[Throatpoker]

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (CNN) -- Army Spc. Jeremy Hall was raised Baptist.

Like many Christians, he said grace before dinner and read the Bible before bed. Four years ago when he was deployed to Iraq, he packed his Bible so he would feel closer to God.

He served two tours of duty in Iraq and has a near perfect record. But somewhere between the tours, something changed. Hall, now 23, said he no longer believes in God, fate, luck or anything supernatural.

Hall said he met some atheists who suggested he read the Bible again. After doing so, he said he had so many unanswered questions that he decided to become an atheist.

His sudden lack of faith, he said, cost him his military career and put his life at risk. Hall said his life was threatened by other troops and the military assigned a full-time bodyguard to protect him out of fear for his safety. Video Watch why Hall says his lack of faith almost got him killed »

In March, Hall filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, among others. In the suit, Hall claims his rights to religious freedom under the First Amendment were violated and suggests that the United States military has become a Christian organization.

"I think it's utterly and totally wrong. Unconstitutional," Hall said.

Hall said there is a pattern of discrimination against non-Christians in the military.

Two years ago on Thanksgiving Day, after refusing to pray at his table, Hall said he was told to go sit somewhere else. In another incident, when he was nearly killed during an attack on his Humvee, he said another soldier asked him, "Do you believe in Jesus now?"

Hall isn't seeking compensation in his lawsuit -- just the guarantee of religious freedom in the military. Eventually, Hall was sent home early from Iraq and later returned to Fort Riley in Junction City, Kansas, to complete his tour of duty.

He also said he missed out on promotions because he is an atheist.

"I was told because I can't put my personal beliefs aside and pray with troops I wouldn't make a good leader," Hall said.

Michael Weinstein, a retired senior Air Force officer and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, is suing along with Hall. Weinstein said he's been contacted by more than 8,000 members of the military, almost all of them complaining of pressure to embrace evangelical Christianity.

"Our Pentagon, our Pentacostalgon, is refusing to realize that when you put the uniform on, there's only one religious faith: patriotism," Weinstein said.

Religious discrimination is a violation of the First Amendment and is also against military policy. The Pentagon refused to discuss specifics of Hall's case -- citing the litigation. But Deputy Undersecretary Bill Carr said complaints of evangelizing are "relatively rare." He also said the Pentagon is not pushing one faith among troops.

"If an atheist chose to follow their convictions, absolutely that's acceptable," said Carr. "And that's a point of religious accommodation in department policy, one may hold whatever faith, or may hold no faith."
Don't Miss

* Blog: Is the military a Christian organization?
* AC360.com

Weinstein said he doesn't buy it and points to a promotional video by a group called Christian Embassy. The video, which shows U.S. generals in uniform, was shot inside the Pentagon. The generals were subsequently reprimanded.

Another group, the Officers' Christian Fellowship, has representatives on nearly all military bases worldwide. Its vision, which is spelled out on the organization's Web site, reads, "A spiritually transformed military, with ambassadors for Christ in uniform empowered by the Holy Spirit."

Weinstein has a different interpretation.

"Their purpose is to have Christian officers exercise Biblical leadership to raise up a godly army," he says.

But Carr said the military's position is clear.

"Proselytizing or advancing a religious conviction is not what the nation would have us do and it's not what the military does," Carr said.

The U.S. Justice Department is expected to respond to Hall's lawsuit this week. In the meantime, he continues to work in the military police unit at Fort Riley and plans to leave as soon as his tour of duty expires next year.

Source

[Cactot]

Good, I hope they win. It would serve the nation well to teach the hypocritical evangelists a lesson, especially those in military leadership who would make promotion decisions based on religious belief.

[FIMN]

Another group, the Officers' Christian Fellowship, has representatives on nearly all military bases worldwide. Its vision, which is spelled out on the organization's Web site, reads, "A spiritually transformed military, with ambassadors for Christ in uniform empowered by the Holy Spirit."

Crusades ftw

[alanb]

I'm a Buddhist and everyone in myh unit that knew me during my six years in the Marine COrps knew it. I didn't get hazed. The only koke were from my close friend on how I was getting reincarnted as whatever for killing X. It is admitedly mostly Chritian as it always has been. But it isn't a theocracy

[PMC]

Atheist need dig there head out of there ass and stop being so negative. and realize there is a god and that you will pay for your sins when you die.. Suck it up and do your job and stop using religion as reason why you didn't get a promotion.

[Saith]

Way to put Christ first guys

[sleepwalk]

First and foremost, this soldier may not have the same faith (belief) he did before but he is certainly not LACKING in anything.

While some may see this as an evangelical (or even fundmentalist) Christian oppression, I have a different take. This is one crappy person (supervisor? never mentioned) telling someone that not praying with their troops makes them a poor leader. Asking someone to sit somewhere else at Thanksgiving? Messed up on that guy's part but do you hold the entire US Army accountable?

My problem is that the article makes it seem that Spec Hall was threatened for his beliefs when the video states more clearly that he got threats from fellow soldiers for suing the US Army. Still messed up but infinitely less so.

As for organizations such as OCF, they cannot be construed as establishment of religion under the first amendment because they are protected under the free exercise clause. This means that, as long as they don't appear in uniform or on military installations in any promotional material, they are fine. Then they would be reprimanded as those officers were, just as I would if I were on the internet in uniform shaking hands with Friendly Jim of Friendly Jim's used auto under a banner that said "Friendly Jim's Used Auto." Information on meetings and membership can be posted on community bulletin boards, same as intersquad basketball schedules and "Lost Cat. If found please call..."

[Wingslaught]

I'm sure he made a point to use any prayer gathering as a chance to display his newfounded beliefs. He wouldn't have any problems if he just kept quietly to himself. If he truly believed the way he did, he would have the strength to keep quiet while others are exercising their own religious beliefs. He is a fool, and I'm sure he got everything he deserved.

[Lubaolong]

The military is filled with idiots, who naturally are highly religious, who naturally try to force their religious beliefs on everyone else. I also felt the pressure towards Christianity when I was in the AF. I remember being forced to attend a few religious ceremonies. And after writing an anonymous letter to the chaplain questioning it, the letter was read allowed, ridiculed, and we were all yelled at.