Atheist soldier sues Army for 'unconstitutional' discrimination

[Krikit 1,164]

it is common..when i was in basic..if you did not go to church..then you got to do sh!t detail duty during that time..also, on my dogtags ..religion was listed i put Indian./..and while in basic ahd a visit from the chaplin, on why i was a Hindu..i told him, i believed in American Indian spirituality.....and he shook his head..and said that is even worse..a pagan...

ChopF##k Chaplin.

Agreed. That Chaplain obviously can't set aside his beliefs, either.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

he's a freaking spec 4......he does not hold a leadership position to begin with.

He could have been a squad leader though. If they told him that they were out of line.

very unlikely.

I was a Squad Leader as a Spec 4. I had the points and was waiting for the board. That was in 98'. New positions are opening up over there every day, so it's even more likely.

given the cutoff scores for 5 and 6 are pretty much at an all time low, i still think it's unlikely.

[zqt3344 21]

You should have told him you were a practicing Zen Master or a Moonie or a Trekkie or a ahhaahhahahahhah, what a good joke you played on them.

it is common..when i was in basic..if you did not go to church..then you got to do sh!t detail duty during that time..also, on my dogtags ..religion was listed i put Indian./..and while in basic ahd a visit from the chaplin, on why i was a Hindu..i told him, i believed in American Indian spirituality.....and he shook his head..and said that is even worse..a pagan...

[Sister Fracas 5]

In another incident, when he was nearly killed during an attack on his Humvee, he said another soldier asked him, "Do you believe in Jesus now?"

Totally NOT surprising...

[tmma 467]

There has to be more to the original story than what's quoted on the OP.

When I was in the military ( throughout Basic and on AD both CONUS and deployed)-I saw NO ONE forcing anyone of any rank or position to attend " Christian " services or participate in ANY particular religion....I saw NO alienation of non-Christians or anyone for that matter.

In fact; I remember at Basic there were afew people various religions who ALL got to practice their beliefs without hindrance or coercion. I knew at least 3 Pagans who were given their own time and area to practrice, at least 4 or 5 Muslims who were fully accomodated and allowed to pray numerous times a day despite whatever classes they were in at the time. It was no problem and a big deal about it didn't happen at all and rightly so. IMO.

...Everyone was accomodated to as well as could be done considering the circumstances and the mission at hand.

As I progressed through the ranks in no way shape or form was ANYONE [to my knowledge in my team at least] put in a position where they were pressured to follow mainstream Christianity or any religion. Even going into the sandbox. Everyone was given time either as a group or individualy to pray and practice their own beliefs (or not).

Got to be more to this story than is in the OP.

Edited July 10, 2008 by tmma

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

There has to be more to the original story than what's quoted on the OP.

When I was in the military ( throughout Basic and on AD both CONUS and deployed)-I saw NO ONE forcing anyone of any rank or position to attend " Christian " services or participate in ANY particular religion....I saw NO alienation of non-Christians or anyone for that matter.

In fact; I remember at Basic there were afew people various religions who ALL got to practice their beliefs without hindrance or coercion. I knew at least 3 Pagans who were given their own time and area to practrice, at least 4 or 5 Muslims who were fully accomodated and allowed to pray numerous times a day despite whatever classes they were in at the time. It was no problem and a big deal about it didn't happen at all and rightly so. IMO.

...Everyone was accomodated to as well as could be done considering the circumstances and the mission at hand.

As I progressed through the ranks in no way shape or form was ANYONE [to my knowledge in my team at least] put in a position where they were pressured to follow mainstream Christianity or any religion. Even going into the sandbox. Everyone was given time either as a group or individualy to pray and practice their own beliefs (or not).

Got to be more to this story than is in the OP.

i never saw anything either where someone was forced to attend any religious ceremony. but it's more fun to be outraged over some allegation involving the military for some.

[Peikko 1,575]

Ah, I've found the outrage!

Just curious, but is it really true that a christian who loses faith was never really a christain in the first place? That's some wacky reasoning.

[tmma 467]

Ah, I've found the outrage!

Just curious, but is it really true that a christian who loses faith was never really a christain in the first place? That's some wacky reasoning.

I don't know. Nor do I care.What's a "true Christian" anyway? Or for that matter what's a true Pagan, Muslim or Jew? Either way the people I served with all just did what they could to get the job they volunteered for done..No BS. Too busy working as a team with a common goal.

Regarding the person this thread is about......Honestly; my first thought is he probably has more issues with his choice of profession than with other's (or the military's alleged) problems with his religion (or lack of it). Just MHO.

[Sister Fracas 5]

i never saw anything either where someone was forced to attend any religious ceremony. but it's more fun to be outraged over some allegation involving the military for some.

Is the military so pristine and free of chopf*cks? Seems to me there are nitwits wherever you go, so why wouldn't the military have 'em as well? Why do you assume it couldn't happen?

Edited July 10, 2008 by Sister Fracas

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

i never saw anything either where someone was forced to attend any religious ceremony. but it's more fun to be outraged over some allegation involving the military for some.

Is the military so pristine and free of chopf*cks? Seems to me there are nitwits wherever you go, so why wouldn't the military have 'em as well? Why do you assume it couldn't happen?

join and find out

[Sister Fracas 5]

i never saw anything either where someone was forced to attend any religious ceremony. but it's more fun to be outraged over some allegation involving the military for some.

Is the military so pristine and free of chopf*cks? Seems to me there are nitwits wherever you go, so why wouldn't the military have 'em as well? Why do you assume it couldn't happen?

join and find out

ahhh, evading the question... good one.

[Peikko 1,575]

Because anything outside his experience simply 'doesn't happen'?

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

i never saw anything either where someone was forced to attend any religious ceremony. but it's more fun to be outraged over some allegation involving the military for some.

Is the military so pristine and free of chopf*cks? Seems to me there are nitwits wherever you go, so why wouldn't the military have 'em as well? Why do you assume it couldn't happen?

join and find out

ahhh, evading the question... good one.

evading service, even better

[Sister Fracas 5]

Because anything outside his experience simply 'doesn't happen'?

I guess

[tmma 467]

i never saw anything either where someone was forced to attend any religious ceremony. but it's more fun to be outraged over some allegation involving the military for some.

Is the military so pristine and free of chopf*cks? Seems to me there are nitwits wherever you go, so why wouldn't the military have 'em as well? Why do you assume it couldn't happen?

I don't believe anyone on here is assuming it didn't happen, but this guy is making a lawsuit out of it. It's up to him to prove he was discriminated against....Not the military or others to prove he wasn't.