The “Humanist” Taliban
Ya know, you just can’t please some people and the more you give them, the more they take. Like the Taliban, the humanist movement sees the military conceding to their demands as a sign of weakness. For example, the other day, the Army decided to recognize the lack of religion, a religion says Stars & Stripes;
There may be no atheists in foxholes, but there soon will be a few humanists. The U.S. Army has heeded the plea of Maj. Ray Bradley that he (and others of his kind) receive a “preference code” similar to those accorded to members of traditional religions.
Religion News Service picks up the story: “In practical terms, the change means humanists could face fewer hurdles in trying to organize within the ranks; military brass would have better information to aid in planning a deceased soldier’s funeral; and it could lay the groundwork for eventually adding humanist chaplains.”
So, after the Godless heathens win this little dance, what do they do? They decide that the First Amendment guarantees that everyone should be free from religion and they complain about the Army’s National Prayer Breakfast plans. From Military Times;
Last week, officials from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation demanded the Pentagon withdraw all support from a May 1 National Day of Prayer celebration being held in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C., calling it a “private fundamentalist Christian religious event.”
At issue is the group behind the event, which has close ties to evangelical Christian groups. Planners have said they are nondenominational and nonpartisan, but MRFF leaders say support for the event amounts to favoritism for conservative Christians.
Army officials disagree. In a statement, service officials said they would continue to provide numerous personnel for the event, including a chaplain to offer a “prayer for the military,” an armed forces color guard, a brass quartet and a vocalist for the national anthem.
While I’m not a religious person, I’m enlightened enough to let people believe in whatever they want to believe, and I wouldn’t interfere with their right to honor those beliefs. But the current political climate, from abrogating the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy to allowing females in combat, having nihilist chaplains and now complaining about a prayer breakfast, it’s all turning the military into a big social experiment and it has nothing to do with readiness or national security, mostly because the flag officers are so willing to bend to every politically correct whim to please their masters. The more they give in, the more the political and social Taliban will demand.
Category: Dumbass Bullshit
The militant atheists just don’t see the irony of forcing their religion on everyone else.
Atheists aren’t nihilists, by default (some are, just as some are of the militant feminist movement in much the same way some fundamentalist Christians are members of the Westboro Baptist Church… Both groups being indisputable asshats.) Atheism is not a religion. It’s a disbelief in a god of any kind. Atheism doesn’t have any creed or code beyond that. Humanists, on the other hand, do have a code beyond that: all humans are equal and should be treated as such. Those humanists that are militant about it, or call themselves humanists but are really saying that some humans are more equal than others, are, also, asshats. I think that having a representative for atheists that fill the role of a chaplain as counselor and advocate is a great idea. Forcing others to abandon support of their religion because of your belief is the action of an aforementioned asshat. As an atheist and someone who gets behind the general principles of humanism, the equal part not the asshat part, I have no problem with folks from the military supporting that pray breakfast. Please don’t lump us non-militant types with the dumbasses that do stupid crap like protest a monument and I won’t lump all Christians in the group that wants me to burn in hell because I disagree with the confirmed existence of a god of any kind. Also, I support atheists not wanting a religious symbol on their tomb marker. I think anyone putting the stylized A on their marker are missing the point and putting something like the FSM is a purposeful insult to those with a belief and thus making that atheist an asshat.
Chiles…I agree with you. I am a fundamentalist Christian…not of the Westboro variety I might add! I am not out to proselytize ANYONE. It’s not my job or place. In my beliefs that is entirely under the purview of God. His business, not mine. So I agree with your post. Though you are an atheist I agree with the sentiments you expressed completely. When I served it was to defend our nation’s Constitution. In that document we are all free to believe or not believe as we choose. Atheists, Humanists and fundamental Christians are all too often rubber stamped into stereotyped images which are quite often incorrect. That to me is both sad and small minded. Even with my beliefs, I will be the first in line to say the Westboro variety, who claim the handle, “fundamental Christians” (and who give me and those who share my faith a very bad name I might add) are asshats and are WAY OUT OF LINE! I can find no reference in the Scriptures I study which would support their actions. NONE. So in my opinion they stand solely on the freedom of expression in the Constitution and not on the Scriptures or among those I know who share my faith. Neither do I see you as an atheist asshat whatsoever. I see you as a well thought out man of strong conviction about your stance on your belief. That Chiles, I respect and admire from you and anyone. I just wanted to write this to you and others who share your position, that not all of “us” are out to demonize you or your beliefs. I hope I have written this well and as I intended and did not offend you at all. It is a difficult subject address sometimes. Thank you again Chiles, for you comment.
