by Rev. John Morehouse
We live in a dystopian age wherein the attacks on fellow citizens and civil rights are masked by a strange sort of normalcy. Among the many attacks we are dealing with is the latest from the Department of Defense who has “delisted” over two hundred faith groups from those recognized by the DoD. Included in that list are Unitarian Universalists. The removal of that identity to those of us who serve in the military is outrageous and hints at broader disenfranchisement to come.
My initial reaction was to respond to this outrage on our behalf; however, several of my colleagues who serve as chaplains asked us to wait for a more nuanced explanation and response. The best I have heard comes from my colleague Rev. George Tyger who is a chaplain and Lt. Colonel. I share his response in its entirety here. We will continue to advocate clearly and forcefully both as a denomination and a congregation.
“This was a short-sighted and exclusionary decision. It communicates something harmful, even if DoD insists it is only administrative. Symbols matter. Visibility matters. Being named matters. When a faith tradition disappears from an official list, people understandably hear a message that they have been made less visible, less understood, or less welcome.
“At the same time, I want to offer a word of reassurance.
“This change does not erase Unitarian Universalists from the military. It does not remove the constitutional rights of UU service members. It does not change the standard for religious accommodation. It does not give commanders permission to deny care, ignore religious identity, or treat UU service members as if their faith is somehow less real.
“The legal standard remains the same: sincerely held belief.
“A service member does not receive religious liberty because their tradition appears on a DoD list. A service member does not lose religious liberty because their tradition is omitted from that list. The First Amendment and RFRA protect religious exercise. DoD policy still requires the military to consider religious accommodation based on sincerely held religious belief, not on whether the service member’s faith tradition has a separate code in a personnel system.
“That distinction matters.
“The new list may affect how religious preference is administratively recorded. It may affect data, visibility, and how easily chaplains can identify minority religious needs across a formation. Those are real concerns, and we should not minimize them. But it should not affect whether a UU soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, guardian, or Coast Guardsman receives pastoral care, religious support, or a fair accommodation process.
“Our job now is twofold.
“First, we should be calm and clear with our people. UU service members are still protected. Their faith is still real. Their conscience still matters. Their chaplains still serve them. Their commanders still have obligations under law and policy.
“Second, we should remain watchful. If this administrative change is used in practice to deny accommodation, reduce access, marginalize minority faiths, or tell service members that “other” means “less legitimate,” then we need to name that immediately and respond through the appropriate channels.
“This is a moment for steady pastoral leadership. We do not need to panic. We also do not need to pretend this is harmless.
“We can say both things at once: this decision is wrong, and our people are still protected.
“Unitarian Universalists have served faithfully in uniform for generations. We remain part of the religious landscape of the armed forces, whether or not a dropdown menu recognizes us by name. Our covenant, our theology, our conscience, and our service do not depend on an administrative code.
“So let us reassure our people. Let us document any harm. Let us advocate clearly. Let us insist that every service member, of every faith or no faith, receives the dignity, respect, pastoral care, and religious liberty the Constitution promises.
“With respect and solidarity,
GEORGE A TYGER”
We remain united in our joy and our resistance.