Are soldiers given the right to practice religion in the manner they choose?

Why can't some of these morons just live and let live. I really can't imagine a time when I'd feel it necessary to criticize or threaten another person just because he chose not to be Christian. Religion should be everyone's personal choice and not be something that is rammed down someone's throat. The military hiring a bodyguard for him is meaningless if they allow the offending soldiers to continue without reprimand or reassignment. Hiring a bodyguard for one guy isn't going to stop them from harassing other soldiers who don't have bodyguards. I personally do not think the military has become a Christianity promoting organization. I think that there are a few bad seeds in there and there always will be.

I might be wrong, but it sounds more like SPC Hall's beef is with his fellow soldiers, not with the military. They seem to have taken great care to see that his right to be an atheist is protected and he is protected from bigots he happened to be serving with. Personally, in my career I never saw anything of this level, but I did hear and see troops mistreat others because of their beliefs. There didn't seem to be a common denominator (or denomination) more guilty than any other. People don't drop their personal biases when they put on the uniform. If a person doesn't like Christians, Buddhists, Wiccans, Mormons, Jews, or Atheists, living in such close quarters with them either helps them get over their biases or fuels them. Either way, again, I don't see the Army as the problem here, his chain of command seemed to respond well to the situation.

I want to start my statement by saying that this is not acceptable, and that the soldiers that harassed Hall should have faced punishments. I'm actually a little surprised, because my husband is Air Force, and I've met very few people on base who are strongly religious. Still, the Army has many differences from the AF so maybe this is one. If you consider that the majority of people joining the military are very conservative politically and religiously, tolerance is not their strong point. hopefully this law suit will lead to changes, but nothing changes quickly in the military (unless it will save money).

I find it amazing that evangelical Christians should join the military. How can anyone who is outraged by homosexuality, atheism and abortion choose to ignore the commandment that says "thou shalt not kill", and what about Christ's teaching of the need for universal love and peace. It seems some people want to pick and choose what they believe in and still call themselves Christian. Everyone should have the right to practice, or not practice, the religion of their choice when they serve their country, and I think they should look into their own hearts and minds before they try to pressurise anyone else into their philosophy or beliefs. Sadly I think it is the same with all nations. The state religion or the religion that is most associated with that nation will be used in military ceremonials, as if any religion can justifies the killing and destruction of other people's lives. All religious belief is based on helping others not killing them.

I read about this and he isn't the only one. I find it amazing that high ranking officers are using their personal beliefs to determine the direction of the military. Where does it end?

Bias usually takes very subtle forms. It is becoming increasingly clear that although the nation provides for religious freedom, Christians in America keep assuming that the nation is a Christian nation. For example, Obama being branded a Muslim from the beginning is based on the assumption that America is a Christian nation that would never make a Muslim its leader. If you look closely at some of the postings here on mylot concerning religion, you will find that the religious right is often very judgmental towards those who practice other religions or believe in practices that run counter to what some of Christianity's teachings. Here, because of the security provided by technological hide-and-speak, people can voice their biases freely, sprinkling some insults into the bargain. In the community, however, people just look through you as if you don't exist. They avoid you like a plague and tell their children to avoid playing with your children. In the military, it can be very dangerous. Given the level of traumatic experiences and the availability of instruments for human destruction, the manifestation of such bias can move an individual to the point where he would rather serve the interest of the enemy by becoming a danger to members of his company. In the same way that politics has been banned on the field, soldiers on the field must be made to practice their religions privately and desist from religious discussions.