Thanks, Sparks! You hit the nail on the head. Even if what you said was offensive (and it wasn’t in any way), it would take quite a bit to offend me. I’m the son of a Chief; a real Chief. Not the fake Bernath type of Chief.
Thank you Chiles!
Chiles,
Like Christianity, Judaism and Islam, it’s the assholes who make the atheists look bad. Take a look at what happened to Lt. Col. Reyes for having the audacity to explain the historical context of the phrase “No atheists in foxholes.” Within less than 24 hours, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation went after him and even made noise about filing charges.
“I think that having a representative for atheists that fill the role of a chaplain as counselor and advocate is a great idea.”
I don’t get that. There are secular counselors all ready, in the form of pschologists, psychiatrists, and licensed counselors of all sorts. And, Lord knows, there are advocates for everything under the sun. What purpose would an atheist chaplain-type person serve? As for anyone wanting you to burn in Hell, I don’t think so, save for the Westboro nuts. Christians actually pray for atheists in order that anything other than Heaven be denied the atheists.
I didn’t mean counselors in the medical professional sense. I meant counselors in the Chaplaincy sense. People often want to talk to like-minded individuals for comfort or to gain an understanding. I believe I saw that aboard ships, they have lay chaplains when someone wants to see a chaplain from a particular religion that isn’t present aboard. I don’t see why an atheist shouldn’t have someone to go to in the same manner. If this is already accomplished in the existing structure, then I’m not a proponent of making a new position. No need to open a Department of Redundancy Department.
I know most Christians don’t want me to burn. My mother and sister are devout Catholics and pray for me so I get to see that up close and personal. I was a Christian for 34 years and never wanted anyone to burn for a lack of belief. That’s why I think that those who do are a minority in that group. I thank them for the prayers. It’s nice to know people care. 🙂
Agree with 2/17 on this. Chaplains to my mind serve two purposes: (1) making sure the troops get their free exercise of religion, and (2) helping their morale. We unbelievers don’t need a special officer for that.
I’m a (nonmilitant) atheist myself, but if the troops defending me get a morale boost from a mass…or a prayer breakfast…or a couple minutes transcendental meditation…let ’em have at it!
Someone who can’t stand to see or hear other people getting their spiritual comfort should GTFO of the military. Until and unless there’s enough of them to do the job all by themselves.
It is my undertanding that GWU is a hotbed for this humanist movement and several high ranking members are allowed full access to POTUS and his crew. And big Army’s eyes settling on humanism NOW doesn’t really come as any kind of surprise because it started in 2010, anyway.
That group is really just one very very very angry spiteful fart called Michael L. Weinstein. The US military should have told him to pound sand years ago, but nope, they keep rolling over for this super jerk twat.
Fuck that guy forever. I can’t stand that whiny fucktard.
I believe a person’s beliefs are and should be a very private thing between them and their God, or lack thereof. I also totally believe in freedom of religion, but that being said, we can not, must not, or allow anyone else to forget what religion started this country. If you don’t believe in something or agree with it, that’s great and your choice but you do not have the right to stop others from what founded America in the first place. Like trying to stop that prayer breakfast, or removing all crosses from government buildings, trying to remove “in God we trust” or the pledge. That’s the type of stuff I’m talking about. I just have trouble getting my meaning across if I can’t throw out a few F-bombs. Heh!
Hell, never mind. I’ll let the grown ups handle this. I’m going to go play in traffic.
Actually, Val don’t go play in traffic. I hear it is hazardous to one’s health, lol. This humnist thing is just that, a thing or movement that is a self-serving ideal for those who choose to be involved that deep down, warm and fuzzy feeling they’ve been missing since being discharged from the relative safety and security of they mama’s womb. It definitely is not a religion. 😎
Between Sparks and Valkrie, you both said what I wanted to. However, much more eloquently. Thank you. I really just wish that anyone who disagrees with my religious belief would at least honor my belief, as I honor theirs (or lack thereof).
I have no problem with ANYONE saying “according to my faith you shouldn’t XXX”… but it really chaps me as soon as someone says “because of MY faith YOU can’t XXX.” Either show ma a rational or legal reason for it or get out of my face. And “because I said so” does not qualify.