RALEIGH, N.C. – The cliche notwithstanding, there are atheists in foxholes. In fact, atheists, agnostics, humanists and other assorted skeptics from the Army's Fort Bragg have formed an organization in a pioneering effort to win recognition and ensure fair treatment for nonbelievers in the overwhelmingly Christian U.S. military.
"We exist, we're here, we're normal," said Sgt. Justin Griffith, chief organizer of Military Atheists and Secular Humanists, or MASH. "We're also in foxholes. That's a big one, right there."
"They call it `coming out of the atheist closet,'" Griffith said. "There are people who won't say anything to anyone outside of their own close-knit group. They don't want Grandma to find out, or whoever. People feel like they have to lie about it."
It is quite liberating.. being honest about something. I never mentioned the gay thing for quite a while, sort of my own personal "don't ask, don't tell". A major factor is when there can be actual negative consequences for being honest about it.
It never occurred to me that being honest about disbelief in the magical sky wizard would be similar - but I guess people in the military can be adversely affected by not being a Loon.
The trick to all things.. is being untouchable. That can make people crazy. I can be very open about being gay, and convinced that religion is the source of all evil in this world, and there's not a damn thing anybody can do about it.
I like that.
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