Air Force Revises Guidelines on Religion

Beowulf

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Joined
May 26, 2004
Messages
12,449
Reaction score
528
I think this means that airmen are allowed to express their religion freely.
 
VamPyroX said:
I think this means that airmen are allowed to express their religion freely.

Oh really? Read the article. The revision will "omit a statement in the earlier version that chaplains 'should respect the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs.'"
Sighhhhh....
 
When I was in the Air Force two years ago, we allowed to have our "religion", but we could not bring it to work. Basically it followed the guidlines of separation of church and state. We could wear a necklace with a cross or symbol reprenting our faith with our uniform as long as it was concealed. Chaplins had to tolerate everyone's religion, but there was only Catholic and Christian services provided at the on base church.
 
Beowulf said:
http://enews.earthlink.net/article/nat?guid=20060209/43eacc50_3ca6_1552620060209874850194
DENVER--The Air Force released new guidelines for religious expression Thursday that no longer caution top officers about promoting their personal religious views...

Gee, I wonder what religion is to be forcefed to the airmen? Bloodthirsty neochristianity?
Phooey.
:fu2:

Do be careful. Not all Christian Air Force officers are the kind of people you accuse them of being. I should know. One of them is my father. So watch who you start insulting.

Also, you are very likely isolating that one clause without considering any other clauses, like anti-harassment policies--which would PRECLUDE what you are talking about. Be very careful to read carefully and not jump at just every person's blog that happens to dovetail with your personal political views. I suggest further research.
 
Gal, preclude this: save your condenscension for the Olympics.
 
Good for them! Freedom of religion is part of what america is about. :)
 
It's not about "freedom of religion." It's about COERCION of religious beliefs, something else entirely.
http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1314533&secid=1
It's a lengthier article than the first (and NOT a "blog") but the gist is that there have been complaints among servicemen of religious discrimination, hence the revision in the guidelines. The only freedom anywhere is that it gives chaplains the right to refuse orders that violate their belief.

"New Air Force religion guidelines issued Thursday give chaplains the right to refuse orders that violate their beliefs.
Guidelines issued last summer required chaplains to minister to people of all faiths in a nondemoninal setting, causing an outcry from evangelical groups that wanted their clerics to promote Christianity.
The new rules appeased those groups by allowing evangelicals to 'adhere to their tenets,' and only participate in religious activities that comply with their beliefs.
The Air Force dropped a provision requiring chaplains to repect the rights of all faiths and nonbelievers.
The change displeased civil rights groups that supported a prior set of rules issued to address claims that began last year of religious discrimination at the Air Force Academy.
'The rules show that if you don't believe, you're a second-class member of the U.S. Air Force,' said Barry Lynn, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for the Separation of Church and State..."

If you read the article and step back and look at the big picture, you would get the distinct impression that there is a trend to make christianity the official American religion, and that is comical.
Don't forget that Hitler and his minions firmly believed that God was on their side.
That was the sole purpose of this thread, to hopefully have some thinking going on, but apparently it flopped in that respect, lol.
Oh well.
 
Bush is the Commander in Chief. Bush is a fundamentalist evangelical Christian. Am I the only one who sees that this is both logical and natural given that information?

Don't complain in an online forum, if you don't like what the people in power are doing, don't vote for them in the next election. The views of the minority are wholly irrelevant in a democratic society. I think the majority of people oppose this--thus, if this were to become a significant election issue, Democrats would probably take a majority in the House this year and a Democrat would be probably be elected President in 2008.
 
Beowulf said:
"New Air Force religion guidelines issued Thursday give chaplains the right to refuse orders that violate their beliefs.
I thought they could already do that.

Beowulf said:
Guidelines issued last summer required chaplains to minister to people of all faiths in a nondemoninal setting, causing an outcry from evangelical groups that wanted their clerics to promote Christianity.
The new rules appeased those groups by allowing evangelicals to 'adhere to their tenets,' and only participate in religious activities that comply with their beliefs.
Nothing wrong with that. Why should a chaplain be forced to do services he does not believe in? That would be the same as forcing a muslim to do catholic services.

