giving up my freedom to write the prayer of my choice for the event. In that case, I would support #1.
There are no atheists in the after-life.
I assume you realize that evolution isn’t something that originates in atheism - it originates from the scientific method, which is why it is taught in science classes.
The first and only situation I ever encountered where true religious tolerance is actually practiced, was in the DOD.
I learned that when a prayer was said before a squadron meeting,one could choose to close your eyes and bow your head, look straight ahead with eyes wide open, or merely glance down, with unbowed head.
I most often choose the latter, respecting my peers rights to their own beliefs, secure enough in my own beliefs that I felt no need to try to force my personal spiritual preferences on others.
Atheists need to learn to respect the idea of religious freedom and tolerance.
Freedom of religion means everyone can choose their own, or none.
It does not mean religion itself does not exist.
No matter how atheist this dude trys to be, he’ll still pray in the foxhole.
In my 20 years of military service at eight different commands I never any evidence of this...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.