Comments on: Atheist Soldier Sues The DoD, and The Evolution of Compassion

By: simian

simian — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:54:18 +0000

Mobius, lol at your after-the-fact discovery of Hofstadter’s quote. Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll add that to my to-read list!

By: mobius

mobius — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:46:16 +0000

After you finish that book I would suggest:
‘Godel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid’ by Douglas R. Hofstadter. A brilliant piece on AI; filled with word play and literary reference, not to mention more technical work than you could shake a stick at. I’ve only gotten to chapter 3,and am already at a loss on some of the “exercises” proposed by the author, although, I’m not too certain we’re actually supposed to achieve them.

heh, just noticed the author I’m talking about is quoted on the cover of the book you’re reading.

By: simian

simian — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:56:03 +0000

Maxwell – hear, hear to all your comments. I think the law is pretty clear that what happened to Spc. Hall was illegal. I suspect we’ll see the court rule in his favor, which is going to be a big victory in the sense that it will raise the issue of religious discrimination against the non-religious.

C – only two things come from Texas: steers and queers. And you don’t look much like a steer to me! Now pray to jesus before I gouge out your eyeball and skullƒμ©k you!

Krystal – Aw shucks. Thanks. Glad you read it!

By: Krystal

Krystal — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:40:26 +0000

Hey Tim! That was a great article. I came since I’m a nonreligious sort and wanted to know what was up. Turns out I’m more impressed with your write up ability and think you could make good money this way. Hope you’re well. Don’t stop writing, you’re very good.

By: C

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:59:33 +0000

Oh, so I take it it wasn’t the kind of good-natured verbal harassment I see in military movies?

By: Maxwell Jennings

Maxwell Jennings — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:50:54 +0000

In the US Military, the rules are set up specifically to prevent displays and actions of prejudice and to uphold equality of treatment and provisions of opportunity. The officers that stated their beliefs against others did so within the military organization and thus violated those rules. Outside of work or outside the organization, people should be free to say and think whatever they want most of the time. However, this freedom of verbalizing bigoted beliefs does not apply to people enlisted in the military due again to the rules and code of honor of being a representative member and those rules are in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until a person leaves service. Therefore, under military law, you cannot violate military rules even while you are off duty. The basic underlying aim of military law and code of honor is to provide equal and lawful treatment.

The president of the United States as acting Commander in Chief should not condone any act of bigotry in the military, no matter what the president’s personal beliefs. He or she should also uphold the constitution and code of ethics regarding federal employees and acceptable conduct along the same lines as stated here.

Chaplains are government employees in service of the military and fall under the same rules of the military. Although some do not, Chaplains under the law are required to treat atheists as equally as Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Satanists, and so on. The military is designed for working together, cooperation between, and mutual protection of other personnel in order to operate in an efficiently cohesive and safe manner. People with strong, uncontrollable beliefs against other groups or individuals would be better off staying out of the military.

Every individual of any group or implied group of whatever belief or non-belief should feel and be equally treated and should be afforded equal opportunity while in military service — with no exceptions. Every enlisted person and commissioned officer needs to realize that military law requires the same of them regarding all other people with no exceptions.

Should the policy about beliefs be the same generally accepted policy regarding sexual orientation of “don’t ask, don’t tell” while in the military? Maybe for now as long as everyone within also does not act or divulge negative feelings toward anyone they dislike. Ideally, in the military, even if others know specific orientations of people, they are restricted from acting against or harassing those people with which they do not agree.

Non governmental organizations, which are all private organizations, are free to teach, preach, and protest any belief they want as long as they are not violating anyone else’s freedoms. Governmental agencies and laws should protect freedoms regardless, including the freedom of individuals or groups based on bigotry, but government should also prevent actions of bigotry against others. Hate groups are free to meet, to rant and to rave about their ignorance and stupidity-disease all they want, but to infringe on the rights of others should never be tolerated in a civilized society. Nor should any action be taken against hate-based groups unless they have violated law.

I agree that the definition of human equality is too subjective and open for debate, but every part of the government should treat everyone with equality — which basically means that there are to be no restrictions or harassments targeting individuals by the government as a whole or by its employees.