Satanist in Royal Navy (from ATSNN), page 1

posted on Oct, 24 2004 @ 09:21 PM

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A member of the Royal Navy has been given the right to practice Satanism on board his ship. Any thoughts? I don't know much about satanism so, it concerns me a bit.

www.cnn.com
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A devil-worshipping sailor in the Royal Navy has become the first registered Satanist in the British Armed Forces.

Chris Cranmer, 24, a technician serving on the Type 22 frigate Cumberland, has been officially recognized as a Satanist by the ship's captain.

That allows him to perform satanic rituals aboard and permits him to have a non-Christian Church of Satan funeral should he be killed in action.

A spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Defence told CNN Sunday that it had a duty to allow members of the forces to practice their religion.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

He added that the MoD was an "equal opportunities employer" which did not stop anyone having their own religious values.

"The Royal Navy allows this kind of approach because it is clearly in line with current regulations. We are not aware of any other individuals who want to be registered as Satanists."

Cranmer, 24, who comes from Edinburgh, Scotland, is now lobbying the Ministry of Defence to make Satanism a registered religion in the Armed Forces, says Britain's Sunday Telegraph.

He says he wants Satanists to be able to join the military without "fear of marginalisation and the necessity to put up with Christian dogma."

The defense ministry told CNN that Cranmer went to his commanding officer with a request to practice his beliefs on board his ship and, after consultation with the ship's chaplain, this was granted.

The decision was at the discretion of the captain, the MoD, said, and was on the basis that it did not impinge on the operational effectiveness, safety or security of the ship, or the well-being of colleagues.

Mod Edit: to remove all-caps from thread title

[edit on 24-10-2004 by kinglizard]

curme

posted on Oct, 24 2004 @ 09:59 PM

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Satanism isn't really a religion, I mean, no diety spoke to LeVay to create the religion, like Christianity. He just made it up for kicks. Hey, it was the sixties. Sure, you could say John Smith made up his stuff too, but LeVay didn't really believe any of the stuff he was talking about. He was just a showman. But hey, whatever floats your boat!

Ischyros

posted on Oct, 25 2004 @ 03:02 AM

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Naval technician Chris Cranmer, 24, has been allowed to register by the captain of HMS Cumberland.

The move will mean that he will now be allowed to perform Satanic rituals on board the vessel.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Cranmer realised he was a Satanist nine years ago.

Religious values

At the time he stumbled across a copy of the Satanic Bible, written by Church of Satan founder Anton Szandor LaVey.

He said: "I then read more and more and came to realise I'd always been a Satanist, just simply never knew."

From news.bbc.co.uk...

The U.S. Military already recognizes and approves Wicca and Satanism as official religions.

January 12, 2001:
The U.S. military officially recognizes Satanism as a religion.

From www.austinchronicle.com...

And check out the official U.S. Naval Chaplain Corps webpage on Wicca:

www.chaplaincare.navy.mil...