Atheist chaplains would call fallen ‘worm food,’ says Republican congressman

[brooklynite]

NY Daily News

No atheists in foxholes — or in the military chaplain corps.

...snip...

“They don’t believe in anything,” Rep. Mike Conaway, a Republican, insisted at a House Armed Services Committee hearing. “I can't imagine an atheist accompanying a notification team as they go into some family's home to let them have the worst news of their life and this guy says, 'You know, that's it — your son's just worms, I mean, worm food.'"

...snip...

"This I think would make a mockery of the chaplaincy," said Rep. John Fleming (R-La.). "The last thing in the world we would want to see was a young soldier who may be dying and they're at a field hospital and the chaplain is standing over that person saying to them, 'If you die here, there is no hope for you in the future’.”

I don't suppose it would make sense to send someone who relates to what the parents believe, rather than what a Congressman believes, would it?

[Bay Boy]

1. Isn't an atheist chaplain kind of an

oxymoron?

[Bad Thoughts]

5. Not necessarily

This would reference military chaplains, who are not tied to churches or denominational institutions, but to military units. They provide both religious and moral guidance and counseling.

[Bay Boy]

7. I guess I get it...

....the military asks you for your religious preference and you put down 'atheist' you get an 'atheist chaplain'. Or at least maybe someone who understands atheists.

So why does this congressman object to a soldier getting the type of counselor he is requesting?

[Bad Thoughts]

8. Because he wants to make atheism illegitimate

If the military can be described as a body composed of fundamentally Christian soldiers, then Christianity has greater currency in American politics. Similar arguments had been made about gay soliders.

[Mariana]

12. That would be an excellent question to ask him.

Although I wouldn't expect him to admit that truth - that he wants to prevent non-religious soldiers from receiving the services of a non-religious chaplain. He'd probably just repeat the same hateful bullshit he's already said.

[rug]

2. “The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Fleming's soul is already dead.

[niyad]

3. an atheist chaplain? I had to read that twice (before caffeine, what can I say).

there is no cure for unbridled stupidity.

[CurtEastPoint]

4. Another 'genius' who managed to graduate from Medical School. Amazing...

[niyad]

6. so I looked up his bio (which is not on his congressional home page) and found this little tidbit:

. . . .

Conaway served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1972,[2] was an accountant and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1974, chief financial officer at a bank, and from 1981 to 1986 was the chief financial officer of Arbusto Energy Inc, an oil and gas exploration firm operated by George W. Bush.

. . . . .

[cbayer]

9. This is disgraceful and Conaway makes the argument for having secular chaplains, even

though he thinks he is doing the opposite.

If the family or service person they are talking to are non-believers, the last thing they would want is a religious chaplain.

[Warren Stupidity]

10. "Thanks for your thoughts, he's fucking dead"

Richard Tillman at Pat's funeral.

[cbayer]

11. Great documentary.

It is offensive for the religious to impose their beliefs on non-believers during times like this.

Shame on the military for denying appropriate people to provide support and solace to those who do not believe.