I mean no disrespect, but I’m not sure how anyone can know that “millions and millions” of atheists have served in the military. How did you arrive at this number, Dave?

I mean no disrespect, but I’m not sure how anyone can know that “millions and millions” of atheists have served in the military. How did you arrive at this number, Dave?

21% of military personnel identify as atheist or having no religion and another 11% report belonging to minor religions or refuse to answer/dont know what religion they are, at least as of 2004. This might not add up to millions but it certainly is an amazingly large number given the reputation for Christian evangelism and extreme religiosity in the American military.
Apparently there are atheists in foxholes.

See pg 25 of this report:

http://www.maaf.info/resources/PopRefBureau2004.pdf

21% of military personnel identify as atheist or having no religion and another 11% report belonging to minor religions or refuse to answer/dont know what religion they are, at least as of 2004.

I’m sure there have been many atheists who have served and are serving in the armed forces, I’m simply objecting to the phrase “millions and millions.”

I’m also not comfortable with atheists and those of no religion lumped together in that 21% since one can still believe in gods or dieties or lephrechauns and not be religious in the conventional sense. It would be less ambiguous to have atheists in a category by themselves.