Military Atheists Should Not Be Allowed to Practice Their Beliefs With Taxpayer Dollars
David Heckman wrote an opinion piece for TBO where he stands pretty firm on not wanting to have our taxpayer dollars go towards those damn atheists who fight our wars for him/us.
It’s stunning that our military allows atheists to hold meetings on property paid for by American taxpayers (“Atheists band together to fight for acceptance in the military,” front page, May16 2011) when there is irrefutable proof that America was founded as a Christian nation.
Atheism is not a religion; it is a belief system in which to have faith in nothing, except to believe there is no God. Let them practice their beliefs, but not in the military.
Side note - I think he might be confused about atheism in that it is not a belief system that we practice. There is no non-church that I go to that teaches me to not believe in a God and we don’t band together to pray to a non-God like figure about there being no God.
Heckman continues with his “irrefutable facts” list by pulling random information that came about during America’s formation.
- The Declaration of Independence, the cornerstone of our Constitution, includes the words “Nature’s God” and that famous statement: “all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.”
- Construction of the George Washington monument began in 1848. The monument at its top has these Latin words: “Laus Deo.” In English, these words mean “Praise be to God.”
- These atheists, if they were born in America, may not know that all 50 states praise or acknowledge “God,” “God Almighty” or a synonym such as “Author of our Being.” Virginia acknowledges “Jesus Christ.” In effect, atheists are ignoring the constitution of their own states.
Oh dear God; I’m ignoring my Constitution!! Someone call the authorities immediately.
He ends with this little gem:
“Anyone in a command position should know American history to the point where they understand that atheists, who could not hold public office nor vote for more than a decade, should not be given any preference when it comes to taxpayer dollars.”
Ok Heckman my turn, here are some quotes from our Founding Fathers.
* Religions are all alike - founded upon fables and mythologies – Thomas Jefferson
* During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.” - Former President; “Father of the Constitution” and creator of the First Amendment James Madison
* The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion. – John Adams Former President
* The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma – Abraham Lincoln Former President
* I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life, I absenteed myself from Christian assemblies. – Benjamin Franklin
* Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause. I had hoped that liberal and enlightened thought would have reconciled the Christians so that their [not our?] religious fights would not endanger the peace of Society. – George Washington Former President
* I hold that in this country there must be complete severance of Church and State; that public moneys shall not be used for the purpose of advancing any particular creed; and therefore that the public schools shall be nonsectarian and no public moneys appropriated for sectarian schools. – Theodore Roosevelt Former President
Irrefutable fact huh? Now please leave our military’s beliefs and or non-beliefs alone. They are fighting for our freedom and you have the right to remain silent!
