West Point cadets scheduled to graduate in 2013 have been presented a survey of their leadership traits every year since 2009. That doesn’t sound bad… until you realize the survey includes promotion of spirituality, religion, and faith without accommodation for the nontheist perspective. The Commandant of Cadets distributed the survey with these instructions: “You have [...]
If the Boy Scouts Want to Discriminate, the U.S. Military Shouldn’t Support Them
July 17, 2012 By 27 Comments
This is a follow-up to Hemant’s recent post about the re-affirmation of Boy Scout discrimination. This issue is well-known, with a 1995 article from The Humanist surveying federal funding of the Boy Scouts, activities by reform group Scouting For All, and Margaret Downey‘s lawsuit against the Boy Scouts. The Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers (which I lead) has [...]
Is It Fair for the Israeli Military to Draft Ultra-Religious People?
July 15, 2012 By 45 Comments
The God Discussion recently reported on the efforts by Israeli reformers to draft the Ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi Jews, into military service… but the Haredim are pushing back: The Haredim study the Torah and pray from morning to dusk, for a lifetime. They believe that worship and duty is their purpose… The Haredim say that they already [...]
Premarital Counseling in the Military Should Not be Based on Christian Beliefs
June 25, 2012 By 5 Comments
The Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers (MAAF) has posted two articles regarding premarital counseling in the military. The concern is that chaplains 1) don’t understand or accept nontheists enough to provide proper counseling and 2) may be prone to religious bias in counseling programs that should be secular. The Army, for example, has Strong Bonds, [...]
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