Mid-South legislators want to block an atheist from becoming a Navy chaplain

A couple of Mid-South senators, one of them leading the charge, have signed on to an effort to block an atheist from becoming a U.S. Navy chaplain.

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., sent a letter to Navy Secretary Richard Spencer and Admiral John Richardson, chief of naval operations, asking them to reject the application of a secular-humanist seeking the post.

Wicker, an Air Force veteran and member of the Senate armed services committee, said he and 22 other senators signing the letter feared the Navy "may expand the Chaplain Corps beyond its clear purpose of protecting and facilitating the constitutional right of service members to the free exercise of religion."

Neither Tennessee Sens. Lamar Alexander nor Bob Corker signed the letter. Arkansas Republican Tom Cotton did. Mississippi's other senator, Thad Cochran, did not sign. Other prominent signers include Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz.

The letter results from an ongoing effort by Jason Heap to become a chaplain. The Navy rejected an application from Heap, endorsed by the Humanist Society, in 2014. He sued without success, but other groups have since pushed to allow chaplains without a religious affiliation.

"The Navy has sufficient authority to create programs for humanist or atheist service members," the senators' letter states. "The Chaplain Corps is not the appropriate place. The Chaplain Corps serves religious needs, not philosophical preferences."

A letter signed by 45 House members makes similar arguments. Phil Roe, a Republican representing East Tennessee's First District, is the only of the state's U.S. representatives to sign last week's House letter. Trent Kelly, a Republican representing North Mississippi's First District, signed also.

Supporters of Heap argue the job of a chaplain is to act more as counselor to those of like mind than serving specific religious needs.

"It's an absurd, literal argument that does a disservice to those actually serving in the Navy," Hemant Mehta writes about the congressional letters on the Friendly Atheist website. "Just because atheism isn't a religion, per se, doesn't mean that non-religious soldiers don't have emotional needs. Depriving them of a chaplain who speaks their language hurts our military."