New Claims in Christian Bias Lawsuit

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New Claims in Christian Bias Lawsuit
December 30, 2008
Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. - An atheist Soldier suing over prayers at military formations claims a larger pattern of religious discrimination exists in the military, citing attempts to convert Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan and an evangelical bias in a suicide prevention manual.

In an expanded lawsuit filed Monday by Spc. Dustin Chalker and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation in U.S. District Court in Kansas City also claims the military doesn't take complaints of religious discrimination seriously enough.

Chalker and the watchdog group amended their lawsuit because a previous case was tossed when the Justice Department motioned that the Soldier in that case had failed to first go through military channels with his grievances, according to Mikey Weinstein, founder of the MRFF.

Weinstein, in a statement released on Monday, said the amended lawsuit "contends that these military channels consistently fail to adequately address or resolve such complaints." The revised suit also includes claims of "military-sanctioned missionary proselytizing of Iraqi and Afghan citizens."

The Defense Department has identified fewer than 50 complaints about alleged violations of religious freedoms during the past three years, with 1.4 million personnel in uniform, spokeswoman Eileen Lainez said.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/new-claims-in-christian-bias-lawsuit.html?col=1186032369115