Living in Tension: Secularism and Christianity in the Military.

摘要

The United States of America was founded upon principles derived from the Christian religion and holy writings, principally, the Holy Bible. The United States operates on or is imbued with what many describe as a Judeo- Christian ethic. Through the years, that Judeo-Christian foundation has been attacked and eroded by a conscious effort on the part of some within our population to secularize the country, moving it from a religious identity and influence to one that is increasingly non-religious. Some would even argue that the country is becoming anti-religious. This secularization process is evidenced by such things as the banning of public prayers in schools, the removal of the Ten Commandments and other religious symbols (mostly Christian) from public view, and open hostility toward Christianity in the media and other public forums. The secularization process taking place in America has an increasing impact on the military, with potentially negative outcomes. In answer to the pressure of increased secularization, the military must protect the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion for all service members.