Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 09:30 PM Sep 2014

Bryan 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":

Our military exists to uphold and defend our Constitution, and the Constitution in turn identifies the "unalienable rights" the Declaration refers to that our government is obligated to protect.

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


Congress agrees. It is actually a matter of statutory law that every enlistee and every officer must take an oath that ends with “So help me God.” U.S. Code, Title 10, Section 502 reads as follows :

(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.





28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Bryan Fischer Calls For Atheists To Be Banned From Serving In The Armed Forces (Original Post) beam me up scottie Sep 2014 OP
Fine. drm604 Sep 2014 #1
Well it would kinda suck for my older brother. beam me up scottie Sep 2014 #3
It wasn't a serious statement. drm604 Sep 2014 #5
Oh I know. beam me up scottie Sep 2014 #8
Let the theists go risk their lives protecting the atheists who are sitting safely at home. AlbertCat Sep 2014 #24
Whenever I think I have heard it all, Curmudgeoness Sep 2014 #2
I've read right here on DU that Democracy was invented by christians. beam me up scottie Sep 2014 #6
Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Curmudgeoness Sep 2014 #7
I always love the line Gelliebeans Sep 2014 #11
That will come in handy Mr.Bill Sep 2014 #4
I was not allowed to have 'atheist' on my dog tags. beam me up scottie Sep 2014 #9
Civil rights??? Gelliebeans Sep 2014 #10
Oh, he's no rookie. beam me up scottie Sep 2014 #12
I give..... Gelliebeans Sep 2014 #13
If nobody listened to the extremists we could shrug it off. beam me up scottie Sep 2014 #14
I can't even imagine n/t Gelliebeans Sep 2014 #15
A little off topic Gelliebeans Sep 2014 #16
I think there was a more recent one posted in R/T. beam me up scottie Sep 2014 #17
Thanks Scottie for the info Gelliebeans Sep 2014 #18
lol! beam me up scottie Sep 2014 #19
That sure throws a monkey wrench defacto7 Sep 2014 #20
He can take it up with these guys... onager Sep 2014 #21
You know this isn't surprising. LiberalAndProud Sep 2014 #22
.. mr blur Sep 2014 #23
Wow, just wow AlbertCat Sep 2014 #25
I generally ignore bigoted assholes like this douchebag. cleanhippie Sep 2014 #26
As an Idahoan, I keep having to apologize for this dickhole EvolveOrConvolve Sep 2014 #27
Great! That would be the easiest way out of the army in, well ever. enki23 Sep 2014 #28

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)
3. Well it would kinda suck for my older brother.
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 09:42 PM
Sep 2014

He's on active duty stateside and he'd like to keep his job.

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)
8. Oh I know.
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 09:57 PM
Sep 2014

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)
24. Let the theists go risk their lives protecting the atheists who are sitting safely at home.
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 10:46 AM
Sep 2014

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)
2. Whenever I think I have heard it all,
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 09:41 PM
Sep 2014

I see something like this and I am still astonished.

the Creator who is the source of every single one of our fundamental human and civil rights


Seriously? Has he ever read the Bible? Human and civil rights? From God? Wow.

My favorite, though:

the American Humanist Association, which has never seen a constitutional liberty it respects




Laugh or cry, right?

Mr.Bill

(24,303 posts)
4. That will come in handy
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 09:42 PM
Sep 2014

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)
9. I was not allowed to have 'atheist' on my dog tags.
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 10:28 PM
Sep 2014

Agnostic wasn't a valid choice either, I had to make do with 'no affiliation'.

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)
12. Oh, he's no rookie.
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 10:40 PM
Sep 2014

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:

It it is time, I suggest, to stop the practice of allowing Muslims to serve in the U.S. military. The reason is simple: the more devout a Muslim is, the more of a threat he is to national security. Devout Muslims, who accept the teachings of the Prophet as divinely inspired, believe it is their duty to kill infidels. Yesterday's massacre is living proof. And yesterday's incident is not the first fragging incident involving a Muslim taking out his fellow U.S. soldiers.

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)
13. I give.....
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 10:51 PM
Sep 2014

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)
14. If nobody listened to the extremists we could shrug it off.
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 11:02 PM
Sep 2014

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)
16. A little off topic
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 11:24 PM
Sep 2014

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!!!!!

Gelliebeans

(5,043 posts)
18. Thanks Scottie for the info
Thu Sep 11, 2014, 11:51 PM
Sep 2014

Still trying to catch up on reading current stuff. You have always had an excellent memory.

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
20. That sure throws a monkey wrench
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 12:37 AM
Sep 2014

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!

LiberalAndProud

(12,799 posts)
22. You know this isn't surprising.
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 05:27 AM
Sep 2014

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.

cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
26. I generally ignore bigoted assholes like this douchebag.
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 11:00 AM
Sep 2014

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)
27. As an Idahoan, I keep having to apologize for this dickhole
Fri Sep 12, 2014, 06:09 PM
Sep 2014

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

Latest Discussions»Alliance Forums»Atheists & Agnostics»Bryan Fischer Calls For A...