You Have a Choice: Sign a Contract That Says “So Help Me God” or Get Out of the Air Force

[rug]

September 4, 2014
by Hemant Mehta

When a service member stationed at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada decided to reenlist last month, his contract included the words “So help me God.”



He decided to cross the phrase out, which should be perfectly acceptable, but the Air Force said he had to include it or get out. Now, the American Humanist Association’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center is stepping in:

… he was told he must sign the religious oath potion of the enlistment form without adjustment. Requiring (redacted) to take an oath containing this religious affirmation violates his clearly established constitutional rights under the First Amendment. This letter demands that you immediately allow [redacted] to reenlist using a secular affirmation and that the Air Force accept his written enlistment form in a way that reflects his secular affirmation…

…

If (redacted) is not administered a secular oath, the commanding officers may be sued in federal court for injunctive and declaratory relief. In addition, because the law in this area is well establishes, those commanders may be sued in their individual capacities and be personally liable for damages along with attorneys’ fees.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/09/04/you-have-a-choice-sign-a-contract-that-says-so-help-me-god-or-get-out-of-the-air-force/

http://americanhumanist.org/news/details/2014-09-humanist-group-defends-us-air-force-members-right-to

[cbayer]

1. It shouldn't even be there to begin with, imo.

[edhopper]

2. The Air Force Academy

was overrun with fundies.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/air-force-academy-cadets-_b_1007411.html

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/press-releases/2014/Bible_Verse_3-13-14.html

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Sounds like Isis, actually.

Except for the "convert or die" bit.

Only Christians allowed in the Air Force, eh???

[cbayer]

4. Just for the record, it's not only christians that have a god….

though I suspect the christian god is most likely what is being referred to here.

[AtheistCrusader]

6. That works for the purposes of the oath I suppose but the air force is notoriously christian/evangel

ical through and through.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/17/air-force-academy-religion-proselytism_n_1678092.html

"A 2010 survey found 41 percent of non-Christian cadets faced unwanted proselytizing, even as the religious majority felt that their freedom of speech was being infringed upon."

http://www.truth-out.org/archive/component/k2/item/92042:underground-group-of-cadets-says-air-force-academy-controlled-by-evangelicals

And this was fascinating.
http://gazette.com/air-force-academy-canceled-controversial-evangelical-speaker/article/52408
"An evangelical Christian who compared President Barack Obama to Hitler was scheduled to speak at the Air Force Academy during a February conference, but the academy canceled her appearance after getting major push back from several advocacy groups."



If you look at an aerial photo of the Academy, that church looking thing? That's the main hall.

[Brettongarcia]

7. I'm currently involved in academic discussion on the names of God: "Lord," "Christ," "Father," etc..

Off the top of my head, it rather looks like the word "God" with a capital G, overwhelmingly is Christian. As even cbayer allows.

Other religions speak of "the gods." Plural.

Or they NAME them: they believe in "Zeus," or "Ahura Mazda," or "Allah," for example. To avoid confusion with other gods.

[cbayer]

8. I am aware of that. I was just noting that the phrase does not mention christianity.

I realize that when they do these things, they sometimes forget that there are those other than christians that believe in god.

Colorado springs has some very frightening aspects to it.

[Brettongarcia]

9. Worse than frightening. If you're religious: looks like the Devil himself is guiding Fundamentalism