Atheists in Foxholes

[TheNoNamedOne]

How many times have we heard the ol' dusty amorphism "There are no atheists in foxholes" trite phrase? Christians seem so smug when they say that, don't they? However, there have always been atheists in foxholes, and some estimates cite 5% of soldiers in WW1 and 10% of soldiers in WW2 were atheists.

Here is the ode to atheists for their service and sacrifices that many of them have given over the years that was read at the dedication ceremoney for the monument of Atheists in Foxholes erected by the Freedom From Religion Foundation:

Atheists in Foxholes (http://ffrf.org/foxholes/)

Atheists in foxholes, some say they are myths,
Creations of the mind who just don't exist.

Yet, they answered the call to defend, with great pride.
With reason their watchword, they bled and they died.

They took Saratoga from the British crown,
Secured America's freedom at the Battle of Yorktown.

From Sumter to Appomattox, fields flowed with their blood.
When the cannons grew silent, the flag proudly stood.

From the Marne to the Argonne, in trenches and tanks,
They defeated the Germans -- the whole world gave thanks.

They were bombed at Pearl Harbor, fought on to Berlin.
Many freethinking women served along with the men.

Still war keeps erupting -- Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo.
Where is the peace that eludes people so?

It is broken by tyrants who bear crosses and creeds,
That overshadow reason with hate and cruel deeds.

So atheists prevail until your work is complete.
Mothers mourn, children cry, and bigots plan your defeat.

By air, land, and sea, you answer freedom's call.
Without god or faith, you seek liberty for all. -- Alice Shriver, 1999

OOORAH!

http://www.ffrf.org/fttoday/2001/sep01/memorial.jpg
Atheists in Foxholes monument at Lake Hypatia, Alabama

[TheNoNamedOne]

Look at these fine U.S. soldiers serving their country with pride.

http://www.atheistfoxholes.org/images/AIFHIraqOFA.gif

[TheNoNamedOne]

I thought this was an interesting quote from an Army Chaplain in Iraq:

"I thought [combat] would change them, because there's that saying that there are no atheists in a foxhole, and I find that's not true (http://www.mindspring.com/~alutiiq/atheists-in-foxholes.html). Even in a battle zone there's still a fairly large number that's not practicing a faith, . . ." Army Chaplain Joe Angotti - Tikrit, Iraq
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week808/pics/p_profile_3angotti.jpg

[TheNoNamedOne]

And just why are atheists being harassed by Christians when they want to form their own groups for meeting and fellowship?:

OFA started after hearing about several atheist soldiers in Iraq (http://www.atheistfoxholes.org/) that attempted to start a group at their Forward Operating Base (FOB). They were harassed by a major that threatened to go after them with the UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice). The soldiers did not violate the UCMJ at all. In fact, the major, by misusing his rank to harass the soldiers and try to trump their attempt to exercise their right in the military to the freedom of religion, violated the UCMJ directly.

Another example of Christians using heavy handed techniques to keep atheists down.