{"id":44620,"date":"2019-07-19T15:37:51","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T18:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/?p=44620"},"modified":"2021-04-01T11:49:13","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T14:49:13","slug":"us-air-force-grants-exemption-for-norse-heathen-beard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2019\/07\/19\/us-air-force-grants-exemption-for-norse-heathen-beard\/","title":{"rendered":"US Air Force Grants Exemption for Norse Heathen Beard"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The Air Force Times reports on Air Force SSgt Garrett Sopchak, who just became the first US Air Force Airman to be allowed to wear a beard — because he adheres to Norse Heathen religious beliefs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Army granted a similar waiver last year<\/a>, and beard exemptions have been granted for a growing number of Sikhs<\/a> and Muslims<\/a> — though not atheists<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sopchak, a 28-year-old aerospace ground equipment craftsman at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, on July 8 become the first airman to get approval to wear a beard in accordance with his Heathen faith.<\/p>\n

Sopchak said in a Tuesday interview that in the old sagas, a beard was a sign someone was a respected member of the community who could be trusted to help others. Central figures in Norse mythology such as Odin and Thor are commonly depicted as wearing beards.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

With that as the justification, how long will it be before the first Christian asks for an exemption, given that “central figures” in Christianity are “commonly depicted” having beards…?<\/p>\n

Incidentally, has anyone noticed that all these military religious freedom issues are being resolved without<\/em> anyone calling Michael “Mikey” Weinstein?\u00a0 Seems he’s not as important as he might think.<\/p>\n

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