New Air Force guidelines discourage public prayer
by Robert Weller
The Associated Press
The Air Force released new guidelines for religious tolerance Monday that discourage public prayer at official funtions and urge commanders to be sensitive about personal expressions of religious faith.
The document directs chaplains to "respect the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs."
The guidelines, which apply to the entire Air Force, were drawn after allegations that evangelical Christians wield so much influence at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs that forms of religious harassment have become pervasive.
Rob Boston, spokesman for Americans United for Seperation of Church and State, and Abraham Foxman, head of the New York based Anti-Defamation League both said the big question now is how the rules will be implemented.
The guidelines "say all the right things," Foxman said. "They address all the issues that were raised as problems at the Air Force Academy. The major question is, how will they become a reality?"
The guidlines do not ban public prayer outrights and say short, nonsecretarian prayers may be included in special ceremonies or events, but only to lend a sense of soleminity and not to promote specific beliefs.
Nor do they bar personal discussions of religion, including discussions between commanders and subordinates. They caution Air Force members "to be sensitive to the potential that personal expressions may appear to be official expressions."
The guidelines state that members of the Air Force "will not officially endorse or establish religion, either one specific religion, or the idea of religion over non-religion." They also say that "abuse or disrespect" of Air Force members based on their religious beliefs, or lack of such beliefs, is unacceptable.
by Robert Weller
The Associated Press
The Air Force released new guidelines for religious tolerance Monday that discourage public prayer at official funtions and urge commanders to be sensitive about personal expressions of religious faith.
The document directs chaplains to "respect the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs."
The guidelines, which apply to the entire Air Force, were drawn after allegations that evangelical Christians wield so much influence at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs that forms of religious harassment have become pervasive.
Rob Boston, spokesman for Americans United for Seperation of Church and State, and Abraham Foxman, head of the New York based Anti-Defamation League both said the big question now is how the rules will be implemented.
The guidelines "say all the right things," Foxman said. "They address all the issues that were raised as problems at the Air Force Academy. The major question is, how will they become a reality?"
The guidlines do not ban public prayer outrights and say short, nonsecretarian prayers may be included in special ceremonies or events, but only to lend a sense of soleminity and not to promote specific beliefs.
Nor do they bar personal discussions of religion, including discussions between commanders and subordinates. They caution Air Force members "to be sensitive to the potential that personal expressions may appear to be official expressions."
The guidelines state that members of the Air Force "will not officially endorse or establish religion, either one specific religion, or the idea of religion over non-religion." They also say that "abuse or disrespect" of Air Force members based on their religious beliefs, or lack of such beliefs, is unacceptable.
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