After the group American Humanist Association threatened to sue the Air Force on behalf of an atheist Airman, the Air Force immediately removed the requirement to say ‘So Help Me God’ from their enlistment oath.
The Airman was denied re-enlistment after crossing the phrase off the oath on Aug. 25th, prompting the suit.
“We take any instance in which Airmen report concerns regarding religious freedom seriously,” said Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, Air Force Times reported Wednesday. The change in policy goes into effect immediately.
“We are pleased that the U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed our client has a First Amendment right to omit the reference to a supreme being in his reenlistment oath,” Monica Miller, an attorney with the AHA’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center, said in a statement Wednesday, Air Force Times reported. “We hope the Air Force will respect the constitutional rights of Atheists in the future.”
The Army, Navy and Marine Corps all give enlistees the option to say “so help me God.”
How about someone telling me what purpose is served by forcing anyone to swear an oath, or make a pledge, to an entity one doesn’t happen to believe exists?
I don’t think the marines would have punked down like the air force did
I’m so sad that our country has forgotten that the constitution says that we all get freedom of religion not just Christians being free to force their religious myths down everyone’s throats.
they have abbaddoned God and have sold the soul of america to satan our country has become Babylon and we shall suffer God;s wrath. only those faithfull to our lord jesus christ will be spared
What I find funny is countries with higher instances of atheists and lower instances of religion in general have lower crime rates, higher minimum standards of living, better education. And yet people are saying having atheists are a bad thing.
I also find it funny that in America the highest group per capita of child molesters, wife beaters, and rapists come from catholic back ground yet…. It’s still seen as a good thing to be catholic.
They have great PR people the KKK and the Neo Nazis should get with the Catholic Churches PR people.
you sound like a liberal
He is in the military there fore he has no rights.
stupid people running the USAF, I would say “so help me God” any way.
We don’t need Airmen/soldiers who refuse to swear on a higher power. These idiots are better off NOT in the service and WE are better off without them.