How do you feel about religious (yes, Christian) expression in the military?

Read the article, the part that troubles me the most is the quote by a player who says there is pressure to participate in order to be considered part of the team. Exercise of religion is the only activity in the military that is optional--or at least it's supposed to be, but this is setting up these people to expect this sort of thing when they enter the active force, and that is an EO incident waiting to happen.

All our sports events begin with two lead ins, prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. That includes public school events. During my 21 year career, this was never an issue, if you were interested in joining religious activities, no one thought anything about it. (They were not the ones most of us went on liberty with, however) The same applied to those that didn't want to participate, for any reason. As the Philosopher, Rodney King once said, "Can't we just get along?"

Anything they can find to whine about I guess. From what I read a few players stood out of the prayer circle and that's fine. As long as it wasn't forced these people need to quit their whining and complaining. If the players want to pray before they play then let them. There's nothing wrong with it. If you don't like it, don't bow your head. Wait the 30 seconds it takes for them to finish and enjoy the game.

I am against it. I don't want my GOD or anyone elses used as an excuse to kill

I honestly don't understand all the problems. I worked with and for, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Wiccans, Atheists, Buddhists and many others.

I am a Christian. I follow a don't ask don't tell policy when it comes to my faith. I say grace before I consume a meal or a snack, but in settings where other people might feel awkwardly included, I go to the "prayer closet". In a public setting like a restaurant I don't make a show of it, but I'm not going to the "prayer closet". If people ask about my faith, I'm not telling, until I know why they are curious about it. Even then it is in tiny servings and they've got to ask for more.

as long as they are not forcing me to do any of it.

If you give in by peer pressure ... that mean you don't have "it" in your faith anyway :P lol

I am aware of some of the practices at USAFA, and I think they were out of line. If I'm not mistaken a USAFA grad, MIkey Weinstein, has been tasked by BHO to address that. Unfortunately, like any other of these things, the baby gets thrown out with the bath water. There is a reason we HAVE chaplains. And a good interfaith prayer asking for Protection, or blessings from the Almighty, isn't a bad thing, and isn't meant to be hurtful. If you choose not to participate , that's fine. The morons defining the separation of church and state in America in 2015 in reference to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution demand the TOTAL removal of any references to God or a higher power. That is NOT what was meant!! It meant the absence of a state-sponsored religion, in particular, the Church of England, where the head of state was also the head of the church!! It was to avoid a direct connection to any particular church/denomination -thus allowing people to worship freely to whatever god they chose, OR NOT TO! The Declaration of Independence and other documents contain numerous references to a higher power, e g. . "Endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights.." Have another look at the coins in your pocket-"In God We Trust." If that offends you please collect all of them and mail them to me. Address on request (sarcasm) . My point-keep it in perspective.

Praying in private before the game, fine; praying on the field, during an official function, not fine.

I feel like this incident was specifically chosen to be provocational. That said, the legal line here is not religion per say, but the exercise of religion in a capacity that creates either the perception of or the actual endorsement of a specific religion by the military, which is to say, the government. The players are personally free to do what they wish in a religious sense, so long as neither they, nor the Service, make it seem like the religion has the endorsement of the Service. They are at an official function, in one of the uniforms of the Academy, therefore, they are representing the Service. If they want to pray in the locker room, so long as they do not force it upon anyone, let them pray.

Praying on the field is nothing more than a public display, and is a violation of both the UCMJ and federal law.

The author is out of his gourd. "pernicious and dangerous". To whom? By whom? As far as I can tell, no one directed or even suggested they pray...they just did. There was no hint of command direction or influence here. Is prayer itself now illegal in America? And his "what if"...what would have happened if one of them had backed off and prayed to Allah or Yahweh? I know the answer: Nothing! It would have been exactly as it was...individuals deciding to pray. What a tool.