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Military atheists want new rules on prayer
Stars and Stripes ^ | Wednesday, November 12, 2008 | By Leo Shane III

Posted on 11/14/2008 2:37:10 PM PST by PeteePie

Coalition complains of religious discrimination in the services By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes Mideast edition, Wednesday, November 12, 2008

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."

(Excerpt) Read more at stripes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alreadyposted; antigod; atheism; atheist; evil; god; idiotalert; moralabsolutes; prayer; stuckonstupid; voluntaryprayer
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To: LibLieSlayer
The only way to solve this problem is with “friendly fire”. LLS

I can't post what I'm thinking right now. I can't think of a term that both fits you and is suitable for mixed company.
41 posted on 11/14/2008 5:38:26 PM PST by SeminoleSoldier
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To: TCH
BTW, when push comes to shove, an atheist soldier is not going to be too concerned with the well-being of his fellow soldiers, or the treatment of POWs, or civilians, or much of anything else. Such considerations depend entirely on an absolute moral reference. Atheists, by definition, have no foundation on which to set moral absolutes... everything is relative to the individual’s subjective point of view; i.e.: situational ethics. That is the mindset that dominates most of our culture these days.

You realize, don't you, that you have just libeled a good many fine soldiers, both past and present.

Adherence to your particular religion is not a prerequisite to being a good soldier.

And the more of your posts I read here, the fewer soldiers I suspect agree 100% with your beliefs. You appear to be quite a ways out on the fringe.

42 posted on 11/14/2008 5:54:18 PM PST by Coyoteman (Religious belief does not constitute scientific evidence, nor does it convey scientific knowledge.)
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To: RC2

Bingo!!


43 posted on 11/14/2008 5:59:56 PM PST by PeteePie (thinking about a name change...)
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To: Coyoteman

No he’s not on the fringe. He’s stating a logical fact.

Whether you agree with their beliefs or not, people who believe there is a reward for their actions in life after they die are far more inclined to sacrifice their own life for that reward... be it diving on a grenade to save their friends, or flying a jetliner into a skyscraper.

A person who makes such sacrifice without believing there is a reward, however, could arguably be held to greater honor for selflessness.

But it is not libel of such soldiers, neither past nor present, to state such obvious fact.


44 posted on 11/14/2008 6:10:37 PM PST by OHelix
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To: OHelix; Coyoteman

As a former soldier, the evos like canine dude are given to hysterical hyperbole as part of their MO. Hardly scientific they are.


45 posted on 11/14/2008 6:24:01 PM PST by valkyry1 (McCain/Palin 2008)
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To: Jackson Brown
Unless they are forced to pray or stand there while a Chaplin is preaching TO THEM, or trying to convert them, then this is a ridiculously stupid issue.

Some right here at FR seem to think forcing religion on military personnel is not only a good idea, but their duty!

To be fair, some don't.

46 posted on 11/14/2008 6:27:40 PM PST by Gumlegs
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To: tpanther
...but liberals are endlessly seeking ways to cling to their victimhood in this country, it's just what they do.

I'll go a tad further and say that defines WHO they are. Without “victimhood” (their’s or feelings of guilt about others), there would be NO SUCH THING as liberals...period.

47 posted on 11/14/2008 6:46:02 PM PST by Jackson Brown
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To: PeteePie

...endowed by their creator with unalienable rights...

This is the what protects atheists and believers from the power of the State, once we get rid of this, as many would like, we’re doomed to the whims of “man” and the “state”.


48 posted on 11/14/2008 6:53:34 PM PST by word_warrior_bob (You can now see my amazing doggie and new puppy on my homepage!! Come say hello to Jake & Sonny)
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To: Gumlegs
Some right here at FR seem to think forcing religion on military personnel is not only a good idea, but their duty!

I couldn't believe that post you linked. When they come to my door, they get 30 seconds to get back to their car and leave.

I don't understand how people who want no infringement on THEIR religion think it's OK to infringe on other's “brand” of faith (or lack of).

Sheesh!! Gladly, by my estimation, this is an extreme minority view here and in the US.

49 posted on 11/14/2008 6:56:22 PM PST by Jackson Brown
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To: Jackson Brown; Cvengr
I hope you're right that it's a minority view; from my experience here I'm not so sure.

The conversation with Cvengr continued to post 200 of that thread. I never did seem to get him/her/it to understand my point.

