As the rest of the forum might have noticed, I'm rather sensitive when it comes to religious intolerance. Discrimination in general sickens me, but this just ticks me off.

The US military recognizes a plethora of religions. One would assume that when a solider is killed in the line of duty his faith would be acknowledged once he is laid to rest. Nope.

When it comes to requesting a gravestone for a military graveyard, crosses or stars of David are the most common. Just the same, there are at least 30 recognized symbols - including even Buddhism and atheism. No offense to either parties, it's just that Buddhism isn't really a religion (it's a philosophy/way of life you apply to other religions) and if you're an atheist...do you really care what goes on your tombstone? I didn't even know there was a symbol... However, a pentacle, it seems, is taking things a step too far.

Pagans have been fighting this matter for quite some time and what does the military blame? Paperwork and red tape. Last time I checked these sort of approvals didn't take over ten years. I'm only bringing the matter up because recently I got into a debate on the subject. I was startled to find that I was nearly alone in my disgust. The general consensus seemed to be that pagans shouldn't be allowed the symbol even out of the military plots. I believe the exact words I received were: "It was a Christian cemetery first, they should find one of their own."

Word to you overall. It's a shame they're so intolerant.

This is the same kind of argument as "if you're an atheist, can you really have morals?". Many atheists are atheists because of intellectual honesty, and it would be as irritating for us to be forced to lie about belief as for a religious person to be forced to pretend to be of another religion (always depending on individuals, of course). Jill Paton Walsh's Knowledge of Angels was a really good novel that got across that point to me. While (like, I'm sure, many religious people--after all, it's the soul that's really important to them), I'm not that fussed about what happens to my dead body since I won't be in a position to observe it, I certainly wouldn't like the idea of being buried under a lie.

I wasn't saying that atheists don't have morals. I have a handful of friends who are atheists (or Satanists which, in essence is just an organized for of atheism - this also isn't an insult to either parties - some of the nicest people I know have been Satanists). I'm well aware atheists have morals and it's a perfectly respectable belief, it's just that if I didn't believe in life after death you could parade me around and ship be to some necrophiliacs for all I care. Well, that and I'm still not sure of what the atheist symbol could possibly be.

The big problem here is that people are blinded by superstition. People assume the pentacle is involved in Satanism because of images the media has drilled into our impressionable little minds. Satanists use the inverted pentagram and didn't begin using it until the 60's. Just because they adopted one of our symbols doesn't mean we worship Satan. They invert the cross too and no one says anything about that :rolleyes: ...The fundys also seem to forget that they use pentagrams on occasion...

As sick as I am of being mistaken for a Satanist, I have to say that there is nothing wrong with Satanism either, at least not in the way that Levay intended it. He was rather ashamed of how out of hand it got with all the rebellious youths of the world.

Not really. Satanism is a religion (I'd say a cult really, not the media definition of cult though, as that really refers to a sect), Athiesm isn't. They may share some beliefs but athiesm is 100% areligious.

Also, regarding Athiesm andthe after life. Although Athiests may not believe in a Judeo-Christian-Islamic concept of afterlife, I'm pretty sure most people believe in some form of an afterlife. What I'm referring to is that, even in death we live on, through recognition, family etc. Whether athiests believe they go to a heavan or not is irrelevant, having a symbol on their grave may allow them to live on afterall and be respected in death.

All the atheists I know believe in no afterlife. When you die it's - lights out ~fin~. Most Satanists I know believe the same thing, they're simply a tad more hedonistic. Satan is merely a symbol, standing for the love of the wordly and of self, the opposite of Jesus on the cross. The religion LeVey intended is atheistic. It's quite the "carpe diem" philosophy and from what I've seen is nothing at all like a cult. Like I said, I've had and have a few Satanic friends and they're just as friendly and sociable as followers of the next religion...but I digress...

I never said that atheists shouldn't get a symbol (and they do) I merely thought it was odd that the absence of a religion was accepted before another religion. Denying either would be wrong, I simply don't understand the reasoning being used in the matter.

You either didn't read or didn't understand what I meant by my comment. I'm not talking about a spiritual afterlife, merely an existance of character even after you died. Things like people remembering you. That is an afterlife too, it's cliché, but you live on even after you die.

As I said, not the media representation of a cult. A cult is actually a small religion. what you see in the media, about mass suicide "cults" aren't cults at all, they are Sects. Entirely different.

I wasn't really trying to argue that. You're right to think that a religion would get represented sooner than an areligious belief. I was just being pedantic and picking minor things out in your post.

I'm hoping there's an afterlife. It would suck otherwise, being dead and all.