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

In this instance, because the article only mentions the distribution of the bible. No others were mentioned, leading one to think that no other options were available (potentially), creating a de facto endorsement of one particular religious viewpoint.

Perhaps you also need to take a copy of the satanic bible, the koran, the god delusion, and a few others. After all, YOU might change your mind when under fire also.

you got me on that one' lol

The issue comes into play if the government agent, the NG in this instance, is only allowing one group to hand out its literature. That creates a default preference for one religious viewpoint, which is prohibited by various court rulings. That is what is being fought by these organizations - the separation of church & state. You still retain your ability to believe as you wish, pray when you wish, however the government must remain neutral in those areas, without showing a preference for any.

As for your statements, " As for it being government property n(the building where the bibles are), that does not imply it is government sanctioned," and "The day I entered boot camp in San Diego, part of the issue was a little green bible," these contradict each other. IF the bible WAS issued, and not just made available, then it does constitute endorsement and sanctioning of a particular belief.

Well years ago it was not a big deal like it is today in our world of political feelings being put into every part of our life , they gave one to me and i just kept it in my locker , not a big deal in fact i gave it to my son who likes it because it was green and has it as keep sake along with my rank pins and the very few medals i got. if made into a regulation item then you have a beef then all books of faith should be passed out'

Sometimes they do-------

...and "shouldn't bother you" is pretty much the entire intent of that clause of the First Amendment.

Ok, you exercised your first Amendment it doesn't mean you can force others to believe your personal belief and force them to not be allowed to read the Bible. I do not believe anymore, but I do not force others to not be able to read and share their beliefs. If they are not using it to hurt, kill, or manipulate to hurt and kill I respect them. But that doesn't mean they can force their beliefs while someone is working and keeping me from work like what happened one incident. I had to report to my manager that a professing religion that I hadn't heard of before would not let me go to do my rounds he wanted to keep me their until I confessed his way of beliefs. That is not first Amendment right he was wrong. And if any belief speaks outwardly and admits that they are against my Country, against America and want to kill America then I have every right to complain and get someone's attention to protect, prevent and stop whatever harm they our outwardly speaking they are going or wanting to do. Use you first Amendment right say you don't believe, but you have no right at all to keep any Christian from being able to receive a Bible so they can have options to read what they believe and if you are seeing someone praying you better respect them and leave them alone. Unless of course it is an known religion that is out to kill, hurt America and commit terrorism against America and Americans that they have already professed they are doing to do they have done and want to continue doing!!!

But what if our next President writes an unpopular EO, and takes 1% of your income to pay for the Bibles because he considers them birth control... and it's no big deal because he's simply following a precedent that requires taxpayers to pay for birth control, which was already a precedent set by a previous (p)Resident? LOL.

And people wonder why so many take issue with the current (p)Resident... who just decided to not work with the GOP and go it alone on what he calls "Immigration Reform" and blamed Congress for not doing enough! It was HE that was not enforcing Federal Immigration Law, which he justified by saying he was exercising "Prosecutorial Discression" in setting his priorities [which didn't include securing our borders] and he didn't have enough resources which forced him to pick and choose which laws he had to give greater priority to enforcing... Do you believe it?

He creates problems, blames them on others, and then saves the day with his EO solutions... Now that's LEADERSHIP!!! (/sarcasm).

Isn't your complaint about using tax dollars to pay for something you don't agree with the same as my complaint about using tax dollars to pay for abortions? Tax dollars are tax dollars, typically the only difference is who will be pissed off about how it is being used.

Petty Officer Sackenheim,

If you really want to know on "which" Christian principles this Country was founded ... it may be painful for you... but I'm afraid you're going to have to read the Bible.

Oh and there's a small four volume work, you may want to look at also, It's called "Teaching and Learning America's Christian History' by Rosalie J. Slater.

There are other references , but I don't want to overwhelm your intellect. And regarding the Treaty of which you spoke earlier.... If memory serves I don't believe George Washington was a signatory to the agreement.

In fact the original version of the "The Treaty of Tripoli" containing the language you quoted was written in Arabic.

A version translated by then Consul-General Joel Barlow was ratified by the United States Congress on 10JULY1797. It's translation was in doubt for quite sometime and wasn't until some time later that it was finally signed by President John Adams who wanted to insure that clarity of our ecclesiastical proclivities were properly ensconced and sent to Congress for ratification.

After the original writing the 11th Amendment was dropped and other changes made and proper transliterations done in both English and Arabic before the document was finally sent to Congress in final version for ratification more than 8 years after the original writing. Of course you'll want to research and corroborate those findings...

PO3 Sackenheim, Slander? Where is there a slander? Evolution is a scientific fact? Maybe so. Something was the catalyst for ALL we know (and much that we don't know). This, by its most simple definition, is CREATION. We are all here, something CREATED us all. We exist therefore CREATION happened. What more evidence do you need?

Is the position of atheism arrogance or intellectual insecurity? Lets presume you are correct, not that we will ever know, what difference does it make to you if Christians, Muslims, Buddists, ad infinitum; are wrong? Since in the view of the atheist, your position is clearly a superior level of understanding, why not just sit back, shut up and pity all the lesser understanding religious zealots.

Frankly I am fed up with the judgment and forced compliance of atheism. Regardless of my exhaustion of the position, you have a right to draw your own conclusions. Please stop trying to restrict my religious freedoms and expressions. I will shut up now.

Best wishes to all.