Tag Archives: humanist

Organizers prepare for atheism-themed event at Fort Bragg, 1st for a US military base

Organizers prepare for atheism-themed event at Fort Bragg, 1st for a US military base | The Republic

Organizers prepare for atheism-themed event at Fort Bragg, 1st for a US military base | The Republichttp://www.therepublic.com/view/story/6a7c32aadc7943389b57102c4fbb6b96/NC–Army-Atheist-Concert/RALEIGH, N.C. — It has been more than a year in the making, but organizers of the first concert at a U.S. military base aimed at atheists and other non-religious service members and their families say they’re putting the final touches on the Fort Bragg event.

“Rock Beyond Belief” is scheduled for Saturday, March 31, and plans to feature bands and speakers, including Richard Dawkins, the famed British scholar and atheist author. It will be the highest-visibility event so far in a growing effort by military personnel without belief in God or religions to be recognized by their peers and the Pentagon.

Should Atheists Be Chaplains in Military? NAE Thinks Not

Should Atheists Be Chaplains in Military? NAE Thinks Not, Christian News, The Christian Posthttp://www.christianpost.com/news/should-atheists-be-chaplains-in-military-nae-thinks-not-50013/Should atheists be able to serve as military chaplains?

The head of the largest representative body of chaplains in the U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans Administration doesn’t think so.

A New York Times article this week highlighted the case made by humanist organizations and atheists that humanist chaplains are needed to serve nonbelievers in the military. One humanist group has asked for an audience with the chiefs of chaplains to discuss the proposal.

Weighing in on the issue, Paul Vicalvi, executive director of National Association of Evangelicals Chaplain Commission, which represents over 1,200 chaplains in the military, said he was “puzzled” when he heard of the request.

Speaking to The Christian Post, Vicalvi, a retired Army chaplain of over 30 years, said he doesn’t see the logic behind humanist chaplains.

“Traditionally chaplains are seen as a person of a higher power faith. It would redefine the chaplaincy if a non-faith person becomes a chaplain,” he said.

 

 

Military archbishop questions need for atheist chaplaincy

Military archbishop questions need for atheist chaplaincy :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Military archbishop questions need for atheist chaplaincy :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/military-archbishop-questions-need-for-atheist-chaplaincy/Several atheist, agnostic, and secular humanist organizations are pushing to establish their own U.S. military “chaplaincy” for soldiers. The head of the United States Military Archdiocese thinks the effort may be more about opposing religion than meeting non-believers’ needs.“The idea of a ‘chaplaincy’ for atheists seems contradictory,” U.S. Military Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio told CNA. Under present conditions, he said, “it would seem that they could meet and sponsor activities just as many other groups do on installations. Or is the issue here the desire to set up a structure in direct opposition to the chaplaincy?”

Former Army captain Jason Torpy, president of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, told the New York Times that “humanism fills the same role for atheists that Christianity does for Christians and Judaism does for Jews.” Torpy is seeking to meet with the chief of chaplains for each branch of the armed forces, to discuss the atheist chaplaincy proposal.

 

 

Atheists Seek Chaplain Role in the Military

Atheists Seek a Place Among Military Chaplains - NYTimes.com

Atheists Seek a Place Among Military Chaplains – NYTimes.comhttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/us/27atheists.html?_r=1

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — In the military, there are more than 3,000 chaplains who minister to the spiritual and emotional needs of active duty troops, regardless of their faiths. The vast majority are Christians, a few are Jews or Muslims, one is a Buddhist. A Hindu, possibly even a Wiccan may join their ranks soon.

But an atheist?

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.

Joining the chaplain corps is part of a broader campaign by atheists to win official acceptance in the military. Such recognition would make it easier for them to raise money and meet on military bases. It would help ensure that chaplains, religious or atheist, would distribute their literature, advertise their events and advocate for them with commanders.

But winning the appointment of an atheist chaplain will require support from senior chaplains, a tall order. Many chaplains are skeptical: Do atheists belong to a “faith group,” a requirement for a chaplain candidate? Can they provide support to religious troops of all faiths, a fundamental responsibility for chaplains?

 

 

Call for humanist military chaplains

Call for humanist military chaplains | chaplainsunderfire

Call for humanist military chaplains | chaplainsunderfirehttp://chaplainsunderfire.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/call-for-humanist-military-chaplains/Sound like an oxymoron?  Well, the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers certainly doesn’t think so.  It has put out a call for humanist chaplains on its web site, though it is unclear whether anyone has yet applied or whether the MAF has the credentials to endorse them if they did (we’ll look into this and post an update). There aren’t many humanist chaplains worldwide, but their number might well be growing.  They serve in the Belgian and Dutch armies, and three universities have humanist chaplains.  One of these and the only US one is  Harvard University, whose humanist chaplain Greg Epstein made a case for their inclusion in the armed forces.  In  a blog for the Washington Post’s On Faith, he wrote: So why does the military even have publicly funded chaplains? One of the most common justifications is that by taking servicemen and women out of the rhythm of everyday life and sequestering them for military purposes, undue burden is placed on…