Thou Shalt Not Kill: Conscientious Objection and the Decalogue

Abstract

As supporters of the First Amendment, military chaplains have the distinct privilege oftending to the garden of the soul of America's military personnel and their families.Consequently, chaplains often times encounter people who hold convictions against the use of force. These individuals are commonly referred to as conscientious objectors (CO).Chaplains interview applicants for CO status, and although they do not make any recommendation, chaplains do submit a report chronicling their conclusions. This essay explores the Decalogue, specifically the sixth commandment, in order to ascertain if the imperative, "Thou shalt not kill," can serve as a reasonable foundation for the "firm, fixed and sincere belief'' of the CO.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2012
Accession Number
AD1022926

Entities

People

  • Richard G. Anderson

Organizations

  • Air Command and Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Chaplains
  • Christianity
  • Euthanasia
  • Governments
  • Humanities
  • Killing
  • Law
  • Military Personnel
  • New York
  • Psychological Phenomena And Processes
  • Religion
  • Schools
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.