Dear Colonel (name withheld),
I am a former United States Marine, and I served both in the enlisted ranks and as an officer. My son is currently undergoing recruit training at MCRD San Diego. I recently visited the Command Museum. I was impressed with both the collection and the dignity with which the displays had been prepared. However, in the midst of this impressive presentation I was disappointed to come across a photo depicting religious services in a combat zone, whose (large) caption read, “NO ATHEISTS IN FOXHOLES”. It occurs to me that the museum staff may be composed entirely of people coming from a Christian heritage and, having no other frame of reference to draw upon, probably have no idea of how inappropriate that caption is. Please permit me to explain.
The phrase, “there are no atheists in foxholes,” is as familiar as it is false. Indeed, there are and have been countless “atheists in foxholes”, and (obviously!) these non-believing Marines and other fighting men and women have served with at least equal valor and distinction as their more religious counterparts. So the statement is, at best, inaccurate on its face. But perhaps more to the point, the statement carries an implication: that otherwise rational people are so craven and weak that they will abandon their principles and intellect to embrace a belief in invisible powers merely because they are in danger and frightened. Moreover, the statement also implies that Marines who are not religious are somehow not legitimate or welcome.
I’m quite certain that these implications were not intended by whoever decided to apply that caption to the display. Nevertheless, you should understand that this is precisely how a non-theist receives such a statement. I invite you to carefully consider changing the caption with one that is accurately descriptive, to replace the existing specious and divisive language. Something as simple as, “Religious Services in a Combat Zone,” would certainly do the job.
Thank you for your consideration, and for your service to the Marine Corps.
Semper Fi,
(name withheld)
