Know your freedoms Published Nov. 27, 2007 By Lt. Col. William Ferrell Chaplain DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga., -- The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." The first two phrases in this amendment address the freedom of religious expression. In the past few years the balance of these two phrases has been the subject of a lot of discussion and debate within the Air Force. This discussion was triggered by events at the Air Force Academy that led to the perception, on the part of some, that evangelical Christianity was being promoted and favored above other religious beliefs by the leadership of the Academy. Lawsuits were filed that alleged the circumstances there amounted to a government establishment of religion. Since then, counter-lawsuits have been filed, investigations and commissions have been established to study the issue and many widely differing recommendations have been made. In February 2006 the Air Force published its guidelines on the free exercise of religion. The publication of this document didn't end the debate on this issue by any means. As a result, many are still unclear about where the lines are when it comes to practicing their religious faith, particularly within the military. I thought it would be appropriate to review the religious Guidelines and try to clarify the Air Force position on this issue. The guidelines were not written to prevent people from practicing their faith. On the contrary, they were intended to protect the constitutional right of every Airman to practice his or her beliefs, while respecting the beliefs of others. The basic points of the guidelines are as follows: The Air Force remains neutral regarding religious beliefs. This means the Air Force does not favor or endorse any particular religious belief or lack of belief. The Air Force is committed to accommodating Airmen's religious beliefs whenever possible, unless limited by military necessity. Commanders have a responsibility for the welfare of their people, including providing for their spiritual care. Chaplains work for commanders and assist in fulfilling this responsibility by caring for people of all beliefs. Leaders at every level enjoy the same freedom of expression as all Airmen, but must ensure their personal expressions, whether through words or actions, would not reasonably be construed as official or coercive. In their capacity as a leader they should neither endorse or disapprove any particular belief. Individuals, including leaders, are entitled to practice and freely discuss their personal faith beliefs. There are no restrictions on voluntary discussions of religion, or the exercise of free speech, where it is reasonably clear that the discussions are personal and voluntary, not official or coercive. Public prayer at special events is not prohibited, but should be done in a way that does not imply government endorsement of a particular religion. Mutual respect, common sense, the particular circumstance and needs of the command all play a role in determining if prayer is appropriate at an event. The bottom line is that every Airman has the right to practice his or her faith, but no one has the right to coerce or try to force their faith on others. If you have any questions about these guidelines, please come and talk to one of the chaplains. We are here because you are here.
