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Army Move on Atheist Chaplains Could Lead To ‘Church of Evolution’
NY Sun ^ | April 28, 2011 | SHMULEY BOTEACH

Posted on 05/01/2011 3:23:08 PM PDT by neverdem

The report in the New York Times that atheists are looking for official recognition as chaplains in the American military in order to cater to the needs of non-believing servicemen is interesting.

On the one hand, it’s kind of absurd. Atheist chaplains? It’s a contradiction in terms. What are they going to teach? Non-belief? What services will they offer? Non-prayers and sermons on evolution? And what comfort will they offer dying soldiers, G-d forbid (oops! Even that doesn’t work). Will they say, “Game over. You’re going to a place of complete oblivion. Thank you for your service.”?

On the other hand, I am completely opposed to any kind of religious coercion, and why should non-believing military personnel not have someone they can talk to who shares their absence of faith? If you’re an atheist and you’ve returned from Iraq or Afghanistan and you’re finding it difficult, say, to reintegrate to life back home, maybe you don’t want to talk to someone whom you think views life only through the prism of faith. In the same way that it might be uncomfortable for a Jewish soldier to talk about his deepest issues with, say, a Catholic Priest, it is arguably just as uncomfortable for an atheist soldier to talk to the same Priest.

Still it would seem that those who profess an absence of belief can’t really be religious or spiritual chaplains. If you’re an atheist then what you see is what you get. There is no other reality – higher or lower – and the word spiritual is nothing but a crude con.

I am well aware that many of my atheist friends will tell me, “Come on Shmuley. OK, so an atheist ‘chaplain’ might not be able to offer the same comfort...

(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: atheism; atheismandstate; chaplains; culturewar; gagdadbob; napl; onecosmosblog; thenogodgod
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To: Aroostook25
It is a religion. There's no such thing as "non-belief" as everyone believes in something. One's "deity" (though he may not admit it) can be himself. It is man's natural proclivity in fact, witness our pride.

If you want it recognized as a religion, with both the privileges - and restrictions (i.e. no federal money for teaching what amounts to religious dogma) accompanying that... I have no problem with it. People are free agents and can believe whatever they wish.

41 posted on 05/01/2011 6:56:30 PM PDT by Lexinom
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To: Christian Engineer Mass

“Atheism is not no religion.”

Grammar aside, I believe a court has said atheism is = to a religion.


42 posted on 05/01/2011 7:06:09 PM PDT by chooseascreennamepat (I have a liberal arts degree, do you want fries with that?)
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To: Honorary Serb
Christ is Risen!

Yes indeed!


Built with SUSE Studio

If you can't appreciate the pure beauty of the violin after hearing this, something's wrong with your ears.

43 posted on 05/01/2011 7:06:30 PM PDT by rdb3 (Knowledge without God only produces an intellectual barbarian.)
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To: neverdem
On the other hand, I am completely opposed to any kind of religious coercion, and why should non-believing military personnel not have someone they can talk to who shares their absence of faith?

They call them psychologists.... like the one who slaughtered all those people at Ft. Hood.

44 posted on 05/01/2011 7:44:37 PM PDT by GeronL (The Right to Life came before the Right to Happiness)
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To: GeronL
Actually, they call the one who slaughtered all those people at Ft. Hood a muslim!!!!
45 posted on 05/01/2011 8:45:17 PM PDT by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: neverdem

For many years there has been a Dial-A-Prayer for atheists. You call it and no one answers.


46 posted on 05/01/2011 9:06:03 PM PDT by One_who_hopes_to_know
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To: neverdem

Well, well. Does this mean that there will now be atheists in foxholes?


47 posted on 05/01/2011 9:25:02 PM PDT by miele man
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To: pnh102

Amen!


48 posted on 05/01/2011 9:30:16 PM PDT by miele man
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To: Christian Engineer Mass
“the same privileges as believers in religions”

what privileges?

See my previous post: Tax exemptions on church property which includes everything from the actual churches to houses and resorts in the mountains.

49 posted on 05/01/2011 10:02:44 PM PDT by Aroostook25
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To: neverdem

Pingout tomorrow.


50 posted on 05/01/2011 10:06:11 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. CSLewis)
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To: Christian Engineer Mass; All

You say it is a religion and so CANNOT be supported by the govt., but, what is paying chaplains for our servicemen if not a support by the govt? Thus, nonbelievers should have the same rights for emotional and moral support in war as believers already have. In fact without the comfort of a fully believed in hereafter, it is reasonable to think they might need aid, comfort and counseling even more than believers.


51 posted on 05/01/2011 10:36:23 PM PDT by gleeaikin
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To: reefdiver; All

Pat Tillman was an atheists. Some members of his family and others believe that the “friendly fire” that killed him was deliberate murder by angry Christian/s.


52 posted on 05/01/2011 10:39:42 PM PDT by gleeaikin
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To: reefdiver
Very few donks in the armed services and even less atheist.

As a combat vet, I can 10000000000% guarantee you that when bullets start flying, everyone has religion. How many, "oh God's . . . ." do you think you will hear? You will not hear: "Oh great Nobody, save me!!!" You will remember in the Bible that it teaches that one of the pagan cults had a statute to the: unknown god. That was to cover their rear ends in the event there was a god out there that the did not have a statute to yet and did not want to offend him. Never saw anyone run to that statute in a firefight. It was always: "Oh GOD, help me!" And they were not saying, "Oh Allah help me."

53 posted on 05/01/2011 10:43:42 PM PDT by RetiredArmy (Read: Ecclesiastes 10:2. The Bible tells you RIGHT is right and left is wrong.)
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To: Neoliberalnot


54 posted on 05/01/2011 11:05:42 PM PDT by LomanBill (Animals! The DemocRats blew up the windmill with an Acorn!)
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To: neverdem; Charles Henrickson; MeekOneGOP; Conspiracy Guy; DocRock; King Prout; Darksheare; OSHA; ...
I asked if there was an agnostic chaplin. They said "Nobody knows."


55 posted on 05/02/2011 12:06:07 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: Slings and Arrows

“They said “Nobody knows.”

LOL! You’re too funny!

Don’t they know that they will never meet an atheist in a foxhole?


56 posted on 05/02/2011 12:30:14 AM PDT by dixiechick2000 (Age, skill, wisdom, and a little treachery always overcome youth and arrogance!)
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To: dixiechick2000

I’ve always wondered what atheists shout during sex.


57 posted on 05/02/2011 1:45:33 AM PDT by Slings and Arrows (You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
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To: Crim

> Army Move on Atheist Chaplains Could Lead To ‘Church of Evolution’

At least they’ll be finally making it official.

Now can we get the government to stop supporting it?

Or, better yet, can we give Creator God equal time?


58 posted on 05/02/2011 3:08:44 AM PDT by Westbrook (Having children does not divide your love, it multiplies it.)
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To: Slings and Arrows

Oh nothing! Oh nothing! Oooooooohhhhhh nnnoooothing!


59 posted on 05/02/2011 4:09:26 AM PDT by TheOldLady
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To: Aroostook25

there are tax exemptions on a lot of charity-related property


60 posted on 05/02/2011 4:27:24 AM PDT by Christian Engineer Mass (25ish Cambridge MA grad student. Many conservative Christians my age out there? __ Click my name)
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