A new role for atheism...

I found this article during my morning coffee, and it is simply so unbelievable that I had to share it.

Atheist chaplains in the US military? Tax payer funding for military organizations that disseminate literature expounding the virtues and values of atheism?

I find it impossible to imagine how an atheist could hope to "minister" to a dying soldier, looking for comfort and solice in his last few moments of life, with no possible connection between the two should the wounded man be a Christian. What could he possibly say? "Don't worry, it will all be over soon... nothing to worry about once you close your eyes, since there's nothing to come anyway."

I keep thinking of that old saying we've all heard thousands of times: "There are no atheists in foxholes." It is undoubtedly true, too... when death and destruction are literally milimeters away from you and anything from an ounce of lead to 2500 lbs of high explosives could erase your physical existence completely, who DOESN'T want to think that there might be something more to all of this then what we can see, smell and touch right now?

I swear these guys seem to think that the role of a chaplain is to spread the word of God to those that don't want to hear it, rather than to minister to those that already believe and are looking for spiritual and moral guidance in times of trouble and tribulation.

The most highly decorated chaplain in US Army history was Father Francis Duffy, military chaplain to the 165th US Infantry Regiment (formerly the "Fighting 69th" from New York), who won distinction and military recognition for his service during WWI. He was even considered for regminetal command by Douglas McArthur himself... but not because of his ability to "fight" (which he had, of course) but because of his ability to lead and mentor his men into such an effective fighting machine. This he did (by his own words) with his faith far more than with his fist.

What would an atheist use, when the first thing they admit to NOT having is faith?