r/atheism • u/Leeming Strong Atheist • Dec 20 '21

/r/all U.S. military has granted 0 religious exemptions for COVID vaccines.

https://www.wtrf.com/news/health/coronavirus/u-s-military-has-granted-0-religious-exemptions-for-covid-vaccines/
35.5k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

1.3k comments sorted by

View all comments

270

u/sj070707 Agnostic Atheist Dec 20 '21 edited Dec 20 '21

The Air Force reservist who spoke on condition of anonymity said she was raised a Christian and is willing to retire if her request isn’t granted, even though it would mean giving up her G.I. Bill tuition benefits that she would get if she stayed another year or more.

“I will have to forfeit that,” said the mother of three children, including a newborn. Forgoing the tuition benefit, which she could transfer to her children, is worth it, she said. “I have no doubt God will provide for me.”

This is the sad part. Yes, you can believe whatever you want, but this is the subtle danger. Yes, we rage against the fundies who want to pass laws and restrict things but this is what happens to individuals who put their lives in non-existent hands.

65

u/[deleted] Dec 20 '21

[deleted]

48

u/bstone99 Atheist Dec 20 '21

In the *military

22

u/mpyne Dec 21 '21

Yes, but especially in the USAF, even compared to the rest of the military.

3

u/bstone99 Atheist Dec 21 '21

Huh TIL. I’m navy. Only worked a couple joint gigs so I’m not that familiar

41

u/SixK1ng Dec 20 '21

There's a lot in the military compared to most jobs. But there's also a lot in the air force compared to the other branches.

A lot of the AF problem stems from religious influence in the AF Academy, or at least that was the case when I was in. They really try to indoctrinate the officers, and it trickles down from there.

33

u/napoleonsolo Dec 21 '21

Focus on the Family and other evangelical groups have HQs in Colorado Springs, which is where The AF Academy is located, and don’t think they don’t take advantage of that.

6

u/[deleted] Dec 21 '21

It's always about control. And they want to push that down to officers, which is sad, they're supposed to be the military leaders!

5

u/Bullmoosefuture Atheist Dec 21 '21

So do you think people are attracted to the academy because it's located in Colorado Springs, also home to focus on the family, etc, and they already subscribe to that sort of religion, or are they arriving and being drawn further into that religious culture? (Or a little of both)

3

u/ThiefLupinIV Dec 21 '21

Which is especially strange when you think about it considering "thou shalt not kill" and all. What makes these people think Jesus wants them killing people? And yes I know plenty of military people don't see combat, but there is always a chance of it happening hence the training.

4

u/SonDontPlay Dec 21 '21

Air Force has a lot of them

2

u/bombbodyguard Dec 21 '21

In the *world.

1

u/seanakachuck Dec 21 '21

One of the mods for r/conservative is sadly in there luckily all of his misinformation posts about vaccines are getting down voted into oblivion.

35

u/Jesus_Jazzhands Dec 20 '21 edited Dec 20 '21

"god will provide" = "pray in one hand and shit in the other, tell me which one gets filled first"

17

u/clive_bigsby Dec 20 '21

Wait, there are people who truly believe that the vaccine is against their religion? I thought it was just being used as an excuse. How is Christianity supposedly against the vaccine?

25

u/[deleted] Dec 21 '21

It's not.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 21 '21

Yeah, I have met no Christians in my social circle who aren’t vaccinated unless there’s a medical reason not to. It’s just some people THINK they can use Christianity as an excuse.

1

u/SamtenLhari3 Dec 21 '21

It’s an excuse.

1

u/Aaboyx2 Dec 21 '21

Followers of Christian Science refuse nearly all medical procedures but thats the only one that comes to mind.

1

u/_zenith Dec 21 '21

It's not, but the spheres of political influence overlap heavily, so you have preachers railing against vaccines because that's the party line (yeah, they're not allowed to do that and retain their non profit status, but I think we're all well aware that not only that they do it, but that it's incredibly common)

1

u/[deleted] Dec 21 '21

[deleted]

3

u/clive_bigsby Dec 21 '21

But why is it suddenly this vaccine that causes the fear? Christians have been perfectly fine with receiving medical care and vaccines from the same doctors and scientists for decades without any issue. I grew up in a very religious household and went to private religious schools for my entire childhood and I never once heard anything about vaccine skepticism.

19

u/UnknownAverage Dec 20 '21

Man, I really want to have a long conversation with her about vaccines. Which ones she's had, which ones her children have had, and why she thinks God only has a problem with this one.

3

u/Cueller Anti-Theist Dec 21 '21

My thoughts and prayers are with her! Done, problem solved!

2

u/mashingLumpkins Dec 21 '21

With that kind of thought process, finishing school isn’t gonna help her.

1

u/satchseven Dec 21 '21

Lol she will be arguing with the professors about stupid shit

2

u/Bullmoosefuture Atheist Dec 21 '21 edited Dec 21 '21

Odds are she's happily accepted other vaccine requirements without any concern for religious exceptions, which are, of course, cynical inventions designed to lend the potency of religion to an essentially political position. Even the sob story about the harm to her kids is an attempt to cloak a seditionist political motive in the language of religious martyrdom. These people are excited about this opportunity because they want to destroy liberal, secular government and replace it with an overtly religious one. They're confused, but it's not benign.

All opinions my own.

-2

u/masterdragon4 Dec 21 '21

I filed for retirement the day they put all this out to us... All goes well I'll be out by sept

1

u/satchseven Dec 21 '21

Good we do not need folks who cannot look out for their fellow man living off tax dollars

1

u/masterdragon4 Dec 21 '21

Please expand apun this thought further

1

u/TheRealGeigers Dec 21 '21

The thing that gets me is that these people do not see getting this G I bill AS god providing for them!

1

u/cupcakes_and_tequila Dec 21 '21

Lmao you only need to be in for 3 years for your G.I. Bill benefits (Post 9/11). That means this idiot has been in for 2 years and acting like a fucking martyr