There’s no denying the Dark Ages linger. Atheists continue to endure a “sit in the back of the bus” existence. We’re not equals, nor are we treated as such. So deep is the pervasive fear of societal rejection, we’re still largely invisible within many communities. But we’re here, and in larger numbers, than you might think.
A few weeks ago, an active-duty serviceman currently serving in the United States Air Force was forbidden from re-enlisting.
Why?
Because he refused to take to the official oath required of all American servicemen and servicewomen, which includes (for many) the quarrelsome expression, “so help me god.” [SEE FOOTNOTE 1]
The Air Force sergeant, whose name has not been released to the public, is an avowed atheist. For him, pledging an oath to what he believes is a false deity would be brazenly dishonest. What’s the point of raising one’s right hand in a ceremony, and then taking a bogus vow? Wouldn’t that make the oath meaningless and render the entire process a farce? It would be like pledging to obey commands from the Easter Bunny.
When I first read the news story about this brave American serviceman who was denied the opportunity to proudly serve his country for no other reason than not professing a belief in a god — I was dumbfounded. Yet again, we secularists were caught off guard. I asked myself — is this 1914 or 2014? Haven’t we yet reached the ambitious plateau of reason in American governance and society where religious litmus tests are no longer required to serve in the armed forces?
Apparently not. The effervescent vestiges of religiosity continue to leave us all tethered to blind obedience, submission, and conformity. That was true a century ago, and it’s still also true today.
What exactly is it about believing in a God that would presumably make someone a fit soldier? What do one’s personal views about an afterlife, or the outer universe have to do with piloting an airplane, or working on an engine, or performing any of the other noble tasks filled by good people who want to voluntarily serve in the military? The answer is — one has nothing to do with the other. An atheist or an agnostic is just as capable of flying an airplane as a Baptist, and may in fact be even better at it perhaps since believers aren’t caught in the coercive cobwebs of Bible study and Sunday School.
Here’s more information about this unusual Air Force sergeant and the controversy. To date, this airman has served honorably. He’s currently working in a trade-in high demand. Were it not for his refusal to say “so help me god,” his re-enlistment would have been instantaneous. Hoping to avoid controversy (and not wanting to embarrass the Air Force) the sergeant offered his superiors a workable compromise. He agreed to say the phrase as written but would omit the short four-word phrase containing the part about god. That solution to the issue seemed both simple and fair for everyone.
The Air Force steadfastly refused. In fact, their decision went all the way up the chain of command, to the very top, where no one in Washington wanted to be accused of “taking God out of the Air Force.” So, the hardliners surfaced. Once again, the airman was instructed that unless he agreed to take the full oath, with god included, he’d be dismissed from the service. Then, the lights of public awareness were shined into this bewildering corner of darkness. The national press got involved and things began to change.
When word leaked out about a U.S.A.F. sergeant sticking to his core beliefs, several media sources started covering the case. Fearing inevitable defeat in the courts, the Department of the Air Force finally began to wise up and backed down from their position. They agreed to allow the serviceman to re-enlist without pledging a belief in god. But something tells me this case isn’t quite over yet. The cries of religious persecution have already begun in some camps. [SEE FOOTNOTE 2]
This unfortunate dispute is yet more unmistakable evidence that most religious institutions and many believers simply won’t grant the rest of us our rights (which is the right to not believe). Nor will they tolerate any alternative points of view as to the question of god’s existence. We haven’t really come very far since that certain document was signed about 227 years ago. Just when it seems we secularists might finally be achieving real fairness and equal opportunity, we’re confronted with a simple yet stark reminder like this case, which should be abhorrent to anyone who believes in basic freedoms and Constitutional principles.
Seriously. Think about it. Someone has to actually say that they believe in God in order to serve in a branch of the military. In the year — 2014.
There’s no denying the Dark Ages linger. Atheists continue to endure a “sit in the back of the bus” existence. We’re not equals, nor are we treated as such. So deep is the pervasive fear of societal rejection, we’re still largely invisible within many communities. But we’re here, and in larger numbers, than you might think.
Most regretful is that a legal battle of this kind, which deals with the separation of church and state, invariably sequesters those who are religious from the non-religious. In essence, battle lines are drawn. We, secularists, find this both confusing and depressing. As strong as our convictions are that most religious beliefs are nonsense, we’re perfectly willing and even obliged to grant others their freedom of thought. We’re entirely comfortable with letting others believing what they wish. Our families and friends can worship the god of their choice if they so chose. As they say, to each his own. Just don’t try to shove your beliefs down my throat. Pray in your home with your own flock. But don’t ask me to pay for your party. Do not insist that I join you at the mass of the temple. I’m not interested, and by most accounts neither are about 30 to 40 million other Americans, who self-identify as having no religious faith whatsoever.
Just as secularists support the rights of religious believers, the brave Air Force sergeant with strong personal convictions who was willing to stand up and fight for free thought and basic individual rights deserves unwavering support from religious believers. After all, we’re willing to defend their freedoms. Why won’t they support ours?
That the Air Force continues to use a “god oath” as a prerequisite for military service is flat out wrong — legally, morally, and practically. Face it. Atheists are Americans, too. The Constitution grants us our individual rights and guarantees our freedoms. We wouldn’t expect religious people to take those rights for granted, and neither shall we.
Looking back on our history, who knows how many men and women who served so proudly from the start of the republic to the present day were lying all those years ago when they impersonated faith and mimicked a fairy tale by taking an oath to which they had no real devotion.
Probably, millions.
Thankfully, one brave man whose name we do not know has changed all that and ended the ceaseless parade of lies. For that, we should all be grateful.
FOOTNOTE 1 — The actual oath in its entirety reads as follows: “I, (state name of enlistee), 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.”
FOOTNOTE 2 — Read more in this short THE GUARDIAN article here, published on Sept. 1o.
FOOTNOTE 3 — Tom Flynn, editor of Free Inquiry magazine wrote in this month’s issue that it’s been a tough year for secularists. I highly recommend this publication which comes out bi-monthly. No doubt, we atheists have lost some landmark cases in the courts. However, this case stands as a major victory.