Guest Post by Morbo
The Air Force just can’t seem to get this religious freedom thing down.
First comes word that the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs has become a hotbed of Christian fundamentalist proselytizers. To remedy that, the Air Force announced new guidelines governing religious activity by service members and chaplains. That in turn has the fundamentalists and certain members of Congress up in arms.
Now comes word that the Air Force may have discriminated against a Mormon — because of his underwear. Mormon airman Andrew Howells claims his commander threatened to kick him out of an entertainment unit unless he stopped wearing his sacred undergarments.
I’ll admit this gets a little strange. I don’t claim to be an expert on Mormon temple garments, but my understanding is that faithful Mormons wear them most of the time under their regular clothes. Usually it’s not a problem because people can’t see them.
Howells says his commander complained that the sacred underwear showed through his uniform. Howells feels strongly about it and has asked U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson of Utah to help out. Matheson has filed an inquiry on Howell’s behalf with the Air Force Congressional Liaison Office.
Can’t say I blame the guy. I’m totally opposed to senior officers in the Air Force or any other service branch using their superior positions to knock anyone else’s religion or pressure subordinates about personal religious matters. What church, temple, synagogue, mosque or wooded glade you go to — if you go to any at all — should your business and yours alone, and commanding officers should keep their noses out of it.
At the same time, I support individual religious freedom expression that does not infringe on anyone else’s rights. Howells’ underwear would seem to fit that definition. I can’t imagine his skivvies are creating problems for anyone else. It’s akin to a soldier wearing a cross or a Star of David under his shirt. The First Amendment protects these personal religious activities.
State-sponsored religion is another matter. It’s here that the Air Force seems to be falling down. Recently, some chaplains have been complaining because they have been told to stop proselytizing. The chaplains seem to think this is a violation of their religious freedom rights. It’s not.
A military chaplain’s job is to accommodate the religious needs to soldiers who may be stationed far from home away from the congregations they would normally attend. Chaplains either provide the needed religious service or find someone who will. Chaplains aren’t supposed to be “stealing sheep” — that is, luring members of the service into the chaplain’s denomination.
This shouldn’t be hard to figure out. State-sponsored and coercive forms of religions are not permitted. Private religious expression is. Airman Howells’ underwear clearly falls under the latter. The less time spent the higher-ups spend thinking about it the better.