Atheists & Agnostics
Related: About this forumBryan Fischer Calls For Atheists To Be Banned From Serving In The Armed Forces
I posted this in GD but it sank like a stone: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025520989
No atheist should be permitted to serve in the U.S. military
From Right Wing Watch
One of the very first posts we ever wrote about the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer highlighted a column he wrote calling for Muslims to be banned from serving in the military. That was nearly five years ago and now Fischer is finally getting around to calling for atheists to be banned from serving in the U.S. armed forces as well.
Responding to a situation in which an airman was denied his request to re-enlist in the Air Force because he refuses to take an oath containing the phrase "so help me God," Fischer asserts that atheists should be prohibited from serving in all braches of the military because "there is no place in the United States military for those who do not believe in the Creator who is the source of every single one of our fundamental human and civil rights":
These rights do not come from government, they do not come from the commander-in-chief, and they most certainly do not come from some activist judge. They come from God himself. We are not evolved, as this wannabe-enlistee believes, but we are "created," and "endowed by (our) Creator with certain unalienable rights."
This is an absolutely foundational, non-negotiable, bed-rock American principle: there is a Creator - with a capital "C" (you could look it up) - and he and he alone is the source of the very rights the military exists to protect and defend.
An individual who does not understand and believe this has no right to serve in the U.S. military. Military service should rightly be reserved for those who believe in and are willing to die for what America stands for - and what America stands for is a belief in God as the source of our rights.
A man who doesn't believe in the Creator the Founders trusted certainly can live in America without being troubled for being a fool. But he most certainly should not wear the uniform.
The other branches of the military do not require the same oath - yet. But they should. Military service should be reserved for genuine Americans and genuine Americans, like the Founders, believe in God.
In the original column he informs us that
(a) Enlistment Oath.Each person enlisting in an armed force shall take the following oath:
I, XXXXXXXXXX, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
Serving in the military is a privilege, not a constitutional right. And it should be reserved for those who have America's values engraved on their hearts.
Naturally, the American Humanist Association, which has never seen a constitutional liberty it respects, intends to challenge this decision.
This case should be thrown out of court. The Constitution nowhere gives the federal judiciary any authority to set military policy. That's reserved for Congress and Congress alone.
(The "religious test" referred to in Article VI of the Constitution is a reference to a detailed or specific Christian statement of faith, and refers to elective or appointive office and not to military service. States, under the Constitution written by the Founders, can require any kind of religious test they want, and Article VI was designed to protect that power and reserve it for the States.)
I guess this means that my honorable discharge should be replaced with a dishonorable one and all records of my service scrubbed.
drm604
(16,230 posts)Let the theists go risk their lives protecting the atheists who are sitting safely at home.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)He's on active duty stateside and he'd like to keep his job.
drm604
(16,230 posts)I was trying to point out the idiocy of their thinking.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)I don't have to tell you guys about it, just hoping others might read this and have a "Religious hate speech towards atheists does exist!" moment.
AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)BINGO!
And let them fight only with the tools the Founding Fathers envisioned as well.
Who are these nuts who think things haven't evolved a bit since 1789??????
Curmudgeoness
(18,219 posts)I see something like this and I am still astonished.
Seriously? Has he ever read the Bible? Human and civil rights? From God? Wow.
My favorite, though:
Laugh or cry, right?
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)It's all about privilege.
Curmudgeoness
(18,219 posts)Gelliebeans
(5,043 posts)" Look it up)" where?????????
Mr.Bill
(24,303 posts)if they ever reinstitute the draft to fight another stupid unwinnable war. I wish they had that rule during Viet Nam.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)Agnostic wasn't a valid choice either, I had to make do with 'no affiliation'.
Gelliebeans
(5,043 posts)I don't think he thought that one out or at least have someone proof read his announcements.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)He goes even farther with muslims:
AFA: The Time Has Come to Purge The Military of All Muslims
Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 11/9/2009 11:21 am
Do you remember Bryan Fischer, the one-time head of the Idaho Values Alliance who got called up to the big leagues earlier this year when he became the American Family Association's Director of Issue Analysis?
