Pentagon: Religious Proselytizing is Not Permitted

[nofearfactor]

As Francis would say, "Touch me or my stuff and I'll kill ya. Call me Francis and I'll kill ya. Proselytize me and I'll kill ya".

 

[RickN]

I hate using meme quotes to prove a point, but atheism is no more a religion than "off" is a TV channel. Generally speaking, atheism is a rejection of religion, a rejection of deities, and a relationship with reality. There are no set rules to follow.

There's a difference between a soldier speaking of their faith and attempting to indoctrinate his fellow soldiers, with the latter being referenced here. There are no rules or policies denying soldiers their right to be religious.

And yet atheist do as much Proselytizing as many religions. You know, trying to push their beliefs on others. Even putting up billboards that there is no God or that it is all a myth.

I didn't mean to use "extremist" in a sense that implies violence, only the actual definition of the word which states that their beliefs fall a bit outside of the Christian norm.

Actually gay marriage falls outside the Christian and most other religion's norm. So those pushing gay marriage would be the extremist.

 

[RickN]

This. DT's link is particularly damning though. If I'd been subjected to that, I'd be pissed.

I might be pissed too, if it was a credible story. So far I have not seen any named sources or anything to back the story up. I also found many of the comments interesting.

This is a little long, but its not a rant, I actually know what happened here and will attempt to explain:
Comprehensive Soldier Fitness and its subordinate Master Resiliency Training are a program are designed in conjunction with UPenn. What you have here is the intersection of two unrelated things. Initial Entry Training soldiers are ALWAYS on lockdown (conditions described are not punishment, just their general living conditions) and the NCOs (various ranking sergeants who's actions are not Army Policy) are held to extremely high accountability standards. As someone who is Cadre trained (trains IET soldiers) and a Chaplain (familiar with Spiritual Fitness as part of CSF/MRT) I can assure you this was NCOs attempt at managing conflicting orders: 1) keep trainees accounted for and under their training conditions and 2) allow soldiers to participate in an event Spiritual Fitness (CSF/MRT) event. The problem here is NOT the Concert or the CSF Program, it is the unrealistic standard of accountability and lockdown that IET soldiers face every day. The NCOs know this too, they didn't take them to the concert to force Christianity on them, they took them to the concert because they wanted a break from their rigorous overseeing and wanted to give the soldier trainees a break from it as well. I can tell you more about Spiritual Fitness/ CSF and MRT (which is a multi-faith and non-faith approach to soldier support, Spiritual is one of 5 dimensions), but this is long enough already.

 

[TedKennedy]

One more example of how we have changed as a country. I'm sure we'll be stronger after this all shakes out. Diversity, is remember, what makes us strong.

 

[Danny Tanner]

And yet atheist do as much Proselytizing as many religions. You know, trying to push their beliefs on others. Even putting up billboards that there is no God or that it is all a myth.



Actually gay marriage falls outside the Christian and most other religion's norm. So those pushing gay marriage would be the extremist.

I think it's more of a fight for true equality and critical thinking skills than it is pushing our beliefs onto others. Fighting to allow atheists to hold political office is not pushing beliefs onto anyone. Fighting to allow lawful marriage between any two consenting adults is not pushing beliefs onto anyone. Fighting to take Christian prayer out of public schools attended by more than just Christian children is not pushing beliefs onto anyone. For every atheist billboard, there are thousands of Christian billboards and crosses clouding the horizon. Letting others of a minority known that they are not alone is not pushing our beliefs onto others. In fact, for many of us, if religion would keep out of the lawbooks in which we have to abide by and stay within the walls of church and private homes of families and in the hearts, minds and souls of the individuals that choose to believe, then you'd hardly hear a peep out of us.

Pushing gay marriage is an issue of equal rights and to deny these rights in the name of religion and defense of marriage sanctity is disgusting and sadly amusing considering there are no protests outside of divorce courts.

 

[Danny Tanner]

I might be pissed too, if it was a credible story. So far I have not seen any named sources or anything to back the story up. I also found many of the comments interesting.

There are many, many, many more stories of bullying from religion within the armed services. If you choose not to give credit to this one, then you'll have no problem finding countless more to critique. To deny that it's an issue is delusional.

In fact, even Tinker has a support group set up for just this. It's not just atheists that join these groups either. I believe a statistic on the Military Freedom From Religion site reports that 96% of its members are Christian. Christians who, despite being forced to believe what they already believe, have sworn to uphold a Constitution that's being violated.

 

[n2sooners]

I think it's more of a fight for true equality and critical thinking skills than it is pushing our beliefs onto others.

If you believed in equality then you would be defending my right to tell you about God as much as you are defending your right to tell me there isn't one. If I can talk to my friends about the local bar and invite them, tell them about a local restaurant and invite them, even tell them about the local house of ill repute and invite them, why can't I tell them about the local church and invite them? That IS being biased against religion and IS unconstitutional.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

And yet atheist do as much Proselytizing as many religions. You know, trying to push their beliefs on others. Even putting up billboards that there is no God or that it is all a myth.

Wrapping all of us atheists into that one pile is like putting all of y'all in the Westboro clan. Believe it or not, some of us aren't militant to push our views... I've never knocked on a door to share the truth.

 

[caojyn]

Wrapping all of us atheists into that one pile is like putting all of y'all in the Westboro clan. Believe it or not, some of us aren't militant to push our views... I've never knocked on a door to share the truth.

agreed, but how would that go... "Hi, do you have a minute for nothing?" lol

 

[TwoForFlinching]

agreed, but how would that go... "Hi, do you have a minute for nothing?" lol

Hahaha... I usually just keep to myself, even when a debate presents itself. Religion/personal views are just too personal to an individual to just sway an opinion on the spot.