http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/08/atheist.soldier/index.html
His sudden lack of faith, he said, cost him his military career and put his life at risk. Hall said his life was threatened by other troops and the military assigned a full-time bodyguard to protect him out of fear for his safety.
Jeremy Hall sure does paint a bleak existence in the military for any atheist. I’ve heard before that leadership in the military is partly influenced by prayer and belief in the Christian God. It’s pretty sad though that they would subject him to harassment to the point that he would sue the entire DoD.
Two years ago on Thanksgiving Day, after refusing to pray at his table, Hall said he was told to go sit somewhere else. In another incident, when he was nearly killed during an attack on his Humvee, he said another soldier asked him, “Do you believe in Jesus now?”
You can’t really tell but that comment of where or not he believes in Jesus could have come off as extremely arrogant or well-intentioned considering that many devout Christians would probably be concerned for friends if they truly believe Jesus is the answer. Either way the article leads me to believe the former, which is a pretty fucked up thing to hear as an atheist, especially in a war zone.
There’s little doubt that pressure to accept Christianity is evident in the military branches. The real question is how does the Pentagon stop religious indoctrination when it is so prevalent among leadership within the military and feeds upon itself.
I can understand if a group of soldiers who happen to be christian want to pray together before they go into battle. That activity is apart of their faith and it sustains them and prepares them for what is next. The problem is when an atheist is made an outsider because of his lack of belief in their God. All soldiers should be able to mutually fight alongside each other and work together for the common goals of one’s country. The prevalence of God is secondary soldiers, sorry, that’s why you joined the Army instead of a ministry.
