Military backs off threat to pull atheist from ceremony

[rug]

October 19th, 2011
07:16 PM ET

By Jennifer Rizzo, CNN

Washington (CNN) - After almost being pulled from a graduation ceremony for refusal to lower the head during a benediction, a soldier is now allowed to attend but must instead stand at attention.

The 20-year-old private first class, a proclaimed atheist, is graduating from Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina on Thursday.

The soldier, who requested that CNN not give a name and gender for fear of repercussions, called the Military Religious Freedom Foundation on Wednesday after taking part in a rehearsal for the graduation.

The soldier told the watchdog group that during the rehearsal, officials ordered the soldiers to bow their heads and clasp their hands during the chaplain's benediction. As an atheist, the soldier refused to do so.

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/19/military-backs-off-threat-to-pull-atheist-from-ceremony/

[NMMNG]

1. It's good that they backed off

But scary that they ever threatened to pull the soldier in the first place. Just another example of religious privilege and intolerance.

[rug]

2. Look at this.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/10/fighting-for-country-not-for-god/246950/

[NMMNG]

4. I've heard all about the atheist chaplains

Anything new to talk about?

[rug]

7. Yeah. What role can they play in correcting this?

[NMMNG]

8. Hopefully they'll put a microscopic dent

in the bigotry faced by LGBT, non-theist and minority religion soldiers. Given the stranglehold evangelical Christians have on the military I don't expect them to accomplish more for very long time.

[fegi052li]

5. I agree. Truly pathetic

[Deep13]

3. Does anyone else have to stand at attention?

If not, it is still religious discrimination.

[rug]

6. FRom what little is in the article, it's just him/her.

And it is discrimination. It starts in elementary school.

[NMMNG]

9. Probably any other atheist or minority religion soldiers

just bow their heads and go along to avoid any of the shit this person has faced.

[Sirveri]

12. That's what I did. It's odd to be given the drill order to pray.

Standing there at graduation from boot camp, you really don't want to make waves. Easier to just drop ones head on command.

I wonder what it looks like to see a bunch of troops all lined up and then watch them all drop their heads in unison on command.

[iris27]

10. Good.

The military has a long way to go on this issue, especially considering that the non-religious are the military's 2nd-largest belief demographic, but at least it's a start.

[DocMac]

11. It would have to be the 2nd largest.

I mean, you either are or you are not. What would be the third?

[trotsky]

13. Specific beliefs vs. non-belief.

Christians are obviously the majority, then non-believers, then all minority faiths after that.