Post | 04/28/2008 12:26 pm

No Atheists Allowed in the Foxhole?

By Joan Ganz Cooney
Joan Ganz Cooney

No recent news story has angered me as much as the one recently in The New York Times under the headline "Soldier Sues Army, Saying His Atheism Led to Threats," about a soldier in Iraq who assembled a group of non-believers. Remember that believers are encouraged to assemble and pray as much as possible, but this group was told charges would be filed against them and they’d be prevented from re-enlistment. The young man who assembled the group has been sent back to the States because of threats against his life.

It is well known that proselytizing by evangelicals in the armed services is constant and often borders on harassment. It is also well known that officers, when they meet on military business, always start with a prayer. Am I crazy or does all of this border on a violation of the Establishment Clause (First Amendment) of the Constitution? This comes so close to imposed religion by a government body that it is hard to see the difference. The Founding Fathers explicitly wanted this country to be free from the tyranny of religion. What could be farther from what they had in mind than the armed forces, either overtly or subtly, pressuring enlistees and officers to manifest a religious belief (and let’s face it, whether stated or not, Christian belief) and forbidding any to dare say that they aren’t believers?

Read more about: Military, Religion, The New York Times
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108 Reader Comments (so far…)

Melanie

I agree. I have never understood why ‘the powers that be’ have told us that based on religious beliefs, class, gender or sexual orientation you are unqualified for a job. After just enjoying the John Adams series on HBO I just wish Adams, Jefferson, Washington, et al could come have a look at the embarrassment and shambles THEIR goverment has become.

By Melanie on 04/28/2008 1:00 pm
Renata

Thank you, Joan!

By Renata on 04/28/2008 1:08 pm
Mugsy Peabody

Thanks for this, Ms. Joan. Any religion, or no religion at all. And obviously religion has done so much for this country when there is so little tolerance or respect for individual opinion that (a) this could happen; and (b) it is acceptable behavior. If there were a god, she’d weep.

By Mugsy Peabody on 04/28/2008 1:38 pm
Rachel B

Well said, Mugsy. I have a related question. When one is made to “swear on the bible” to tell the truth in court, why is it always assumed that everybody believes in the bible or god? This really annoys me.

By Rachel B on 04/28/2008 3:28 pm
Elizabeth Bennett

That is not necessarily the case. The Federal Rules: “”Before testifying, every witness shall be required to declare that the witness will testify truthfully, by oath or affirmation, adiminstered in a form calculated to awaken the witness’ conscience and impress the witness’ mind with the duty to do so.” (Federal Rules of Evidence, Rule 603).”

I suppose it varies from state to state, but in California one can likewise swear or affirm, with no Bible required.

By Elizabeth Bennett on 04/28/2008 7:14 pm
Frank Peterson

Atheists in foxholes? I never met one. When the shit is coming in hot and heavy you will your body to get smaller, you claw at the dirt trying to get deeper and you beg you cry you whimper you scream you pray to everyone you can think of including god to get you the hell outta there. I may no longer believe or have a faith but…atheists in foxholes? That’ll be the frickin’ day.

By Frank Peterson on 04/28/2008 1:45 pm
C A Rose

Frank, I spent one 12 hour shift of perimeter guard duty with a devote mormon man who felt the need to propagate his faith. I don’t know what I wished I believed in during that time. One thing for sure was that I wished I wasn’t in there talking about religion and my lack of the proper one. After hour one all I wanted to be was deaf or outta there…never again thank god.

By C A Rose on 04/29/2008 3:30 am
Michael Salling

Please, Frank, just can I have just one more of your blood curdline Foxhole stories before for I finish my mug of hot chocolate, turn down the lamp and crawl under my cozy comforter? Pretty please?

By Michael Salling on 04/29/2008 6:49 am
Frank Peterson

Tricky stomach, Mike? lol

By Frank Peterson on 04/29/2008 7:42 am
Deni G

Interesting!

I guess it’s dangerous to have free thinkers, tainting a ‘religious’ mindset, which might require less logic and more blind devotion to the ‘mission’.

It must be very important to silence all those who might question ‘why they are there’ . It is easier to get people to obey and follow, if you can convince them God wants them to.

They force people back to fight, who are broken in mind, have serious and debilitating bodily injuries. But, be an atheist, openly and you have to go home and are not allowed to reenlist!??

I’d say, if there is a God, she’s clearly on the side of the atheists.

By Deni G on 04/28/2008 1:49 pm
Ms. Dee

Applause!

By Ms. Dee on 04/28/2008 2:03 pm
Frank Peterson

Deni—you betcha she is :-)

By Frank Peterson on 04/28/2008 1:54 pm
Ms. Dee

I’d never heard anything about the “proselytising by evanglicals” in the military “bordering on harrassment”. All I ever hear about is the commeraderie among our troops. How it’s “all about their buddies.” They do it for their buddies. They find courage they didn’t know they had when it came time to defend their buddies.

So…death threats? In the theater of war…from one buddy to another? Over faith! That’s absurd. Those boys need to come home. And so do their Daddy’s.

By Ms. Dee on 04/28/2008 1:55 pm
Tinka Parker

Ms. Dee: a new and excellent documentary called CONSTANTINE’S SWORD just opened. It documents the proselytising of servicemen by evangelicals, and the anger of one non-serviceman’s non-Christian father over his son’s harrassment by born-agains. Just getting you up to speed…

By Tinka Parker on 04/28/2008 4:27 pm
Frank Peterson

Ms Tinka: Constantine’s Sword is based on James Carroll’s book of the same name. It’s really excellent.

By Frank Peterson on 04/29/2008 10:01 am
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