Christians take over interfaith Army chapel in combat zone

American Atheists, Inc. Press Release

Atheists Call for Chapel’s Restoration.

American Atheists recently became aware that a chapel on Forward Operating Base (FOB) Orgun-E in Afghanistan has been illegally modified to look like a church with a steeple and crosses etched on the doors.

These modifications directly violate military regulations, including Army Regulation 165-1. According to the regulation, chapels are a shared space and no religion has more right to these buildings than any other.

David Silverman, President of American Atheists said,

“Soldiers with minority religious beliefs and atheists often feel like second-class citizens when Christianity is seemingly officially endorsed by their own base.” Silverman continued, “We’re proud of all of our nation’s troops as they serve and defend the U.S. Constitution, and we insist that they all be treated equally, regardless of their religious affiliation.”

Justin Griffith, Military Director for American Atheists said,

“It's standard for FOBs of a certain size and permanence to set up buildings like gyms, post exchanges, and chapels. These are intended to be shared spaces, designed for service members of all stripes. Even the chapels are for everybody, not just Christians. That's precisely why military regulations prohibit chapels from permanently attaching sectarian religious symbols.”

In 2011, the Pentagon faced a similar situation involving a cross at a chapel on Camp Marmal. They rectified the situation quickly (and commendably) by removing the cross to make the chapel comply with Army regulations. We urge you to take similar measures as soon as possible.

Official Complaint Letter

AMERICAN ATHEISTS is a national 501(c)(3) organization that defends civil rights for atheists, freethinkers, and other nonbelievers; works for the total separation of religion and government; and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.

Al Stefanelli

Al serves on the Board of Directors for The Clergy Project, and is the former Georgia State Director for American Atheists, Inc. He is a retired journalist and the author of "Free Thoughts - A Collection Of Essays By An American Atheist" and "A Voice Of Reason In An Unreasonable World - The Rise Of Atheism On Planet Earth." Al began writing in 1985, starting with the New York Times. In 1993 he joined a McClatchy newspaper, writing a weekly column for ten years. His writing continues to be widely distributed on the Internet and in print. He also produced and hosted a weekly syndicated radio broadcast for three years and was the founder and President of the former United Atheist Front, Inc., which functioned as a civil rights organization. Al is a former Southern Baptist Pastor, having served two churches and as pulpit supply for three counties. Currently, he writes for The God Discussion, hosts his own blog on WordPress, submits content to a variety of publications, and co-hosts "American Heathen Radio" and "Reap Sow Radio." Al lives in Peachtree City, GA., a suburb of Atlanta.

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