50 posted on 11/14/2008 6:59:44 PM PST by Gumlegs
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To: Gumlegs

I agree that that is a minority view, even among Christians... and I am not an atheist.

I think most Christians do not want to force their beliefs on others, but they do not want athiest’s beliefs to be forced on them, or their children.


51 posted on 11/14/2008 7:15:41 PM PST by OHelix
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To: 185JHP; 230FMJ; 50mm; 69ConvertibleFirebird; Aleighanne; Alexander Rubin; ...
Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

Agressive atheism is a grave threat to liberty. If atheists don't like prayer, they should just tolerate it, not attend if possible, or think about something else. Daydream or something. If they don't believe in God, which is the meaning of atheism, it shouldn't really bother them.

For instance, different religious believers may not share many beliefs with someone of another faith. Many people have attended religious services of other faiths - even if they don't share every belief. It's called respect and tolerance.

If atheists are so angry and aggressive that they can't tolerate any mention or practice of religious belief, then it's their responsibility to hang out only with other atheists, not force religious believers to bend to their will.

52 posted on 11/14/2008 9:05:52 PM PST by little jeremiah (Leave illusion, come to the truth. Leave the darkness, come to the light.)
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To: RC2; trumandogz
I have no problem with an atheist.....until they start trying to tear down others beliefs.

The Atheists I've meet have been perfectly reasonable people. It's the Anti-theists that are insufferable bastards.

53 posted on 11/14/2008 9:09:34 PM PST by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: PeteePie

Atheists....the perpetually offended.


54 posted on 11/14/2008 9:11:09 PM PST by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: PeteePie

Readers react to complaints from atheists

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2132435/posts?page=1

Cross linking.


55 posted on 11/14/2008 9:12:07 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
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To: Gumlegs; Jackson Brown
Unless they are forced to pray or stand there while a Chaplin is preaching TO THEM, or trying to convert them, then this is a ridiculously stupid issue.

Some right here at FR seem to think forcing religion on military personnel is not only a good idea, but their duty!

To be fair, some don't.

To be fair, implying that others besides yourself don't is disingenuous. All you did was post a link to your own comment. You could have at least been honest enough to admit that YOU don't.

56 posted on 11/14/2008 9:23:29 PM PST by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: little jeremiah

One of the problems with the militant atheist types is that they equate overhearing something with being assaulted with it.

Being required to be respectful (as I presume the military does) of other’s beliefs is not the same as being required to believe other’s beliefs.

There are plenty of religions that I think are off track but if I were in a situation where they were praying, I would at least do them the courtesy of being respectful as they practice their religion as the Constitution permits them. I would not even take offense at them proselytizing me as I would understand that they were doing it out of genuine concern.

If someone thinks that what they believe is right, it comes with a sense of obligation to tell others that as well. If someone thinks that they have something that will benefit others and make their lives better, I would expect them to want to share it with me and would consider it an honor that they had enough concern about me to want to do that.

Those perpetually offended atheists seem to forget that it’s the Judeo-Christian belief system that they are trying to suppress that gave them the Constitution that gives them the right to NOT believe if they so choose.


57 posted on 11/14/2008 9:40:32 PM PST by metmom (Welfare was never meant to be a career choice.)
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To: PeteePie
I am throughly fed up and sick to death of the minority of Godless degenerate heathens that insist on demoralizing this great nation!

Freedom was never intended to be a trophy for depravity, perversion, immorality, et al.
If they want to live in a demoralized degenerate uber-liberal disease ridden, drug addled, crime ridden immoral permissive utopia then move to France, Sweden, Holland or some other reprobate nation that grants credence to such and those that practice/worship same...
Get the hell out of this country! We will never let you have your way. Get over it!!!!!!!

58 posted on 11/14/2008 10:31:38 PM PST by DirtyHarryY2K (Don't blame Texas.. No more RINO's or Mavericks)
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To: stevem

.no


59 posted on 11/14/2008 10:33:08 PM PST by DirtyHarryY2K (Don't blame Texas.. No more RINO's or Mavericks)
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To: aWolverine

Strange. I was just thinking that if they don’t want to pray, they could do the “Time Warp” to kill the time.


60 posted on 11/14/2008 10:37:07 PM PST by PLMerite ("Unarmed, one can only flee from Evil. But Evil isn't overcome by fleeing from it." Jeff Cooper)
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