In Theory: Should the military test spirituality?

Q. A group of U.S. Army soldiers and officers is fighting against a spiritual fitness test, a computerized survey that is mandatory for all Army members. Those surveyed are asked to rate their responses to statements such as, “I am a spiritual person. I believe that in some way my life is closely connected to all of humanity. I often find comfort in my religion and spiritual beliefs,” or, “In difficult times, I pray or meditate.” The test then ranks their emotional, social, family and spiritual “fitness.”

According to the Army, the test was developed to help spot soldiers who might be depressed or suicidal, two issues that have impacted servicemen returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. It says the results are provided to help point troops to services that can help them. Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum, the director of Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, said, “Researchers have found that spiritual people have decreased odds of attempting suicide, and that spiritual fitness has a positive impact on quality of life, on coping and on mental health.”

Army Sgt. Justin Griffith has been leading the charge to alter the test. He and other protesters — some atheist, others religious — point out that there is no way for an atheist to answer these questions, other than to put, “Not like me” or “Never;” and that in doing so, they effectively “fail” the survey. They also claim that an individual’s beliefs, or lack of beliefs, have no impact on his or her abilities as a soldier, and that some are worried that failing the survey could count against them when it comes to being considered for promotion. They also claim that the description “spiritual” may as well be code for “Christian.”

Griffith says that after failing the spiritual part of the survey, the program required that he take a computerized training module to teach him about different forms of spirituality, including prayer, meditation and attending church. Griffith says he was left wondering, “Is the Army saying my atheism makes me unfit to serve?” And he claims that the training module effectively tells soldiers that they “have to believe in something.” Griffith also points to other factors, such as evangelical groups holding concerts on Army bases and many of the Army’s Spiritual Fitness Centers being based at Christian churches as proof that the program is biased toward Christianity.

Should the military be testing the spirituality of its soldiers?

The military is right to be concerned about the mental health of individuals who have been — or could be — exposed to the pressures of combat. A significant number of our men and women in uniform undergo experiences that can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress, and other emotional wounds. It is important that we take these issues seriously and provide the best possible support to those who serve. However, the Army’s spiritual fitness test does not sound appropriate to me. I don’t feel it’s wise to administer this kind of test to either current or potential service members.

A significant measure of a person’s ability to serve in the military is his or her mental condition. As such, it’s incumbent upon the Army to ensure that those who wear the uniform are not only physically fit, but also possess a sound mind and character.

For this reason, I believe it’s appropriate to administer tests to gauge one’s mental health. And I would find it acceptable if one or two test questions pertained to spiritual inclinations, since this can sometimes indicate an individual’s psychological disposition. But a separate test focused specifically on spiritual fitness that probes one’s religious beliefs and practices is, in my opinion, entirely out of place.

The modern U.S. military stands out as an institution of tremendous diversity, where individuals of many cultures, races, and religious beliefs converge for the one purpose of protecting our great country.

We must ensure that the military remains respectful of differing beliefs, and that it provides equal treatment to every person who takes up the noble calling of service.

The Army’s spiritual fitness exam may be well-intentioned, but it cannot be considered a fair indicator of one’s emotional health or mental stability — and it could be viewed as discriminatory. Plus, the results of such a test could be misconstrued or abused; for example, a bigoted, extremist officer might harass a new recruit who doesn’t adhere to ideas of “normal” religious behavior. I don’t think the military should be testing the spirituality of its members.

Rabbi Simcha Backman

Chabad Jewish Center

Glendale

Pardon me while I stifle a laugh. I can understand why the Army wants to do anything it can to cut down on the suicide rate, but is the spirituality test the right way to go about saving our soldiers’ lives?

Think about it: A guy takes the test and gets all A-grades on spirituality, and then says, “Gimme a gun so I can go kill as many of the enemy as I can!” Is that what a spiritual person does? How can anybody be spiritual, and then go blow another human being (i. e., child of God, made in the image of God) to smithereens? Please!

OK, that’s the philosophical issue; now, how about the discrimination issue? It is obviously discriminatory to those who deem themselves non-religious to be forced to take a spirituality test. And I’m not surprised that those complaining are saying that what goes on is “Christianity-lite.” If you fail the test for whatever reason, your career will be seriously hampered.

Come on, Army. Be all that you can be. In America, that means you have to be fair. A spirituality test is not fair.

The Rev. Skip Lindeman

La Canada Congregational Church

La Cañada Flintridge

The U.S. military has very serious problems to address among currently active service members and recently separated veterans. But the military should not be using spirituality to address these problems of morale and psychological health. Current serving enlisted personnel are suffering extremely high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, rates of suicide, rape and mental health issues. In addition, veterans have difficulties including high levels of homelessness. It is estimated that nearly one-fifth of the homeless population are veterans.

