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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsU.S. military document teaches atheism is a suicide risk
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) said this week that it was planning to sue the U.S. military after discovering that Marine Corps training documents teach suicide attempt warning signs include lack or loss of spiritual faith.
The Weeks Dana Liebelson obtained a copy the training documents for the Marine Corps Force Preservation Program, which was designed to minimize catastrophic events like suicides, accidental deaths or injuries; and preserve the force for continued service.
The section on potential risk indicators includes many obvious causes of depression like divorce, loss of a loved one, family history of suicide, money concerns and substance abuse.
But one item in the Guidance/moral compass issue list didnt sit well with atheist service members: Lack or loss of spiritual faith.
The whole concept of judging service members based on their spirituality is completely unconstitutional, MRFF President Mikey Weinstein told The Week. This country was founded on a very critical principle the Founding Framers looked at the horrors that occurred throughout history by mixing religion and war, and they said, Were going to separate church and state. And that means they cannot test for religion in the military.
Active-duty Marine Paul Loebe, who serves as the military director for American Atheists, argued that a exposing religious beliefs erodes trust between service members and does quite the opposite of preserving the force.
More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/07/u-s-military-document-teaches-atheism-is-a-suicide-risk/
msongs
(67,198 posts)NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)I can't wait till a majority of people no longer believe in boogiemen, devils, angels, and omnipresent beings.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)Absolutely not true for someone who went into the military as an atheist or was one before combat, but a crisis of faith is a fairly reasonable sign of some trauma or depression.
The way the military defines it is far too broad though. Not everyone who rejects faith is a suicide risk.
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)for your non-belief in a fictional man in the sky.
RKP5637
(67,032 posts)indepat
(20,899 posts)are also suicide risks?