Tag Archives: rock beyond belief

US Army Atheists Demand Atheist Bible School

Atheists at Fort Bragg are crying foul at the military chapel congregations hosting Vacation Bible School.

Because apparently military Christians and their families can’t attend VBS.

Ironically, the atheists apparently don’t know what VBS actually is, claiming the US government is “funding a religious summer camp.”  Though understandable for those who don’t share a faith system, its generally advisable to at least figure out what something is before mocking it and calling it improper.

In the same vein, they took issue with the Chaplains office advertising VBS through Fort Bragg’s Public Affairs and email, despite the fact such a message was entirely consistent with the role of the Chaplaincy.  They just didn’t like it.  The offensive message:

Vacation Bible School
Vacation Bible School will be held at Gordon Elementary Read more

Atheist Chaplains and Independent Ideology, or Lack Thereof

Christianity Today re-covered the prior discussion on “atheist Chaplains,” asking the same question others had previously:

All religious groups make absolutist claims of one kind or another. But how can a belief system — or is it a lack of belief system? — championed by figures like Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens support Christian soldiers in any meaningful sense? When considering chaplains who support Hitchens’s rather broad contention that “religion poisons everything,” how can such leaders “provide the means for others to observe their own faith”? If Christians are indeed suffering from a “God delusion,” as Dawkins has suggested, how can a chaplain who promotes Dawkins’s ideas offer belief-respecting encouragement to a Christian soldier?

The author acknowledges a similar accusation can be made against exclusive religions, but there is a positive response in the Christian faith and historical precedent (something Chaplains are already doing):

One might counter by suggesting that Christians themselves Read more

Military Atheist Festival at Fort Bragg Gets Funded

“Rock Beyond Belief,” the atheist counter-event to the Billy Graham Evangelical Association’s “Rock the Fort,” has apparently managed to obtain sufficient funding to proceed.  Prior statements seemed to indicate RBB would not back down from its “demand” that Fort Bragg give it money (even as the manufactured controversy “increased [their] funding“).  This continued even after Fort Bragg pointed out “Rock the Fort” was funded from the Christian collection plate, not by the US military. 

Apparently unable to solicit enough general interest from like-minded atheists,  Read more

Military Atheists Want to Join Chaplaincy?

The New York Times has an interesting article titled “Atheists Seek Chaplain Role in the Military.”

Strange as it sounds, groups representing atheists and secular humanists are pushing for the appointment of one of their own to the chaplaincy, hoping to give voice to what they say is a large — and largely underground — population of nonbelievers in the military.

The ironic part is atheists have previously implied Chaplains’ “secular” roles are better filled by people such as psychologists and behavioral health experts — leaving Chaplains to purely “religious” endeavors.

The atheists apparently want an advocate for their organized beliefs, which just sounds strange to say.  But Jason Torpy of the MAAF says exactly that:  Read more

Suicide, Religion, and the Military: Perception and Reality

An article at FoxNews notes the military’s continued effort to fight the “stigma” associated with mental health issues, to encourage troops to seek help when they need it:

“Leadership is letting folks know that it is not a sign of weakness if you ask for help,” says Navy Lt. Commander Andrew Martin, the psychologist in charge of the program…

All branches of the military are working hard to remove the stigma associated with reporting psychological issues. The old way of thinking was to “suck it up” if a soldier or Marine was having problems coping. Now, the Marines are deploying psychologists to forward operating bases in Iraq and Afghanistan so troops have a ready ear without facing the stigma of being sent back to headquarters for counseling.

The interesting thing about the military’s fight against the “stigma” is the stigma is a perception.  The military has worked so hard to remove any actual Read more

Fort Bragg Helps Atheists Gain Recognition

Despite Fort Bragg bearing a brunt of repeated criticisms over its handling of the atheist “Rock Beyond Belief” — including being painted as liars, predators and bigots — the US Army command has maintained the high ground.  Even as it was accused of unConstitutional conduct, its Garrison commander, Col Stephen Sicinski, continued to say he supported the right of the atheists to hold their event, should the event-holders decide to un-cancel it (as they are hinting, while still highlighting the cancellation).

In a related vein, a recent news article notes the Fort Bragg atheists’ attempt to form a “distinct faith group” under the Army’s fairly unique recognition system.  The Army has been helping them along the way, in more ways than one:  Read more

Fort Bragg Atheist Concert Reverses Course, Re-Announces Event

The organizers of Rock Beyond Belief at Fort Bragg have abandoned their plans for a lawsuit and are looking forward to having their event this fall.  (Michael Weinstein’s “tell it to the judge” was apparently just for effect, as his threats so often are.)  Coincidentally, it seems their very-public decision to cancel their event — and point fingers at the US Army as the cause — has actually benefited their plans (emphasis added):  Read more

AU, ACLU File FOIA over Rock the Fort, Rock Beyond Belief

Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union have filed a Freedom of Information Act request over recent concerts at Fort Bragg.  (More accurately, they skipped the FOIA office everybody else has to use and sent a letter directly to the Secretary of the Army.)

Interestingly, the letter presents a schizophrenic perspective.  On one hand, they say Fort Bragg’s interaction with Rock the Fort was “unconstitutional.”

we believe that the actions of [Chaplain (Col) David] Hillis and the Department of the Army, in coordinating, planning and supporting last year’s Rock the Fort concert, violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

On the other, they demand to know if Rock Beyond Belief is truly being Read more

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