Beowulf said:
The Air Force dropped a provision requiring chaplains to repect the rights of all faiths and nonbelievers.
That probably means a chaplain can wear a cross on the outside of his shirt even if it offends atheists.

Beowulf said:
The change displeased civil rights groups that supported a prior set of rules issued to address claims that began last year of religious discrimination at the Air Force Academy.
'The rules show that if you don't believe, you're a second-class member of the U.S. Air Force,' said Barry Lynn, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for the Separation of Church and State..."
I'm skeptical on that.

Beowulf said:
If you read the article and step back and look at the big picture, you would get the distinct impression that there is a trend to make christianity the official American religion, and that is comical.
That is comical when you consisder the wave of anti-christiandom that has rolled across this country. In example courthouses being forced to remove donated religous icons because somebody was offended. Students getting punished for wanting to pray before a football game. Department stores telling their employees not to say marry christmas to the customers. No nativity scenes allowed on city hall propery. etc.

I don't understand why people freak out when a christian wants to express their religion in a public forum. I'm not christian and I have never been offended or felt compelled to "convert" I've never felt excluded if somebody says merry christmas to me.

Beowulf said:
That was the sole purpose of this thread, to hopefully have some thinking going on, but apparently it flopped in that respect, lol.
Oh well.
In other words if they don't agree with you then they are not thinking. lol

Do these new rules state that no other religious views are allowed to be expressed by anybody?
I would like to see these rules themself instead of news reports on them. This article smells fishy.
 
Reiko said:
Good for them! Freedom of religion is part of what america is about. :)
And you consider this a thoughtful reply? Sweetie, you replied to an article which you apparently did not READ FIRST. :)
 
Beowulf said:
And you consider this a thoughtful reply? Sweetie, you replied to an article which you apparently did not READ FIRST. :)
Yet again because I don't agree with you it's not thoughtful.

If you don't agree with beowulf you're an idiot. Nice attitude!
 
Beowulf said:
Glad you like it. ;)
Very good! Since you have demonstrated your ability to spout intolerant nonsense you have earned the flag of.
:bsflag:
 
Reiko said:
Very good! Since you have demonstrated your ability to spout intolerant nonsense you have earned the flag of.
:bsflag:
Intolerant or intolerable?
You win a cookie if you make up your mind.
:applause:
 
Beowulf said:
Intolerant or intolerable?
You win a cookie if you make up your mind.
:applause:
Perhaps you should read it it again. I do believe I said intolerant. :)
 
I think it's pure bullshit that anyone in the military can refuse an order without getting an article 15. In my days that's what did to us!!!
Now that deserves a :bsflag: Does Mr. Bush know how many things the troops feel are wrong to do, but they do them everyday, to support his war (like kill people) :rl: ? Now he says it's ok for Chaplins to turn away someone with different beliefs. Mr. Bush needs go hunting with Mr. Cheney someday if you ask me!!!
 
I'm glad you can see the irony in this development, heh. That's very tolerant of the chaplains, and no doubt they take the teachings of Christ to heart.
God help us all.
;)
 
Beowulf said:
Gal, preclude this: save your condenscension for the Olympics.

You're not coming off very well; you will notice I never personally attacked YOU. I called you out on poor tactics, but you decided to take this thing into insults. I've watched how you've dealt with everyone else in this thread and to any observer the pattern of behavior you've shown ought to be evident and is exactly as Reiko said: you seek to diminish (including through personal attacks and inflammatory terminology about those not like you and/or their beliefs) anyone who does not agree with you--and at the same time, you seem not to be fully researching the sources the other side uses and giving fair consideration to their viewpoints, without which you are not fully informed on your own.
 
Back
Top