All these issues explain why the U.S. Army has chosen to pursue fitness testing and counseling. But the approach the Army is taking is misguided. The Army should never question the religious or spiritual beliefs of service members. Because the Constitution requires separation of church and state in America, other methods should be found to aid military personnel.

The basis of the test and counseling is unfounded. There is no evidence that spirituality is a predictor of good decisions, or of health and fitness. This spiritual fitness testing and training is costing U.S. taxpayers $125 million. Soldiers are being put in awkward situations, sent to religious counseling and forced to waste time in training not related to their mission. It is past time for this waste of money to end. The U.S. Army needs to assess the real reasons military service members are suffering from loss of morale and address those reasons in effective ways.

Steven Gibson

South Pasadena Atheist Meetup

Altadena

I think it makes life richer to “believe in something,” as Sgt. Justin Griffith says in claiming that the Army pushes Christianity. But what one believes is the business of neither government nor employers, and the Army in this case is both of those things. Soldiers give up a lot to serve us, but they shouldn’t have to give up the privacy of their beliefs.

I question the validity of this test as summarized here. For instance, we know for a fact that all life on earth is closely connected, both biologically and economically. I’m pretty sure that my meditative state after yoga is from extra oxygen to my brain and relief that my knees survived one more Sun Salute, Triangle and Warrior.

Given the evidence that to the Army, spiritual equals Christian, the whole Spiritual Fitness program should be shut down.

I’m willing to give Brig. Gen. Cornum the benefit of the doubt that she has soldier welfare at heart, but why seize on spirituality in addressing the unacceptably high number of soldier suicides?

Researchers have also found that having a good network of friends and family members helps people cope with adversity. People active in civil and community life are happier than the uninvolved. I read recently about a study showing that liking spontaneity and adventure correlates with emotional resilience.

So it would seem there is another agenda here, an agenda that in my estimation violates the establishment clause of the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Our soldiers deserve the best possible assistance, based on all the relevant research, with their physical, mental, financial, occupational, educational and other needs, and that goes double for those returning from our wars.

They do not need proselytizing for any belief system, including non-theist, nor half-baked spiritual fitness tests, and the Army shouldn’t be using its budget, i.e., our tax dollars, for such activities.

Roberta Medford

Atheist

Montrose

Being a minister is my vocation. I also believe that spiritual practices are a great help to folks in this journey we call life. But I do not believe spirituality should be forced upon anyone, regardless of how effective those in higher echelons believe those practices to be. Not only do I believe they are barking up the wrong tree, I believe this survey to be absurd. I know many individuals who are not spiritually inclined, and they deal with life’s challenges very well. I’ve also observed that most of them have compassion for others. In Romans 12:10 we find, “Be devoted to one another in love.” I’ve worked shoulder-to-shoulder with atheists and spiritual leaders on community projects. What shows up is character, and it doesn’t necessarily follow that being of good character means a religious or spiritual person.

I’m reminded of a story when I was an adult-education teacher, facilitating current events discussions in a retirement home. We were having a discussion about our responsibility in contributing to a better world. The atheist said, “We must leave the world a better place than we found it,” and the Christian said, “When I die, I don’t care how I leave the world or what happens after that.” How we interact in our relationships and our daily lives is not necessarily impacted by whether we are religious or not.

Having venues for individuals to practice their various faiths while serving in the military is necessary; at the same time, those who have chosen to not participate in religion or spirituality absolutely should not have their choices questioned.

Rev. Beverly G. Craig, Senior Minister

Center for Spiritual Living

La Crescenta

To begin, I need to say that I am not an atheist. However, I might not pass the test being explored here, since my definitions for the divine, spirituality, and prayer probably don’t correspond with the ones accepted by those of more orthodox religious traditions. I nevertheless believe that I am a person with a deep sense of integrity, stability and commitment to the well-being of others — characteristics that are greatly valued in virtually all religions.

My concern with this test is that the Army seems to be equating spirituality and traditional beliefs with performance in stressful situations, and penalizing those who do not give the “right” answers to the test. The test itself might be relatively harmless (although a number who have taken it do not agree). But using it to identify weakness of character and potential psychological deficiencies seem to be unethical uses of this instrument. These same sorts of negative descriptors have been used by some religious people who believe that those who do not have orthodox religious beliefs cannot be moral — a perspective that is patently untrue.

