Atheists Want Guard to Stop Bible Handouts. What is your opinion?

1st SGT, That's absurd to say because I'm an atheist, that I believe in nothing. I believe in reason, truth, honor, dignity, science and the scientific method. There's plenty that I believe in. I just believe in one less god than you do.

CPO William Hughes, I believe in reason, truth, science, et al as welll. I also believe in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. What I do not believe in is militant atheist organizations trying to stamp out expressions of faith in the public sector. No one is harmed. The religious materials available on a table through the Chaplain has been tested time and again and has passed legal muster every time. What was laid out was Christian, because the preponderance of Soldiers who practice a faith are Christian. Personnel who practice other faiths need to inform the Chaplain of their ministry needs and to the extent possible, the Chaplain provides religious support. To sue as though your deeply held non-religious philosophy is spomehow threatened by materials being available is laughable.
You are entitled to practice whatever faith (or non-faith) you wish, and it "SHALL NOT BE ABRIDGED".

No one questions you, or anyone else's right to practice whatever religion you please. That's not the point. And no one denies anyone the right to pick up religious materials from a chaplains table. I'm not aware of "militant atheist organizations" that you speak of but I am aware of religious organizations screeching about society infringing on their "religious freedoms" while they continue to try and influence legislators at both state and federal level to accede to their demands. I don't believe anyone should be physically handing religious material out. If it's on a table to take, fine. I can also tell you that I have had people in my face screaming at me that I'm going to hell because I don't believe in god. When everyone gets treated fairly, then I'll see no reason to object to religion. Until then, I'll raise my voice anytime someone tries to call me out. Religion poisons everything!

@cpo William hughes, almost every religion on Earth advocates peace and goodwill. Most people of faith are not obnoxious about it, but they do exist. I think there is room for every faith. After all, one universal tenet of religion is that we will all find out whether we were worthy in the end. Whether your life leads you to hell or heaven or oblivion is not for me to judge. I am sure you are a good man who follows a moral compass. I think any time we turn to a courtroom to decide the unknowable we are on shaky ground. In the meantime, I will practice my faith in this great and free land of ours and take solace in the Constitution.
Good talk, Chief. I wish you fair winds and following seas.

No, LTC, it is one and the same. You cannot have freedom OF religion without freedom FROM religion. Without freedom FROM religion, a person has no right to refuse participation in a religious ceremony/prayer/etc. Freedom FROM religion allows the person to opt out of that participation. Freedom OF religion ensures that the person has the right to choose for themselves, same as Freedom FROM religion. Also, importantly, Freedom FROM religion inhibits the gov't from establishing a preference for any belief, ensuring neutrality.

you are so right..

If a book assists moral without creating discourse or strife why should it's distribution be limited?

Conversly I thought acts which could damage cohesian or moral were fround upon? Therefore limiting opportunities for religous expression which does not interfere with mission could be damaging to moral.

Athiesm is not the ditractor of cohesion. Limitations on many by opinions of few is.

Chief, I think you're missing the big picture. What percentage of people practicing religion in this country are christians? Probably over 95%. Atheists are NOT trying to STOP christianity, they just want it to stay in it's place. Out of the government of the country, the states and cities and in the pews and pupits of the religious institutions.
And I can guarantee you that if ANY religion was trying to hand out materials in a setting such as what was done here, we atheists would be just as vociferous about that. Why aren't christians, et al, satisfied with praying, preaching and participating in their own church, in their own manner? Why do they insist on bringing their superstitions into the public sphere? All the religions can't be right and each of them thinks the others are wrong. Since the atheists that are living in this predominately christian country are involved in maintaining the separation of church and state, we have to deal with mainly christian incursions into that separation. That's why you see us primarily protesting those actions.

MSG (Join to see) When you leave/return from deployment, besides toothbrushes/paste and body wipes, I think the # thing I was handed by the folks who greeted us was religious material. I'm pretty close to atheist, but I still carried (and still have) a religious medallion given to my by a nun before I deployed last year.

My whole thing is you should have the choice to leave or accept any religious material. I remember when I was in college the Guideons (Spelling?) would come to campus twice a year and pass out bibles to everyone. They were on every corner, side street, sidewalk and road and it seemed that the only way to stop them from approaching you was to take a bible and show it to the next 30 Guideons you encountered. I'm not suggesting that a item out side of ones personal beliefs cannot become meaningful...I just feel like acceptance of an item shouldn't be forced.

Is there a diplomatic opportunity to work with Muslim countries to advance space exploration and science in general? Since there is no money to take on a grand project like building of space elevators, a lunar base or some other major advance in mans exploration of space.... trying to advance peace on earth doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

A Christian trying to promote understanding between our worlds through science, a Christian using the military to save lives in Africa, if it wasn't for him using drones on a massive scale to assassinate people thought to be associated with terrorism I'd think he was actually trying to be like your Christ.

you are so right..radical athiest only seem to chave an issue when christians are involved.

COL Roxanne Arndt, Please tell me the specifics of when christians were not allowed to practice their faith? And just how are atheists, agnostics and their ilk persecuting christians? Muslims, now that's a different story. They may be trying to get back at you christians for the persecution they suffered in the Crusades, I don't know, but their religion is hokum anyway, just like judaism, hinduism, christianity, they're all built on the older religions and those were built on even older ones. Belief in the supernatural is my definition of insanity.







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COL Roxanne Arndt

I'm tired of the finger pointing. If someone wants to give me a bible why does it offend others. If someone wants to send me a bible and I'm in a Muslim country why does it offend someone. I believe in Christ I'm a Christian and this debate is ridiculous.

Good point! Me myself, I'm hoping the DOD will approve the Porn Goddess Religious application we submitted in 1977 soon! Can't wait to see the latest porn handed out for religious material!

I can agree with that SFC Michael Hasbun

As eobin also said. just ask no one should be denied religous materials fo their Choosing..

How much would Pepsi or Chevy Truck pay for the opportunity to reach out and put their advertising materials in the hands of every recruit coming in the military?

End all logos on everything - it's a burning man thing

I wonder what the atheist are passing out? Since they believe in nothing that is their right and we fought to allow them to have that right. Why do they care what we believe in? What gives them a right to deny us our Bible when they have nothing to put in its place?

SGT James Hastings, That is a good question. I believe that there are plenty of secular disciplines that support the atheist's cause, such as professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, and psychologists. They all embrace a humanist perspective to some degree. In the substance recovery world, there is also Rational Recovery. There is also plenty of common ground that we can find with logic and observations about nature. We can know about God, the prime mover, animating principle, or whatever you call it by what we observe in nature. It is the form of revelation that we humans all have in common. It is also known as common sense. I don't believe that atheists have a right to limit our respectful speech in America.

SGT James Hastings I have to take issue with the "we and them" statements! "We" fight right alongside you and do not feel compelled to hand something out in the absence of a higher power. I do agree with you about denying anything. I would also like to stipulate that not all atheists are extremist zealots; we don't claim them and they certainly do not speak on behalf of all of us. In fact, I would prefer to send them, along with a majority of the PC commando's to an island somewhere to watch them march around looking for someone or something to change because it offends there sensibilities!

Good point LT Clint Davis. Even among "believers" there are times when they don't believe in certain things. Sometimes it is good to not have to believe in something, because knowing could be considered better. I like that you value common decency, respect and good will among human kind irregardless of the -ism.

It's simple and [not] rocket science! If you don't want the Bible say "no thank you" and leave it at that! No one is forcing the Atheists to read it, or look at it! If it is on a table, or desk in Billeting....just stick it in the damn drawer! Geez....we need to quit catering to those people!