Under most interpretations, the FA covers all government institutions, which should include the military. If we are really talking about free exercise, then it should be the people receiving services who determine what chaplains they need where, not the military’s command structure. And their salaries as chaplains should be paid by those who want services, or want to pay for soldier’s services.
But then, the military seems to have leeway to summarily strip people of their normal Constitutional rights in many situations, so maybe it’s a different ballgame.
“…Thanks, Susma. As always, you’ve provided a cryptic answer that doesn’t make a lot of sense. Care to elaborate or anything?..”
Maybe Susma was the one person who picked up on the idea elaborated in my lengthy prior post that “Witnessing Atheists” do in fact have some characteristics in common with “Witnessing Fundies.”
(I’ve noticed that the good Susma is all too frequently flamed before he is even engaged–or even, alas, read.)
I know irony is passe in the 00’s, but even in the SDMB? Sheesh! (a reference to Sheesh, goddess of flagrant irony.)
Eh? Are you saying that a billion years of random protein molecule alignment is the simple solution?
I thought someone said religion went for the easy answers. Doesn’t that mean that the razor would favor it?
Of course it does. Giving up those rights is part of the deal when you sign up. F’r instance, free speech: you lose the right to tell your C.O. to go piss up a rope.
Minor nitpick Sentient Meat but atheism IS skepticism.Localised skepticism.Strong or positive atheism is the belief that no gods exist while the more common weak atheism is simply lack of conviction that gods exist.
Okay, so then does the military have the right to take away your ability to freely pratice your religion too? Couldn’t your C.O. order you to piss on a crucifix or some other blasphemous act? I doubt it, and obviously the specifics have to be worked out.
If irony is passe, nobody told me. After reading a lot of Susma’s posts, I find that most of them read like that. Irony ain’t got a thing to do with it.
Robertliguori, if it makes you feel better, I figured out what you were trying to say last night. Unfortunately, it was while I was laying in bed and long after my second post. :smack:
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‘Random protein molecule’ alignment?Where do you guys get this stuff??The three most basic elements were formed in the big bang.Stars, planets etc. formed later.In the cores of red dwarf stars, these basic elements combined to form more complex elements(Example:helium + helium = berylium, helium + berylium = carbon) and these more complex elements are dispersed throughout the galaxies in which these reactions occur.Within super novae, the rest of the elements in the periodic table are created from the intense heat and collisions of these “second tier” elements.
There is nothing “random” about it unless you are defining random as “Not requiring a supreme intelligence to occur”.
Before you even get into teh “Can something come from nothing?” or the “uncaused cause” arguments I will direct you towards the posititron-electron pairs which emerge from a vacuum and “blink” out of existence, apparently uncaused.
Apologies for any mistakes in the above as astronomy is not something I am an expert in(far from it).
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Wrong.You have a misconception of Occam’s razor.OR states that we do not unecessarily multiply our entities for explanation.Not that we “choose whatever sounds simplest to us”.Otherwise “An efreet lives in my toaster and chars bread according to my wishes” would be the correct explanation for how my bread becomes toasted.
You do not give up rights to free speech when you join the miliary.In the case of whether you can walk up and insult your C.O. to his face, you simply agree not to engage in such deconstructive behavior when you sign up.
It is similar to the yelling “FIRE!” in a crowded theatre analogy.We all have the right to say “Fire” pretty much wherever we want.Our freedom of speech is not violated because we are not allowed to incite riots or panics by screaming things in a theatre.You are not allowed to yell ANYTHING in a theatre, crowded or not but this has nothing to do with freedom of speech.
Yea General Hooker felt the same way about booze and, well, hookers. Just because his brothel increased morale abound, doesn’t mean it was the best way to do it. How is spending government money to enforce religion in a public institution, while persecuting people who don’t conform to the religion to work duty, cost effective. It’s easy to measure… Does the cost outweigh the benefit. Does breaking the constitution for morale of, lets say 70% of the total soldiers that are christian, outweigh the cost of alienating/ostrasizing the 15-20% of athiests (and religions not recognized in the service).
I’m just making up numbers here… but does the cost reallyoutweigh the benifit?
Never said by an athiest because it’s pretty pointless. Saying anything is beautiful is a matter of perception. Just because you percieve something to be 'bright and beautiful doesn’t mean everybody/everything else feels the same way. While I guess the end paragraph is propagating athiesm, it’s a weak argument and doesn’t prove anything.
no, it should read, “A couple of athiests exist in a state of permanent pised-offedness…”
You shouldn’t assimilate YOUR experience to every other athiest in the world.
You set up unreasonable expectations for the world and people around you. Anything you do this, you are more than likely going to get let down. You have to learn to adapt to the ever changing world, not hold a grudge and resent everybody else.
What a profound zen like comment. Too bad it proves nothing except every group has bad apples.
This comment doesn’t even go along with the subject at hand… no one is discussing fundamentalists in this thread.
My problems with the religious involve their attempts to gain secular power. Every religion I know of has done it and will do it again if given the chance. This isn’t an evil conspiracy of some sort, simply people wanting to remain in power or expand their influence. Very similar to politicians.
Religion is evil! EVIL!
ok seriously… it is. Unfortunately the majority of the (world) population is too immersed in it to stand back and objectively realise just what a mess they’re a part of. The ones that do/can are told to pipe down and pretend like everything is hunky dory and perfectly acceptable (or, argue tediously ridiculous arguments ad nauseum).
Viewing religion as a complex meme (I forget the term for a major meme collection) helps to clarify things.
