Republican Congressmen Opposed to Atheist Chaplains, Assume They Are Evil

One suggests an atheist chaplain would tell an atheist soldier's family their child is "worm food" while another thinks they'd tell soldiers they were hopeless

There are no atheists in foxholes, the saying goes. Republicans in Congress don't want them in the military chaplain corps, either.

That's after New Jersey Democratic Rep. Rob Andrews offered an amendment to the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act Wednesday that would allow humanists or members of ethical culture groups to join the chaplain corps. Andrews' idea was to help members of the military who don't believe in God, but want someone to talk toabout problems without having to seek a medical professional.

But Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee objected mightily, saying that atheists can't offer spiritual counseling and would likely offend dying soldiers or their families.

"They don't believe anything," said Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) "I can't imagine an atheist accompanying a notification team as they go into some family's home to let them have the worst news of their life and this guy says, 'You know, that's it—your son's just worms, I mean, worm food.'"