Well, in that new capacity, he has weighed in on the tragic shooting at Fort Hood to declare that Muslims should not be allowed to serve in the military:
Of course, most U.S. Muslims don't shoot up their fellow soldiers. Fine. As soon as Muslims give us a foolproof way to identify their jihadis from their moderates, we'll go back to allowing them to serve. You tell us who the ones are that we have to worry about, prove you're right, and Muslims can once again serve. Until that day comes, we simply cannot afford the risk. You invent a jihadi-detector that works every time it's used, and we'll welcome you back with open arms.
This is not Islamophobia, it is Islamo-realism.
And don't give us reassurances about the oaths that Muslim soldiers take to protect and defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Hasan took that oath, and it proved meaningless. In fact, the more devout a Muslim is, the more likely he is to lie to you through his teeth, since lying to the infidel to advance the cause of Islam is commended, not just permitted, in the Koran.
It's time we all got over the nonsense that all cultures and religions are equally valid or worthy. They most certainly are not. While Christianity is a religion of peace, founded by the Prince of Peace, Islam is a religion of war and violence, founded by a man who routinely chopped the heads off his enemies, had sex with nine-year old girls, and made his wealth plundering merchant caravans.
And just as Christians are taught to imitate the life of Christ, so Muslims are taught to imitate the Prophet in all things. Yesterday, Nidal Malik Hasan was simply being a good Muslim.
Nice, eh?
Gelliebeans
(5,043 posts)No reasoning with some people. What is claimed and what is shown to the world are two different things. It's very primal or tribalism in that line of closed mindedness.
I guess...I just can't understand that type of reasoning. As if the people that serve our military (atheists too...ahem) fight for everyone's rights and are involved in conflicts that are even based on religious freedom. Jesus it's a circle jerk.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)But it's getting more and more difficult for atheists to serve their country without fearing their brothers in arms.
Imagine what it must be like for muslim soldiers.
Gelliebeans
(5,043 posts)Gelliebeans
(5,043 posts)Wasn't there a poll a few years back? That asked mothers and fathers if they could choose a spouse for their children to marry they would prefer anyone including a practicing Muslim over an atheist.
This was early 2000's so it was an extremely sensitive time to be a Muslim in America. Anything except an atheist. I wonder what that poll would be today? This topic just made me think of that. Sorry Hun didn't mean to hijack the thread.
Thank you and your family for their service for us ALL!!!!!
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)But the only thing I could find was this thread http://www.democraticunderground.com/1218135467
And you're very welcome
Gelliebeans
(5,043 posts)Still trying to catch up on reading current stuff. You have always had an excellent memory.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)Tell that to mr bmus, I forgot to dvr the Broncos game Sunday.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)into the "no atheists in foxholes" routine. So, are there atheists in foxholes or not? If not, then the guy's argument doesn't matter because once they got there they wouldn't be atheists. Or has he figured out that the "no atheists in foxholes" was a wrong assumption? That would be a victory for atheists.
Very ironic!
onager
(9,356 posts)LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)The AFA promotes the belief that these are the end times, so it stands to reason.
He is both a religious fanatic and a hateful man. Hate full.
mr blur
(7,753 posts)AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)Could there be less understanding of the Founding Father's intentions, or era?
cleanhippie
(19,705 posts)just like I generally ignore the douchebags in the other group who say equally idiotic things like "religion had nothing to do with that abortion clinic being bombed" or other such nonsense. These types say shit like that for one reason: ATTENTION.
Marginalize and ignore these idiots.
EvolveOrConvolve
(6,452 posts)He started out as the local crank, writing letters to the editor proclaiming the evils of the gay agenda, secularism, and anyone to the left of Hitler. Eventually, the local newspaper started printing his screeds on a regular basis, he caught the attention of some national dickhole organization, and left us for the more favorable religious climes of the deep south. I thought it was good riddance until I realized his insanity had been loosed on an even wider audience.
To America, I deeply, deeply apologize for the harm this asshole has caused and will cause in the future. Normally Idaho crazies are of the Ron Paul, "libertarian", gun nut species, but we bred an asshole that even the regular right-wing dumbfucks can't stand.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Fischer