jcp@osiris.UUCP (Jody Patilla) (04/24/85)
A friend of mine is a reservist in the Army. I was looking at his dog tags one day and noticed the "No Preference" listed for religion. It turns out that this is because Zen Buddhism is not an 'approved' religion (or belief system, if you prefer). The only allowable religions are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Greek Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox. I guess if you are a Moslem, or anything else, you are out of luck. Also, you are given a Bible when you show up for Basic training, and that is the only book you are allowed to keep (they confiscated my friend's volumes of Kant and Hume). And if you do not chose to attend Sunday morning worship, you must clean the barracks instead. Uncle Sam wants YOU - to conform. -- jcpatilla "'Get stuffed !', the Harlequin replied ..."