A Humanist Chaplain?

Definition of chaplain from Wikipedia:


Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister, such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, imam or lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel. Though originally the word "chaplain" referred to representatives of the Christian faith, it is now also applied to people of other religions or philosophical traditions–such as in the case of the humanist chaplains serving with military forces in the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada. In recent times, many lay people have received professional training in chaplaincy and are now appointed as chaplains in schools, hospitals, universities, prisons and elsewhere to work alongside, or instead of, official members of the clergy. The concept of 'generic' and/or 'multifaith' chaplaincy is also gaining increasing support, particularly within healthcare and educational settings.


Should U.S. military employ a humanist chaplain for members who adhere to no religion?  It seems a no-brainer to say "yes."  What would be the compelling reasons NOT to?  

More and more Americans are identifying as "noners."

A recent Pew Research reports that "noners" represent an increasing percentage of the U.S. population.

Key Findings and Statistics on Religion in America

"More than one-quarter of American adults (28%) have left the faith in which they were raised in favor of another religion - or no religion at all. If change in affiliation from one type of Protestantism to another is included, 44% of adults have either switched religious affiliation, moved from being unaffiliated with any religion to being affiliated with a particular faith, or dropped any connection to a specific religious tradition altogether."






Other countries and institutions have employed humanist chaplains to cater to the needs of the nonreligious with no dire consequences. These humanist chaplains would serve more as psychological advisors rather than "spiritual" advisors for those who do not believe in spiritualism and incorporeal beings.  I see no harm whatsoever in serving the needs of all members of the military, not just those who are religious.

However.

In keeping with their narrow-minded views, the House of Representatives has now proposed a bill that would prevent a humanist from serving as a military chaplain. Thus, in essence, favoring religion versus those who hold no such beliefs.  That thinking is more in keeping with a theocracy and, IMO, contrary our secular laws.

NPR reports:

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an amendment to a Pentagon spending bill instructing the armed forces to only allow religious organizations that believe in a higher power to endorse chaplains. And so far, the Navy has not indicated whether it will accept the Humanist Society as the endorser of Jason Heap.


Jason Torpy, president of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, believes the House amendment is a wash, and he expects that the military will continue to modernize. "We have women in the military, we have blacks in the military, we have Hispanics," he says. "We have lesbian, gay and bisexual service members, and we have atheists and humanists. And just as they've had to accept those other kinds of diversity, they'd have to accept our kind of diversity as well: diversity of belief."

According to current Pentagon records, about 1 percent of active duty military in all four services checked boxes for "agnostic" and "atheist" as their religious status. That's more than 13,000 soldiers, airmen, Marines and sailors. This is, incidentally, more than all the Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims combined — and they each have their own chaplains.

 But some traditional chaplains, such as Ron Crews, will have none of it. Crews, a retired Army chaplain with 28 years in uniform, is director of the advocacy group Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty.


" 'For God and country.' That is the motto of the chaplain corps," he says, "and someone who comes from a humanist freethinker position could not ascribe to that motto. So it's by definition of who a chaplain is." In recent years, other atheists have aspired to become military chaplains, but Heap's application has reportedly gotten farther than any others. 

 The office of the U.S. Navy Chief of Chaplains has not indicated when it will make its decision."




So the motto of the chaplain is "For God and country?" So change it to "For Freedom and Country," and there'll be no controversy.  After all, it is the military that protects our precious freedoms, not gods.  But in a country that is soaked in religion and bigotry against those who hold no beliefs, I doubt that will ever happen, even if "For Freedom and Country" is more in keeping with what the Founding Fathers envisioned for this secular nation.

When it comes to questions around religion, those who are believers are the ones who are the most frightened of any change to accommodate nonbelievers.

Why are they so frightened and defensive?

My thinking is that any intrusion into their comfort zone of belief that presents a threat is perilous for them, and the result is anger and determined opposition. Apparently their beliefs are so weak, so tentative, that there is no chance for any new movement that challenges them.  They fear what they know, because what they know can be tested and challenged.

Well, it's time to start new traditions.  Let us live up to our secular nation's promise that all citizens be treated equally, and that includes the religious and the nonreligious.