Comment by Kat Caldera on July 23, 2011 at 9:01pm

Yeah, that is totally unacceptable. It just goes to show that the men in charge of this country are mostly Christians. Conservative, Evangelical Christians. The dangerous kind. We're screwed. 

Comment by Patrick Scherr on July 23, 2011 at 9:46pm

You know, I was never really that thankful to be a Canadian until I became an Atheist and saw all the religous propaganda in the States.

Comment by Doubting Thomas on July 23, 2011 at 9:53pm

I agree Patrick when I see all the problems that religion creates in that country I too get reminded how good we have it here.

Comment by Melody A. Rogers on July 23, 2011 at 10:09pm

As if the list of reasons not to join the Navy weren't long enough.

So glad I am moving to Canada

Comment by Kairan Nierde on July 23, 2011 at 10:18pm

Not the first time they've been accused of this.  As Kemal Ataturk said, 'soldiers who think they are going to heaven, are conveniently willing to die.'

Comment by Ed on July 23, 2011 at 10:33pm

Ironically, someone on this site awhile back stated an interesting statistic.

Military personnel have a higher percentage of atheists/agnostics than the civilian population.

Comment by Frank Hamilton on July 24, 2011 at 9:41am

War is a religious idea.  You can't separate the two.  Stalin was an atheist?  Not really.  He was an ideologue that formed his own "religion".  The U.S. declared a holy war against the USSR.

I don't believe the stats that say military personnel have a higher percentage of atheists/agnostics.

Those in control of the military are bible thumpers.

    In the Mid-East, this could cause a war of annihilation because of religious tribalism.

Comment by Eric Youngstrom on July 24, 2011 at 10:23am

Absolutely insulting.

 

I have been dealing with the whole "chaplin" thing in the Navy for more than a few years. I didn't much care for the 90%+ christian chaplins they had when I was a christian and I sure as shit don't like them now as an Atheist. On my pervious ship the Freethought group I helped form were split on what we wanted done or from the chaplin on the ship. I would like nothing more than to completely do away with the chaplin corp. It's a waste of personnel and money. Others were inclined to work at becoming Humanist Layleaders or even Humanist chaplins.

 

I figure if you really want to help people on the ship (in the Navy and other services) you could have a Psychiatrist or some form of a therapist.

Comment by Dustin on July 24, 2011 at 1:37pm

Why doesn't the army just use psychologists?  

Comment by ungodlynews on July 24, 2011 at 4:19pm

I agree...the chaplain could and should be replaced by a therapist, and take the religious component out of the position altogether. These folks need someone to talk to, and not feed them the bull that comes with religion. 

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