We are a country of incredible religious or non-religious diversity; it appears that the Army, through this test and other biased programs, is trying to place everyone in the same spiritual box. As someone who has provided material for an interment ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery because the military chaplain assigned to the duty had no idea of how to speak at a non-Christian ritual, I believe the military has a long way to go to truly reflect all the guiding principles of the women and men in our armed forces.

My hope is that the Army, and other military services in our country, will concentrate on providing effective psychological support for the men and women who suffer from battle-induced problems such as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and other mental distress, rather than trying to blame these people for being spiritually weak. I believe we need to support each other in all the ways we can, whatever our spiritual outlook.

The Rev. Dr. Betty Stapleford

Unitarian Universalist Church of the Verdugo Hills

La Crescenta

There’s an adage I expect will be repeated by other ministers responding to this question. It goes, “there are no atheists in foxholes.” Meaning, when bombs burst, everyone hedges their bets and prays, “God, save me!” There’s a joke about one combat vet who prayed “Lord, if you’re there, I’ll serve you and attend church every Sunday; just get me through.” The Air Force immediately comes and blasts everything, answering the man’s prayer. He then looks up to heaven and says “never mind....”

I know that religious people have security that atheists don’t. If you believe in life after life, you fight harder, risk more, and serve better than a guy who thinks, “this is it!” If you believe you’re nothing but worm-food at death, you aren’t going to jump on a grenade to save the platoon, or charge a machine-gun nest expecting to meet Jesus. You’re going to be reserved, second-guessing, and probably be a big fat chicken.

Look, you just read the stats: “Researchers have found that spiritual people have decreased odds of attempting suicide, and that spiritual fitness has a positive impact on quality of life, on coping and on mental health.” Atheists be damned. They will be. So I really don’t care what they think regarding these tests. I’m tired of having their constant nagging, their constant opposition against God — their evil. They contribute nothing positive in the long run. Their very name, “a” theist, means they are “against,” with a big “no” regarding America’s “creator” and “Nature’s God” (the one mentioned in our Declaration of Independence). I’m frankly sick of them. Why they are here on the In Theory cast is beyond me. It’s like saying, “I have no spiritual input because I don’t believe in the spirit. So here’s my ignorance....”

I wonder what the military puts on gravestones of atheists, a thumbs-down? Listen, all religions are protected by our laws, but atheists don’t countenance America’s documents that mention God. They don’t actually deserve rights that even bizarre religionists have. If it could be shown that people who deny God create military weakness, however small, what should commanders do when choosing a winning military? I agree with you.

The Rev. Bryan Griem

Montrose Community Church

Montrose

Should the military be testing the spirituality of its soldiers? While initially tempted to say “no,” I welcome almost anything that helps our brave men and women in uniform avoid depression, PTSD and suicide. They do the hardest job of all, the work none of us wants to do. The whole point of the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program (CSF) is to reduce the number of suicides and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) cases, which have reached epidemic proportions. The army believes it can accomplish this goal by teaching its soldiers how to be psychologically resilient and resist “catastrophizing” traumatic events. The army rightly makes this a priority.

Here’s what I’ve discovered: CSF is comprised of the Soldier Fitness Tracker and Global Assessment Tool, which measures soldiers’ resilience in five core areas: emotional, physical, family, social and spiritual. Soldiers fill out an online survey made up of more than 100 questions, and if the results fall into a red area, they are required to participate in remedial courses in a classroom or online setting to strengthen their resilience in the disciplines in which they received low scores. The test is administered every two years.

The spiritual dimension questions pertain to the domain of the human spirit. They are not religious in nature. The CSF program defines spiritual fitness as a “strengthening set of beliefs, principles, or values that sustain a person beyond family, institutional and societal sources of support.” Isn’t this what a soldier needs to have, facing the hell of war?

Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum, director of CSF has said, “The spiritual strength domain is not related to religiosity, at least not in terms of how we measure it. It measures a person’s core values and beliefs concerning their meaning and purpose in life,” she said.

And she went on, “It’s not religious, although a person’s religion can still affect those things. Spiritual training is entirely optional, unlike the other domains. Every time you say the S-P-I-R word, you’re going to get sued. So that part is not mandatory.”

The spiritual portion of the CSF test was developed in consultation with Army chaplains, BGSU ROTC cadets, graduate students and officials at West Point.

The combat veterans I know have come from their tours of duty with a far greater appreciation of the gift of life and a broader view of the human experience and our place in God’s universe. It comes as no surprise that a substantive and spiritual attempt to cope with the residual aspects of the horrors of war offends an atheist. What doesn’t offend atheists anymore? We are spiritual creatures, made in the image of God. The Bible says, “The fool says in his heart that there is no God”. Who am I to disagree with God in order to placate an atheist?

