Hegseth Removes 180 Religions from Military Chaplaincy

There will be no dog tags or tombstones listing "Atheist". Gone is training of military Chaplains in a host of religions that exist in the U.S. and which troops have listed on their personal military resume. Atheist will now be called "No Religion." Various earth-type religions or ones from the tropics will be lumped together. If you are a troubled member of the armed forces and desire to confine your emotional state to an understanding member of your clergy, you may have to soldier on alone. 

Readers know there has been an explosion in the number of religions people now identify with. There are news ones every year so we can expect this will continue. I suppose there remains a view in conventional wisdom the military needs to provide clergy to troops. We know, also, the origin of the practice came from Christianity. The expansion of religions has tossed the old model of a Chaplain for everyone's faith out the window. 

One can understand that providing trained chaplains for many different faiths is or will be out of reach. It seems impossible, also, to provide space for a large number of different religious groups to hold separate and private services. I don't know if chaplaincy services play a role in attracting recruits to serve or if it plays no role. 

While there seems no solution to this dilemma, the decision of Secretary of Defense Hegseth to keep Chaplaincy services for some religions but not for others surely cannot stand up in court. I could see the military deciding there will be personnel available to offer advice to those of any religious group but not be available to conduct church services, offer prayers or participate directly in religious services or rituals. 

With religious affiliation evaporating among young people this change many not matter to most.