Air Force Releases New Guidelines for Religious Tolerance

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Air Force Releases New Guidelines for Religious Tolerance

Posted: 8/29/2005 4:25:17 PM EDT

www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,167541,00.html

Air Force Releases New Guidelines for Religious Tolerance

Monday, August 29, 2005

DENVER — The Air Force (search) released new guidelines for religious tolerance Monday that discourage public prayer at official functions and urge commanders to be sensitive about personal expressions of religious faith.

The document directs chaplains to "respect the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs." But some who have criticized the academy questioned whether needed changes will really be implemented.

The guidelines, which apply to the entire Air Force, were drawn up after allegations that evangelical Christians wield so much influence at the Air Force Academy (search) in Colorado Springs that anti-Semitism and other forms of religious harassment have become pervasive.

An Air Force task force concluded that some students and staff at the school have the perception that the academy favors evangelical Christians and is intolerant of those who do not share their faith.

Rob Boston, spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State (search), and Abraham Foxman, head of the New York-based Anti-Defamation League (search), both said the big question now is how the rules will be implemented.

The guidelines "say all the right things," Foxman said. "They address all the issues that were raised as problems at the Air Force Academy. The major question is, how will be they become a reality? A lot of the people implementing this are the people who violated it."

Mikey Weinstein, an academy graduate who says his sons have been the target of anti-Semitic slurs at the school, said the new guidelines fail to control evangelical zealots.

"The Air Force's official policy remains that the Air Force reserves the right to evangelize anyone in the Air Force that it determines to be unchurched," Weinstein said in an interview from his home in Albuquerque, N.M.

The guidelines do not ban public prayer outright and say short, nonsectarian prayers may be included in special ceremonies or events, but only to lend a sense of solemnity and not to promote specific beliefs.

Nor do they bar personal discussions of religion, including discussions between commanders and subordinates. They caution Air Force members "to be sensitive to the potential that personal expressions may appear to be official expressions."

The guidelines state that members of the Air Force "will not officially endorse or establish religion, either one specific religion, or the idea of religion over non-religion."

They also say that "abuse or disrespect" of Air Force members based on their religious beliefs, or lack of such beliefs, is unacceptable.

Posted: 8/29/2005 4:27:36 PM EDT

[#1]

oh good, a kinder, gentler military...

Posted: 8/29/2005 4:32:40 PM EDT

[#2]

Those freak'in wing-nuts!

Posted: 8/29/2005 4:33:41 PM EDT

[#3]

And everyone asks me why I want to join the Marines over other services.

Posted: 8/29/2005 4:38:30 PM EDT

[#4]

....and the mass suicide of the Western nations continues unabated.

Posted: 8/29/2005 4:48:37 PM EDT

[#5]

Sir, we are 2 degrees off course to starboard.

ALL REVERSE FULL, LEFT FULL RUDDER, ABANDON SHIP!!!

Seems like a bit of an over reaction to me.

Posted: 8/29/2005 4:54:54 PM EDT

[#6]

I've known quite a few people in the AF who couldn't keep thier bible in thier pocket or thier beliefs to themselves...

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:00:52 PM EDT

[#7]

......................................and?

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:06:51 PM EDT

[#8]

If it is discouraging public prayer and personal expression of religion shouldn't these be "New Guidelines for Religious Intolerance" ?

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:07:16 PM EDT

[#9]

You dont need religon to kick ass.

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:08:36 PM EDT

[#10]

This happened as a result of some less than professional conduct by officers at USAFA. The pendulum always swings back past the midpoint to correct things like this. Trust the system. It will work itself out. The problems at USAFA didn't emerge overnight and the attempt to set things straight won't fix it overnight either.

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:12:59 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
......................................and?

To have a senior rater tell his officers, "My only goal is to make you better christians." when some of them aren't christians doesn't strike you as slightly condescending.
What if a muslim COL told all the infidels that their OERs would suck unless they converted to Islam?

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:23:47 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
If it is discouraging public prayer and personal expression of religion shouldn't these be "New Guidelines for Religious Intolerance" ?

Public prayer is not discouraged. I don't think that you will see chapels shutting down across the Air Force.

What is discouraged is sectarian prayers at official functions i.e. events where one's attendance is required. Not really the place of the military to mandate a particular religion or branch thereof.

ETA - I am pretty sure that Jesus had something to say about this in the "...pay it to Caesar" arena.

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:28:11 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
....and the mass suicide of the Western nations continues unabated.

Very true.

As much as it breaks my heart, America is on it's way out.

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:28:58 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
What if a muslim ...

it's not a real arfcom thread until someone bases his argument on "what if's".

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:30:25 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
ETA - I am pretty sure that Jesus had something to say about this in the "...pay it to Caesar" arena.

that was regarding taxes.

give to ceasar what is ceasar's, but give to the Lord what is the Lord's.

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:31:43 PM EDT

[#16]

Sylvan - I stupidly clicked on this thread.

I then compounded my mistake by reading initial responses - 'nothing less than the integrity of the republic is at stake! We're doomed! The UN is about to invade now that religion is illegal!'

Not being content to simply screw up twice within the span of a few seconds, I responded.

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:32:16 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Quoted:
ETA - I am pretty sure that Jesus had something to say about this in the "...pay it to Caesar" arena.

that was regarding taxes.

give to ceasar what is ceasar's, but give to the Lord what is the Lord's.

So it only applies to money and not to time?

Forced attendance at prayer is a hallmark of what religion?

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:32:55 PM EDT

[#18]

Like all stupid training, it is the result of previous stupid acts.

In this case, it was an overbearing officer pushing his Christian beliefs in an overbearing manner on his subordinates.

So, as a result, the Air Force has to put out a program that explains in detail what most people don't need to have explained to them.

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:37:33 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:
ETA - I am pretty sure that Jesus had something to say about this in the "...pay it to Caesar" arena.

that was regarding taxes.

give to ceasar what is ceasar's, but give to the Lord what is the Lord's.

Exactly Right.

The Pharacees, who where trying to trap Jesus into speaking out against the Roman Government (a very serious offence), asked Jesus if he thought that they (the Jews) where having to pay to much in taxes.

Jesus responded in his usual clever way..."Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" meaning the tax money "Render unto God that which is God's" meaning the people's worship and thus their souls.

Posted: 8/29/2005 5:42:46 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Quoted:
What if a muslim ...

it's not a real arfcom thread until someone bases his argument on "what if's".

How about
What if a christian officer bases his evaluation on whether his officers go to the same church or not?

Its not a real ARFCOM thread until somebody who hasn't BTDT opens his trap, either.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Air Force Releases New Guidelines for Religious Tolerance

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