The military has long been accused of discrmination against agnostics and atheists. Despite the claim that “there are no atheists in foxholes,” many soldiers have fought for the country despite being agnostics or atheists. Their patriotism comes from faith in our country, but that is not enough for some military officers. Recently, wiccan families have protested the refusal to include their symbols on tombstones for fallen soldiers who gave their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, Spc. Jeremy Hall has filed a lawsuit saying that he was punished for trying to organize meetings for atheists and non-Christians in Iraq, including an effort to block his reenlistment. For the full story, click here
47 thoughts on “Military accused of discrimination against atheists”
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Billy,
Nope, nice try. I’m an avowed weak atheist. I admit the possibility of a god existing, I just don’t happen to have any reason to believe that one does.
Also, you’ll notice I said “seldom accurate ” and not “never accurate.” I try and choose my words carefully.
Judge, I suspect you and St. Paul had little in common..
Judge, even “the devil” can quote scripture..
You are an “absolute” atheist. That atheism may be tested in a “foxhole” of course..
When I look at the convolutions on the “ear” of a human, I marvel. Wax is the only thing that keeps insects from making a home in our cranium. Because of ear wax, it is impossible for these creatures to make a home in “our” head. The Intelligence behind this design is staggering and “perfect”…
Billy,
I’ll bite, what absolutes do I believe?
billy:
“The things you say are so outrageous and extreme, they border on the “sensational”. Is that purposeful?”
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It certainly is because waking one another from a delusion requires the sleeper to first acknowledge that the delusion exists in the first place. And that my dear fellow, is an extreme revelation for most since they have been indoctrinated since childhood that some Santa in the sky will care for them and solve their problems. Once they realize the utter stupidity of such a proposition, they initially fear the unknown, but sooner or later they come to realize that our existence and happiness is in our own hands, and not at the whim of some other-worldly creature. That is both frightening and strangely satisfying. It takes courage to believe that and put away Santa Claus and other childish things. Paul had it right:
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
1 Corinthians 13:11 (KJV)
His methodology was sound; he just arrived at the wrong conclusion.
I think you should point that high powered perception at yourself, especially when talking about “absolutism”..
I believe the reality of God is all around me. When I look at all of created life, I marvel at the Infinite Wisdom and perfect planning behind this divine plan….
Billy,
I can regurgitate just as many religious platitudes and dead metaphors as you, and probably do a better job of it from an aesthetic stand point.
The problem is that your trite truism is founded on something other than truth. There are Atheists in fox-holes and it’s insulting to others to assume that they only believe what they believe until they’re in a stressful situation. What’s worse is it’s nothing short of intellectual onanism to pat yourself on the back while saying “deep down, even people who disagree with me know I’m right.”
Absolute statements are seldom accurate.
Being a juror might not be quite as “stressful” or harrowing as being “shot” at on a daily basis. Or as horrific as seeing your fellow soldier and friend blown to pieces after stepping on a mine…
billy:
“Sometimes it takes a series of horrific experiences or events to shake us to our foundation and realize how much we need Him in our life.”
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And sometimes those same events shake our rationality to the core and we come to believe in things with no evidence because it makes us feel better to believe them. Tell me, when did you make your best decisions — under mind-numbing stress, or after cool, dispassionate deliberation? If the former, maybe we should have juries decide cases after running through rush-hour traffic following the presentation of the case. On second thought, I am hostile– to stupidity and soft-headed thinking.
“For out of fear and need each religion is born, creeping into existence on the byways of reason.” (Nietzsche)
The things you say are so outrageous and extreme, they border on the “sensational”. Is that purposeful?
Sometimes it takes a series of horrific experiences or events to shake us to our foundation and realize how much we need Him in our life. War can be the catalyst to bring us home, or to lead us to Him when we are at our nadir. Either way, He loves us and I think will He take us anyway He can..
billy:
I prefer “honest and rational” since I haven’t burned anyone at the stake, drown any witches, or called the current President of the United States the anti-christ or even commissioned a poll about whether he should be assassinated or not. I think the “foxhole crowd” did that.
Billy,
While I’ve never been in battle, I have been in some pretty stressful situations, including instances where I and\or loved ones were in serious danger of dying.
I haven’t prayed during a single such instance since I’ve become an atheist.
Man, you are one hostile guy…
billy:
“Their are no atheists in fox holes..”
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… meaning, I suppose, that one must be in mortal fear for one’s life to be compelled to believe the preposterous tenets of the Christian religion. Quite an endorsement!
Wonder how that works if one is tortured almost to death. Bet you’d come to believe anything to save your skin. This speaks to the weakness of man’s character. not the revelatory nature of the supposed religion of the deity.
Their are no atheists in fox holes..