Title: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: Whitney on June 20, 2009, 05:45:09 AM
Post by: Whitney on June 20, 2009, 05:45:09 AM
I know I have seen a web link that lists all of the religions (and not religions...like american atheist and humanist) recognized by the US military...what they will put on the tombstones However, I can't seem to find it...anyone have a link?
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: thiolsulfate on June 21, 2009, 10:52:36 PM
Post by: thiolsulfate on June 21, 2009, 10:52:36 PM
It looks like this
http://www.hungryphotographer.org/pixel ... wimage=238 (http://www.hungryphotographer.org/pixelpost/index.php?showimage=238)
The US Military does acknowledge atheists in the service. The problem is making sure that your dog-tag says so. Sometimes overzealous Sergeants will mark you as "No Rel Pref" (No Religious Preference) which is not "Atheist" and your loved ones may find a cross over your name after your ultimate demise.
Some servicemen have their dog-tags made my independent dog-tag manufacturers, some have gone personally to the press to ensure correct identification on their tags.
http://www.hungryphotographer.org/pixel ... wimage=238 (http://www.hungryphotographer.org/pixelpost/index.php?showimage=238)
The US Military does acknowledge atheists in the service. The problem is making sure that your dog-tag says so. Sometimes overzealous Sergeants will mark you as "No Rel Pref" (No Religious Preference) which is not "Atheist" and your loved ones may find a cross over your name after your ultimate demise.
Some servicemen have their dog-tags made my independent dog-tag manufacturers, some have gone personally to the press to ensure correct identification on their tags.
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: AlP on June 21, 2009, 11:19:54 PM
Post by: AlP on June 21, 2009, 11:19:54 PM
This? (http://www.cem.va.gov/hm/hmemb.asp)
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: Whitney on June 21, 2009, 11:30:02 PM
Post by: Whitney on June 21, 2009, 11:30:02 PM
Quote from: "AlP"This? (http://www.cem.va.gov/hm/hmemb.asp)
Yes...that's what I was looking for. I was having a hard time figuring out what search words to use in
and couldn't get it to pop up in the results.Thank you.
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: AlP on June 22, 2009, 12:14:55 AM
Post by: AlP on June 22, 2009, 12:14:55 AM
No prob. Happy to help.
I'm a little baffled by the "Humanist Emblem of Spirit" description. I've never heard the Humanist logo called that before. And a search for that term on results only in links to US military headstone emblem descriptions. Does anyone know why they're calling it that? It seems a little strange for a description of the logo of a secular organization.
I'm a little baffled by the "Humanist Emblem of Spirit" description. I've never heard the Humanist logo called that before. And a search for that term on
results only in links to US military headstone emblem descriptions. Does anyone know why they're calling it that? It seems a little strange for a description of the logo of a secular organization.
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: thiolsulfate on June 22, 2009, 12:28:43 AM
Post by: thiolsulfate on June 22, 2009, 12:28:43 AM
Quote from: "AlP"No prob. Happy to help.It's not "spirit" in the supernatural sense, it's "spirit" in a gung-ho kind of way, the human capacity to overcome odds.
I'm a little baffled by the "Humanist Emblem of Spirit" description. I've never heard the Humanist logo called that before. And a search for that term on
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: rlrose328 on June 22, 2009, 01:57:02 AM
Post by: rlrose328 on June 22, 2009, 01:57:02 AM
I'm very happy to see there are so many to choose from.... but I really don't like the American Atheists logo. It's a logo for that organization, not necessarily a logo for all atheists. Oh well. Interesting how the Muslim and the Christian Scientist logos are copyrighted and can't be shown on that page.
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: Sophus on June 22, 2009, 07:04:28 AM
Post by: Sophus on June 22, 2009, 07:04:28 AM
Quote from: "rlrose328"I'm very happy to see there are so many to choose from.... but I really don't like the American Atheists logo. It's a logo for that organization, not necessarily a logo for all atheists. Oh well. Interesting how the Muslim and the Christian Scientist logos are copyrighted and can't be shown on that page.It does make us seem a bit like Jimmy Neutron fanatics doesn't it?
(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F_8lC8UqUljvQ%2FR9oEOje8JrI%2FAAAAAAAAAcc%2FVsNkK3Pr7zA%2Fs320%2Fgos_jimmy_neutron.jpg&hash=be742fe3487d6d1be174b6b4b33571cfb7c0fc4d)
Although the story behind it is actually quite nice: http://www.atheists.org/About_the_Logo
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: Heretical Rants on June 22, 2009, 11:49:44 PM
Post by: Heretical Rants on June 22, 2009, 11:49:44 PM
Why do they consider atheism to be a religion?
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: JillSwift on June 23, 2009, 01:17:26 AM
Post by: JillSwift on June 23, 2009, 01:17:26 AM
Quote from: "Heretical Rants"Why do they consider atheism to be a religion?I'd like to think they simply consider it a religion in the same way checking "none" on the list of religions is a religion. However, we've seen enough wingnuts come by and claim atheism to be a literal religion to cast significant doubt.
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: thiolsulfate on June 23, 2009, 02:55:07 AM
Post by: thiolsulfate on June 23, 2009, 02:55:07 AM
Quote from: "Heretical Rants"Why do they consider atheism to be a religion?I think it's more or less just semantics. It's a kind of "what would you like on your tombstone" (pepperoni and cheese) kind of thing.
After passing, what would you like to be recognized as?
I think it's a fine enough effort.
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: AlP on June 23, 2009, 04:09:35 AM
Post by: AlP on June 23, 2009, 04:09:35 AM
QuoteAfter passing, what would you like to be recognized as?"Free"
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: JillSwift on June 23, 2009, 04:56:27 AM
Post by: JillSwift on June 23, 2009, 04:56:27 AM
Quote from: "thiolsulfate"After passing, what would you like to be recognized as?Dead.
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: AlP on June 23, 2009, 05:58:00 AM
Post by: AlP on June 23, 2009, 05:58:00 AM
Quote from: "JillSwift"In a funny shaped vase.Quote from: "thiolsulfate"After passing, what would you like to be recognized as?Dead.
Title: Re: Military Recognition of various religions
Post by: Ninteen45 on June 23, 2009, 02:05:42 PM
Post by: Ninteen45 on June 23, 2009, 02:05:42 PM
They seem to have removed one or two...
http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.ph ... headstones (http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Search&limit=20&offset=0&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&redirs=1&search=emblems+on+headstones)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.ph ... headstones (http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Search&limit=20&offset=0&ns0=1&ns6=1&ns12=1&ns14=1&redirs=1&search=emblems+on+headstones)