Did anyone find this disturbing?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/08/atheist.soldier/index.html?iref=newssearch
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/08/atheist.soldier/index.html?iref=newssearch
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Atheist Soldier sues DoD
- Thread starter redmidgrl
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^^ Probably want to make sure all that story you posted isn't copyrighted. The link is enough. As for the content, I've been a Godless heathen all my adult life and it's never, ever been an issue in my 18+ years of military service.
Brett
Brett
Would you like to elaborate?
Heathens capitalize "God"?
From Officers? That's shitty and unfortunate no matter the source.
AJB37
Well-Known Member
We still believe in proper grammar.
Wouldn't an atheist feel that God is not a proper noun though?
Sounds to me like the soldier was going through a spiritual crisis, became a malcontent, and is lashing out.
The incidents in the cnn.com story point to a lack of tolerance on his part toward those who still believe in God, not the other way around. Nobody is asking him to lead prayers. If he does not want to sit quietly and respectfully while others pray before meals or missions, then he is going to have problems. I often prayed before missions. Some joined me, others took that time to triple check gear or get a drink of water, or whatever.
I have been in the Navy for 12 years, and have NEVER witnessed an incident were religion was an issue.
The incidents in the cnn.com story point to a lack of tolerance on his part toward those who still believe in God, not the other way around. Nobody is asking him to lead prayers. If he does not want to sit quietly and respectfully while others pray before meals or missions, then he is going to have problems. I often prayed before missions. Some joined me, others took that time to triple check gear or get a drink of water, or whatever.
I have been in the Navy for 12 years, and have NEVER witnessed an incident were religion was an issue.
I, personally, would find it hard to believe that anyone has received discrimination due to their religion in the aviation community. How often does it come up in your professional daily life? Besides the occasional prayer at a retirement ceremony, winging event, dinner, shipboard announcment, etc., how often does religion even come up? Even then, I have seen those of different religions stand their respectfully for the 30 seconds and no one has said a word to them about it.
In the Army, the environment is a little different--and soldiers on the ground may pray a whole lot more in their daily life due to the struggles of the environment in which they are fighting. But, that said, prayer (like everything else) is a personal choice. Even Christians pray in many different ways, and if leaders (officers or senior enlisted) are discriminating against their soldiers/sailors, then they should be held accountable and disciplined appropriately.
I don't like hearing stories like this because I feel it is contradictory to the ideas of the military as a whole. We accept people of all races, ethnicities and religions into the service because the service of anyone and everyone is valuable. The Armed Services, like America as a whole, is a melting pot that relies on its diversity.
As officers (and future officers) it starts with us--don't accept anything less than responsible and respectful behavior within your divisions. Everyone is different, and everyone has a different backround. [off my soapbox now!]
In the Army, the environment is a little different--and soldiers on the ground may pray a whole lot more in their daily life due to the struggles of the environment in which they are fighting. But, that said, prayer (like everything else) is a personal choice. Even Christians pray in many different ways, and if leaders (officers or senior enlisted) are discriminating against their soldiers/sailors, then they should be held accountable and disciplined appropriately.
I don't like hearing stories like this because I feel it is contradictory to the ideas of the military as a whole. We accept people of all races, ethnicities and religions into the service because the service of anyone and everyone is valuable. The Armed Services, like America as a whole, is a melting pot that relies on its diversity.
As officers (and future officers) it starts with us--don't accept anything less than responsible and respectful behavior within your divisions. Everyone is different, and everyone has a different backround. [off my soapbox now!]
If Spc. Hall's complaints are true, it's very disturbing. Luckily, I haven't seen anything like this in my 7 years in the Navy. A YN2 resisted removing "So help me God" from my officer oath form. He tried to tell me I'd have to take it up with the Admin O, when it is most definitely an optional part of the oath. I talked to his LT and had it promptly fixed.
'God' is a proper noun, because it's a name, and should be capitalized. If you're referring to multiple gods, or a god, or the god of such-and-such, then it's not capitalized. You could say 'there is no god', or 'there is nobody named God'. You should also capitalize Christian, because it derives from Christ; of course, you should also capitalize Marxist, etc. I think the major grammatically incorrect capitalization in Christian writings is 'He'. It's a pronoun, and should only be capitalized at the beginning of a sentence. Sorry Brett, but godless is an adjective, and should not capitalized).
Because someone has to be the grammar Nazi, and I'm bored...
'God' is a proper noun, because it's a name, and should be capitalized. If you're referring to multiple gods, or a god, or the god of such-and-such, then it's not capitalized. You could say 'there is no god', or 'there is nobody named God'. You should also capitalize Christian, because it derives from Christ; of course, you should also capitalize Marxist, etc. I think the major grammatically incorrect capitalization in Christian writings is 'He'. It's a pronoun, and should only be capitalized at the beginning of a sentence. Sorry Brett, but godless is an adjective, and should not capitalized).
True, but if you don't believe in his existence then it wouldn't be a name, and therefore not a proper noun?
Ok, [/threadjack]
On the topic, I've never seen anything like this either. However, concur with the above sentiments that if discrimination was involved, due his change in beliefs, then it's plain wrong.
Um, I hope noöne here believes they can convince atheists that underneath it all, they really, truly, believe in God, on the basis of grammar...
Plus we got a good thing going, if they start lowercasing it I would feel sad...
Also I don't believe in the Greek god Dionysus, but his name is a proper noun...
Plus we got a good thing going, if they start lowercasing it I would feel sad...
Also I don't believe in the Greek god Dionysus, but his name is a proper noun...
Not true. Do you believe in Santa Claus? No? So then you don't capitalize the name?
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