Washington D.C., Apr 29, 2011 / 03:50 am
Several atheist, agnostic, and secular humanist organizations are pushing to establish their own U.S. military “chaplaincy” for soldiers. The head of the United States Military Archdiocese thinks the effort may be more about opposing religion than meeting non-believers' needs.
“The idea of a 'chaplaincy' for atheists seems contradictory,” U.S. Military Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio told CNA. Under present conditions, he said, “it would seem that they could meet and sponsor activities just as many other groups do on installations. Or is the issue here the desire to set up a structure in direct opposition to the chaplaincy?”
Former Army captain Jason Torpy, president of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, told the New York Times that “humanism fills the same role for atheists that Christianity does for Christians and Judaism does for Jews.” Torpy is seeking to meet with the chief of chaplains for each branch of the armed forces, to discuss the atheist chaplaincy proposal.
Another group, Military Atheists and Secular Humanists, wants the army to appoint atheist leaders to hold meetings in the facilities used by religious groups. One officer, who objected to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's September 2010 “Rock the Fort” event at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, is trying to organize his own “Rock Beyond Belief” event headlined by Richard Dawkins.