Should prayer during non-religious ceremonies be banned when it comes to mandatory events?

If you don't want to bow your head and pray, don't. The only ones that will know are others that feel as you do. The respect for the beliefs or non beliefs of others is apparently becoming a lost art.

I don't believe it should be banned. I also don't believe it's a violation of anything. We all serve to defend and protect the Constitution of the US of America. Did we not? We raised out right hands and swore an oath. We all have the right to practice any religion that we chose. Therefore, any one of us has the right NOT to participate in prayer if that's not in our belief. This is always a touchy subject, without any doubt. If prayer is banned during mandatory function, is this not a violation of religious freedom? Just because someone is praying, individually or in a group, doesn't mean we have to participate in that. Good question, very sensitive question.

Is this "prayer" mentioning a specific diety (ex: Jesus Christ, Allah, Oprah Winfrey), or is it nearly referencing a general god? I've never seen a chaplain lead an organized Christian prayer, but have seen them ask a generic god (lower case "g") for blessings and protection. I think the easiest thing to do is to put your big boy pants on, quietly reflect on whatever you choose to believe or not believe, and stop being butt hurt over the possibility that someone prayed to God... seeing as how you don't believe anyway.

What soldiers do with their private time, is there business, given that I have seen prayer groups and smoking groups. Your choice which group you want to join in, but in a humoress way you can be a group of one, if I am around I will join you provided I can drink my beer.

A1C Tyler Santy, As an atheist, why the concern As you do not believe in a god, why or how could it matter. I encourage you to read the Supreme Court Case referenced at the end of my comments. There are lots of points and references included some referencing your concern.

I also encourage you to read what the first commander of military forces in America (Gen. George Washington) had to say on the subject of Chaplains. Also, consider reading what Blood & Guts Gen. George Patton had to say about Chaplains and military prayers. Even Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and Supreme Allied Commander in the South West Pacific Area General Douglas MacArthur evidence their belief in and importance of Chaplains.

Having served 22 yrs in the military, I was grateful for the availability of Chaplains and prayer in the military. When one's soul is faced with the rapid expectation of eternity, one often garners a new concern for other viewpoints regarding eternity.

I was grateful for a Chaplain who accomplished what none of the Commanders could accomplish at Clark AB, the Philippines, during the Vietnam War when one of the flightline TSgts' baby daughter died of Whooping Cough (very rare). It was a Chaplain who was able to do what the Commanders were not able to do. His contacts through the Chaplaincy at the Pentagon secured a grave plot in Arlington Cemetery and priority transport on a C141 for the parents and their deceased baby to fly to D.C. and for priority temporary housing, and transport to Arlington Cemetery for burial of their daughter with the agreement the father would be buried in the same grave. He also arranged for their other children to be cared for at Clark Air Base while they were in the states, and secured transport for their return flight back to the Philippines. I was surprised to learn what Chaplain 's (at least at that time anyway) could accomplish besides pray, sermons, etc.

Toward the end of my career, terrorists bombed the Army support center (the civilian leased bldg where our kids played and we had a small exchange) in Brussels Belgium. I found the calm actions of an Army Chaplain speaking to and praying for the military families most reassuring. If a person is an atheist, why should that matter.

Additional info: Your belief that prayer could be seen as a violation of the establishment clause of the first amendment has been previously addressed. Review KATCOFF v. MARSH AT TWENTY-ONE: THE MILITARY CHAPLAINCY AND THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE :
In the 1986 case of Katcoff v. Marsh, the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit became the only federal appellate court to address directly the constitutionality the Army chaplaincy under the Constitution’s Establishment Clause. In holding the chaplaincy did not offend the Constitution, the court relied upon countervailing considerations of judicial deference to Congress in matters concerning the military and soldiers’ reliance on the chaplaincy to exercise freely their religions. This article argues that, given subsequent developments in Establishment Clause jurisprudence and changes in the structure and missions of the military itself, the decision remains on firm constitutional footing. Katcoff did not, however, immunize the chaplaincy from judicial oversight under the Establishment Clause. The article also discusses Establishment Clause issues either left open or not addressed by Katcoff, including the constitutionality of the chaplaincy in major metropolitan areas and issues confronting the chaplaincy with regard to compulsory religious observances and denominational preferences.

And as my mother said from time to time: God Bless you for asking questions.

I believe God has a place here, as he does everywhere. If you so choose not to participate is a short prayer, than this should be your option. I know it was mine when I was in basic training and going to church was manditory. I approached the squadron commander and made a case against compulsive organized worship. I was granted the option to attend worship or not. I chose not to but this did not make me any less a Christian. The prayer of which you speak, should be non-denominational and would address the spiritual needs of monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism & Islam). Spiritual religions and polytheistic religions would probably agree with the "words of wisdom" as long as it is not prosalitizing. I could write beyond a diatribe of why God has his place in the miliktary. Suffice it to say that God does not need a whole basillica or cathedral to provide comfort. An open field before you engage the enemy will suffice, and certainly brought sollice to me.

As a veteran & spouse of a retiree, as an American, & as a Christian (follower of Jesus, the Christ) my thoughts on this issue have been ambivalent. The 1st Ammendment & God you the right to choose. That the military tradition lies in favor of Judeo-Christian values may seem contradictory to religious freedom; however, given the authority of both, you have the right to ignore the prayer. But please, do not take God out of the military! We took Him out of schools & now wonder why we have so many killings of our children. Every where we have uninvited God, we have lived to regret it even as we wonder what's wrong w/our society. Finally, my heart aches for you because of your spiritual choice. I will pray you come to understand the joy & peace of God's love before it is too late.

I think it should be left out altogether to keep peace. Every Soldier can attend mass of their belief if they want to. During memorial service the chaplain should go with the religious belief of the departed. I am catholic but I don't like religion forced on me. It just pisses me off. I pray on my own time aND in my own way. Just because your a chaplain doesn't make you better than anybody else.

Well, if you ban it aren't you banning free speech? The 1st Amendment doesn't say free speech is allowed only if the speech is unanimously approved. Those there do not have to participate in the prayer but good manners dictate to not to disrupt or interrupt the ceremony just because you disagree with one portion of it. It's like saying the valedictorian shouldn't speak because their speech might contain some thoughts/beliefs that some disagree with.

I do not agree with mandatory Christian prayers at mandatory events. Having all service members stand, how there hands together and bow their heads while the chaplain does his thing at ceremonies is forcing SMs who dont live that life to pretend.

I sat down with a civilian EO rep to ask if there was a problem with it... Just to get someone else's opinion. She said it's a dumb thing to question. But she's a hardcore goto Church every week and sing in the choir kinda lady so her opinion is probably bias and only semi reliable.