Thread: There Are No Atheists in the USAF!

Atheist must swear to God or leave US Air Force

A US Air Force sergeant has been told he will have to leave the military unless he agrees to take an oath with the phrase “so help me God,” officials said.
In the latest religious controversy to roil the air force, the atheist airman was denied his request to re-enlist because of his refusal to swear to God, and he is now poised to take the military to court, his lawyer said.

“We have not received word from the Air Force regarding our letter. It has not indicated a willingness to settle out of court,” said Monica Miller, an attorney for the American Humanist Association, which has taken up the service member’s case.

With the deadline for re-enlisting expiring in November, the technical sergeant at Creech Air Force base in Nevada, whose name has not been released, will be forced to sue the government in a federal court, Miller told AFP.
In the past, an airman could opt for an alternative phrase and omit the words ‘so help me God,’ but the US Air Force changed its policy in October 2013.
The other branches of the American military do not require the reference to God and make the phrase optional.

“This is the only branch to my knowledge that’s actually requiring everyone in all instances to use the religious language,” Miller said.
The requirement violates the US Constitution, which bars religious tests to hold office or other positions, Miller said of the case, which was first reported by the Air Force Times.
“The government cannot compel a nonbeliever to take an oath that affirms the existence of a supreme being,” she said.

Policy change...In the past the US air force would allow the phrase ‘so help me god’ to be omitted from the oath but it was changed back to a requirement.

The sergeant’s service expires in November and he has until then to re-enlist and take the oath, said US Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek.
In the meantime, “a written legal opinion is being requested” from the Pentagon’s top lawyer, she said.
The air force has been plagued by controversy for years over religion and the role of Christian evangelists.

The US Air Force Academy in Colorado faced accusations several years ago that evangelical Christians exerted a dominating influence over the institution.
But attempts to counter the perceived bias in the service have sparked criticism from Christian activist groups, who allege a new rule stifles the religious expression of troops.

The disputed rule bars commanders from promoting their religious convictions to their subordinates.
Advocates of the policy say it protects troops who worry their careers could be jeopardised if they do not take part in their superior’s Christian activities.

Atheist must swear to God or leave US Air Force

the flying crusaders,

the US really deserve those Muslim nutters,

Surely that is sooooooooooooooo illegal.....

Originally Posted by Butterfly

the flying crusaders,

the US really deserve those Muslim nutters,

This story has NOTHING TO DO with Muslims. NOTHING.

of course it does,

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Surely that is sooooooooooooooo illegal.....

Easy win for him I would think.

All those nukes being carried by a bunch of people who follow a doomsday cult....
What could possibly go wrong?

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Surely that is sooooooooooooooo illegal.....

I am not an American, but is not separation of Church and State actually the First Ammendment to the Constitution of the United States?

^Yup.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^Yup.

That USAF guy better hope that the USAF hold firm and bounce his ass. He will win BIG time in court I would have though.

Pretty much a no-brainer......

Pretty sure I read once, though I can't recall if it was fiction or non, that the USAF did a study and found that devout christians in bombers and silos were more likely to follow orders and drop the nukes than atheists were..

^ Where's Texpat when he's actually needed for input.

Originally Posted by Necron99

Pretty sure I read once, though I can't recall if it was fiction or non, that the USAF did a study and found that devout christians in bombers and silos were more likely to follow orders and drop the nukes than atheists were..

I read somewhere recently that evangelical (read rabid nutters) Christians are very, very heavily represented in military special ops units. Certainly not true of any I know, but times have changed...even in the last decade.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

^Yup.

That USAF guy better hope that the USAF hold firm and bounce his ass. He will win BIG time in court I would have though.

Pretty much a no-brainer......

I'm not sure he can sue if he's still in. But, if they bounce him...$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

is not separation of Church and State actually the First Ammendment

Along with lots of other stuff such as free speech. Separation of church and state is basically a joke in the US. The government has yet to establish a national religion but religious organizations are tax exempt. God is pervasive in government. In god we trust. Oaths of office with hand on a bible. Swear to tell the truth so help me god. Blah, blah, blah.

The USAF or anywhere in gov is the last place this bible thumping evangelistic mumbo jumbo should be allowed to continue. Tell them to fuck off sarge.

You're right Davis. It's gotten out of hand.

Maybe the USAF should be peeled back and made subservient to the Army again (the Navy already has their Fleet Air Arm). These nutters are potentially very dangerous indeed, considering they have their repressed fingers on the nuclear trigger. They are about as 'American' as the Westboro Baptist Church.

Originally Posted by Necron99

All those nukes being carried by a bunch of people who follow a doomsday cult.... What could possibly go wrong?

Quite

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by nidhogg

is not separation of Church and State actually the First Ammendment

Along with lots of other stuff such as free speech. Separation of church and state is basically a joke in the US. The government has yet to establish a national religion but religious organizations are tax exempt. God is pervasive in government. In god we trust. Oaths of office with hand on a bible. Swear to tell the truth so help me god. Blah, blah, blah.

The USAF or anywhere in gov is the last place this bible thumping evangelistic mumbo jumbo should be allowed to continue. Tell them to fuck off sarge.

You're right Davis. It's gotten out of hand.

Strange you would say it has gotten out of hand, this is not new it has been this way for eons.

Much easier to look at an issue objectively though.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Surely that is sooooooooooooooo illegal.....

Illegalities don't have any standing or merit within the US military systems.

It's all about: Nationalism=Christianity=Militarism
The same ideals that are quite induced throughout the populous at large.


And they call this civilised.
Extreme nutters.

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

Surely that is sooooooooooooooo illegal.....

Illegalities don't have any standing or merit within the US military systems.

It's all about: Nationalism=Christianity=Militarism
The same ideals that are quite induced throughout the populous at large.


And they call this civilised.
Extreme nutters.

IMHO ... As somebody who spent nearly three decades in uniform and retired less than 10 years ago ... I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about. But this I do know ... I find expats of all nationalities to be some of the most "extreme nutters" on the planet. And far too many are either full of themselves or just plain full of shit.

Whatever happened to just saying it, not meaning it and getting the job you want ?
What does this fool think is going to happen if he just says it ?
Sadly the same type of crap is now common in the UK

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier

Originally Posted by Necron99

All those nukes being carried by a bunch of people who follow a doomsday cult.... What could possibly go wrong?

Quite

Pot calling kettle black. Tin foil hat nutter.