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.””
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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?
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.
Don't these people have anything better to do?
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.
Thus making the antithesits' atheism the defacto state religion. No public reference to god, you will just have to bow to your atheist betters.
Like a quote I’ve read on here from various FReepers that have served, there aren’t any atheists when the bullets are flying right over your head and you’re scrunched up behind cover trying to avoid getting hit.
Secular troops cannot win wars against religious enemies.
First, thank you for your input GATOR NAVY.
Although this is arguably like comparing apples and oranges the idea of the elimination of prayers and non-endorsement of religion in military circles does not complement, in my opinion, the spirit of the Fairness Doctrine that the Obama Administration also wants to promote. Given that the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ is typically at the heart of such controvercies, such anti-religous expression policies send the disturbing signal that people are "free" to discuss both sides of any issue except Christianity.
I did, however, witness intimidation of Christians by the bureaucracy - especially in the latter years of my service. Increasingly, Christianity was singled out for more regulation, pressure, e-mail directives, and ridicule.
Some of this came about during the Clinton years, but it also began to accelerate during the tenure of GW Bush after Mickey Weinstein sued the Air Force.
After 22 years in the Army - I can say that I never saw this as an issue. I was a practicing Christian and probably only came across 2 or 3 soldiers who denied God or did not have a profession. I did also check the no religious preference on the form and still have the dog tags with that on them. My issue was that I knew what I believed and so did not care who was talking/preaching. One of the two guys who professed no belief hung around us for the company - I would guess it was pretty lonely in his own little world by himself.
“Those who beat their swords into plows - plow for those who didn’t.”
- Anonymous
I could whine day and night (I used to) about being a minority, but I don’t. Athiests as well as all minorities need to understand that most “slights” are unintentional, most people don’t “join” a majority to persecute, and everyone has some issues. Most people are just trying to get along in life. The people that just want to stir up trouble, or to persecute, need to be addressed, and I am sure they are. Tolerance goes both ways.