Rev. Jon T. Karn

Light on the Corner Church

Montrose

Well, yes. If the military tests its personnel for their overall physical, intellectual, emotional, and social/relational wellness, then spiritual wellness should be included in the mix. Probably they need to update the language of the test for the higher percentage of people unaffiliated with any religion; and certainly it should be inclusive of all faiths, not just Christian. But for the purpose of a whole-person assessment, it’s fine to acknowledge that human wholeness is a balance of mind-heart-body-spirit.

As willing as I am to be critical of the church and its shortcomings, (and I’m only willing to be critical of my own religion, so I’ll say ‘the church’), I will not concede to the mood of the times and say that religion has no impact on the shaping of human beings.

One of the reasons I stay in the church, despite its flaws, is that I know — I don’t just think, I know — that it has made me a better person. Not perfect, or holy, or righteous; but better than I’d be without it: More compassionate; more centered and grounded; more generous with others; more brave and honest about my faults and my fears; more able to see a wider and deeper perspective on things, and more able to ask hard questions about my life and my death.

I don’t hold out the church as the shining example of everything good; but I can’t, and won’t, say that religion doesn’t make a difference in who and what a person is and becomes, a difference measurable enough to show up on a personality test.

I’ve never served in the military and can only imagine the immense, irrevocable impact it must have on the soul to be employed in the business of killing people, or to have your buddy blown to bits right next to you, or to lose your own body parts, or to witness the destruction of innocent civilians, or to confront the savage violence of your own nature — or all of the above. I think it’s responsible, and kind, to check in with the people we ask to do that, both before and while they’re in it, and see how their souls are doing.

The Rev. Amy Pringle

St. George’s Episcopal Church

La Cañada

I’m going to assume, I believe correctly, that the Army’s intention behind the spiritual fitness survey is to identify and help soldiers who are more likely to experience emotional problems. That’s a good thing. The Army correctly observes that people who embrace spirituality fare better in crises than those who don’t. But authentic spirituality is intensely personal. It cannot be manufactured or mandated. And it must not be used as a qualification for promotion in a nation that embraces freedom of religious expression. To ignore the statistics that spirituality improves our lives would be irresponsible, but to mandate spirituality would be impossible, and to limit promotion on its basis would be repressive. The Army should continue the testing if it can administer it in such a way that the results are used solely for counseling (and not career advancement) purposes.

There’s a broader application to this very interesting question. God has told us, “I am your helper,” “I am your healer,” “I am your protection,” “I the lord am your savior.” Jesus Christ has extended an invitation to all people: “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29). This invitation is personal and God has mandated that each of us alone must make the decision to turn to him for help. God even invites us to test him in this way. “O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”(Psalm 34:8).

Submitted by Pastor Jon Barta

Valley Baptist Church

Burbank

A true test of spirituality is a life well and faithfully lived according to the tenets of one’s faith. A Christian would therefore “pass” such a test, not by filling in the correct bubbles, but by living with intentionality in relationship to God, neighbor, and the world. “…the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).

For Jesus-followers, such intentionality often calls for a certain amount of resistance — pushback against a culture of materialism, competitiveness, exclusivity, and hostility. Faithful, fruitful living can put us out of step with our neighbors, causing a tension that can teach or transform, when we can hang on through the hard parts.

I look at this army spirituality test with sadness, noting that its designers see spirituality not as a foundational shaper of values, but as a “coping mechanism” for the horrors of war. Many army values, as taken from their website (www.army.mil/values) are in tension with Jesus’ values. “Loyalty” means to “bear true faith,” not to one’s chosen spiritual path, but “to the U.S. Constitution, the Army, your unit and other soldiers.” Not the same thing. Similarly, the Army calls for “duty,” not to one’s neighbor or the world; rather “duty means being able to accomplish tasks as part of a team.” Every day, in the work of living into loyalty and duty with respect, selfless service, and integrity, a soldier of faith is asked to make difficult — often impossible choices. A deep spiritual life must make each choice that much more excruciating.

I wonder how anyone does it, and am dismayed to know how many young people are returning to us with souls damaged by the tremendous effort. But perhaps the best Army is full of faithful people who experience every decision — every village survey, every drone launch, every interrogation — with this deeply faithful gravity. Such tension, such resistance, such personal moral courage cannot be tested or treated as a coping mechanism. It must be lived.

The Rev. Paige Eaves

Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church

Montrose