MAAF Endorses on behalf of the following humanist organizations who hold IRS "church" tax exemptions:
Humanist Society, American Ethical Union

Chaplain Outreach

Dear Chaplain

Dear Chaplain: This page and the assistance we offer is outreach to help you help military personnel who seek a secular approach and a nontheist community. While MAAF has run into chaplains interested solely in spreading their own ideas or just doing a Sunday service for their own denomination, we have confidence that that is not the norm and that chaplains in general are sincerely interested in providing support to all service members on the terms of that service member. We're here to help with information and materials. You know there are nontheists in your unit. Do they come to you for help? Would you really understand their position and community enough to point them in the right direction? Let us help you. Just as importantly, let us show our community that chaplains are willing and able to support atheists and humanists.

If you are unfamiliar with humanism: Humanism is based in two primary concepts - scientific naturalism and human-based, rational ethics. Scientific naturalism states that science is the best way to understand the world, and that through science, we know that the Earth, the universe, our bodies, and all the ways these things interact operate through natural, not supernatural, magical, or mystical means. The scientific method involves applying certainty only according to the weight of the evidence; evidence being comprised of empirical observation, theoretical mechanism, and peer affirmation. Human-based, rational ethics provides a method to live our lives best by doing right by those around us. We can best understand what is right by using our evolved empathy as social animals and by applying reason, including ethical tools such as deontology, consequentialism, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics.

Humanists are also atheists, but that's not really the point. Several important stories below lay out the issue in more detail:

MAAF position on chaplains (June 2011)

Chaplains in government service should serve the needs of all service members. They should help service members to grow in their personal values and to connect with a supportive community of like-minded individuals. Chaplains should protect the beliefs of all service members and ensure that there is no actual or perceived discrimination within the command based on service members' beliefs. MAAF also intends for this policy to reconcile chaplains with nontheistic service members or commanders who may have a negative view of the chaplaincy.

In order to do this, chaplains must have sufficient training and experience to provide service to all military personnel. The ability to run worship services for one faith group is a skill chaplains must focus on one group, but their ability to counsel, provide for all beliefs, and to advise the command on religious accommodation and morale issues involves training far beyond what normally they bring from their seminary or religious training. This task starts by opening communication between chaplains, MAAF, and the many nontheist organizations that are ready to support service members.

MAAF is facilitating the endorsement of humanist chaplains for military service (see application below; program details to be published). They would be able to run counseling sessions and morale-building events for all service members without the perception of exclusion of persons not belonging to a specific faith group. This chaplain could just as easily assist in the organization of religious events, just as a Christian chaplain assists the activities of Jewish soldiers, a secular chaplain assist the activities of any soldier.

Endorsement of chaplains and certification of lay leaders often requires a special tax-exempt status from the IRS. The Humanist Society has agreed to collaborate on the Chaplain Outreach program to provide that organizational endorsement whenever called for by regulations. This constitutes no change in the values of MAAF or its members, but it does resolve a legal hurdle that MAAF can not meet without help. The Humanist Society has been in operation since the 1930s and provides "Celebrant" certification for leaders within the humanist community. This includes wedding solemnization and performance of other ceremonies. This is an excellent example of collaboration among similar organizations working for the benefit of atheists in foxholes.

Whether chaplains become secular or remain solely faith-based, chaplains must become more versatile and tolerant, and the military must ensure its chaplains serve all service members. To support a purely theistic chaplaincy is to support an unconstitutional government priesthood. Acceptance of humanist chaplains and MAAF support will greatly improve the diversity and value of the current chaplaincy.

Minimum Statement of Support

The following statement is the core of the MAAF Chaplain Outreach Program and is intended to be a minimum standard of commitment to equal treatment of all service members as well as respect for religious diversity within the military. Chaplains are invited to sign this statement as a way of overcoming misconceptions about religious discrimination within the Chaplains Corps. This perception of discrimination relates both to chaplains against nontheist service members as well as intolerant chaplains against chaplains who want to be supportive. Signing onto the statement can help to overcome both perceptions. Service members can invite Chaplains to sign this statement as a sign of respect to those of all beliefs. MAAF also offers to assist chaplains in reconciling with nontheistic service members or commanders who may be intolerant of chaplains due to religion. Chaplains and chaplain offices are invited to publicly show support by contacting MAAF. MAAF equally seeks feedback from any chaplain unwilling to sign on for any reason.

"Nontheistic service members including atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers, and others identifying as nontheists serve honorably within our nation's military. Chaplains should support nontheistic service members with the same enthusiasm, resources, and services that they provide for theistic service members. Leaders should not use their position to influence individuals or the chain of command to adopt the leader's own personal religion. These are minimum standards of conduct to which all service members, especially chaplains and commanders, should adhere."

Below is a growing list of current chaplain endorsing agencies that agree in principle to our Minimum Statement of Support or who have acted in accordance with our call for endorser support. No matter how many humanist chaplains there may eventually be, all chaplains should be willing and able to serve humanists. These endorsing agencies are leading the way to improved diversity, accommodation, and free exercise of religion and belief for all:

Alliance of Baptists | Christian Science | Interfaith Alliance | Sacred Well Congregation | Coalition of Spirit-Filled Churches |
Swedenborgian Church | Unitarian Universalist Association

Below are organizations that signed onto a more restrictive 'pledge' version that preceded this 'minimum standard' version:

American Atheists, American Ethical Union, American Humanist Association, Atheist Alliance International, Center for Atheism, Council for Secular Humanism, Institute for Humanist Studies, Internet Infidels, Secular Coalition for America, Secular Student Alliance, Society for Humanistic Judaism

Apply to be a Humanist Lay Leader or Chaplain

MAAF Endorses on behalf of the following humanist organizations who hold IRS "church" tax exemptions:
Humanist Society, American Ethical Union

You can make a huge difference being a leader in the humanist community. Being a lay leader requires commitment to humanism but few official qualifications. You will interact with chaplains to reserve a space, organize events, and facilitate discussions with other humanists on your installation or ship. Being a chaplain is very involved, but the first step is here, and we can guide you if you want to enter this challenging profession. Click either link below and see more of the application, then prepare your responses and send them to MAAF for review.

Secular counseling

Although the military chaplains should be able to service counseling needs, there are a number of services MAAF recommends for the needs of nontheist service members.

Official Chaplain Headquarters

The following addresses are provided for members and supporters to communicate this program to chaplain leaders to encourage them to contact MAAF for training development, materials, and better support of nontheists.