United States Air Force Makes 'god' Optional In Honor Code

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Papa Carl
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Here is one for you, keeping in line with the "Politically Correct"

 

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/10/25/air-force-makes-god-optional-in-honor-code/

CNN) - The U.S. Air Force Academy has decided to make phrase "so help me God" optional in its honor code after an activist group protested that requiring all cadets to recite it violates their rights.

The complete oath reads: "We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does, so help me God."

Cadets are required to recite the oath when they complete basic training. It is also taken by the entire cadet wing each year as re-affirmation of their commitment to the honor code, said AFA spokesman Major Brus Vidal.

The Military for Religious Freedom Foundation, a watchdog group that has waged repeated battle with the armed services, took issue with the last clause of the sentence, saying that no cadets should be forced to make a promise to God.

After the complaint was filed by MRFF, the Air Force Academy Honor Review Committee met for an in-depth discussion regarding the oath.

On Friday, the AFA released a statement saying they had decided to make the final clause of the honor oath optional.

The AFA statement read, in part, “Here at the Academy, we world to build a culture of dignity and respect, and that respect includes the ability of our cadets, Airmen and civilian Airmen to freely practice and exercise their religious preference –- or not.”

"The fact that the oath is optional will be communicated in honor lessons, leadership lessons, and religious respect lessons during the summer (cadet basic military training) so all trainees will understand prior to taking the Cadet Honor Oath that the final clause will be completely optional," said Vidal.

"The person administering the oath, who is the cadet wing honor chair has the option to say or not say 'so help me god," so this might vary from year to year," Vidal continued.

MORE ON CNN: Air Force: Bible and nukes don't mix

Mikey Weinstein, MRFF's founder and president, said he would sue the academy on behalf of his clients if the words were still left at the end of the oath, even if repeating them was optional.

“If the words are still there and you don’t say [them] you turn yourself into a tarantula on a wedding cake,” he said.

MRFF has taken issue with the Air Force before. In 2011, the group complained about an Air Force training presentation that used religion to teach the ethics and morality of using nuclear weapons.

That same year, CNN learned that the Air Force was using religious tenets such as the Ten Commandments to teach core values to ROTC cadets.

 

Papa Carl

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wingmanPI
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I am no bible thumper but it is EXTREMELY obvious that the US in a completely different country today than it was

15 years ago. IMHO if you pay attention there is a lot of very disturbing trends happening and we are WAY past

the line that most people think. I hope the middle class is bracing themselves because it will be a very challenging

time over the next 10 years at least.

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Tukaram (Tim)
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It makes sense to me.  For me to say "so help me god", means about the same as "so help me flying spaghetti monster".  It might make the religious people more comfortable to hear me swear to their god - but it means nothing to me.  So why bother saying it?

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i am bob
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That's the first time I have heard of anybody worshipping Flying Spaghetti Monsters... :)

Sent by Gaseous Monkeys using tin cans, a very long string and Tapatalk...

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Dave Hounddriver
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It makes sense to me.  For me to say "so help me god", means about the same as "so help me flying spaghetti monster".  It might make the religious people more comfortable to hear me swear to their god - but it means nothing to me.  So why bother saying it?

 

Because the US motto is:  In God We Trust.

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earthdome
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It makes sense to me.  For me to say "so help me god", means about the same as "so help me flying spaghetti monster".  It might make the religious people more comfortable to hear me swear to their god - but it means nothing to me.  So why bother saying it?

 

Because the US motto is:  In God We Trust.

 

 

That has only been the motto since 1956: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_God_we_trust

 

And what does "In God We Trust" have to do with saying "So Help Me God" at the end of an oath?

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Dave Hounddriver
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And what does "In God We Trust" have to do with saying "So Help Me God" at the end of an oath?

 

You really have to ask that?  Come on!  If the nation trusts in God, from 1956 or from any other date before I was born then I expect those protecting that nation would feel empowered by swearing an oath on that same God.  So many people seem to have become atheist AFTER America rose to greatness.

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Tukaram (Tim)
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That's the first time I have heard of anybody worshipping Flying Spaghetti Monsters... :)

Sent by Gaseous Monkeys using tin cans, a very long string and Tapatalk...

You mean you are not a Pastafarian?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster

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