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Religious Discrimination Against Other Religions: Do they attack each other?

A few years ago my business partner and I were doing business at an active duty Army post. We were selling knives, swords, some tactical items and some similar related items. We’d have a fair amount of Wiccans approach us. They did so in a guarded manner that we quickly understood.
Now prior to our becoming vendors at the base, there had been an incident where a Wicca “site” had been vandalized. Quickly the commander announced that such actions would not be tolerated on his post. He also put a Military Policemen out there for guard against any further incidents.
This got in the news. Even a “Republican” congressmen from out of state came to protest the commanders actions.

There were protestors, but not as many ANTI-PROTESTERS. They quickly out shouted the congressmen and the protestors. Well, the congressmen got “some” press but nothing really to write home about.

So there had been some press about “Wiccans” at the base. Seems that they were not just limited to that base but could and can be found around the world. And not just in the military.
Well, as I said we were selling blades and other items. And the Wiccans would approach us in a guarded way. We saw them as customers and tried to fulfill their needs. We even started to carry some nicer or more artistic items to accommodate them.

Well, one day, my business partner got into a conversation with a Chaplain. Seems that he really got off trying to (for lack of a better term..) “dick around” the Wiccans.
He was asked about one soldier who wanted to place some crossed knives or daggers in his room. This was a Wiccan symbol, ergo, a religious symbol.

The Chaplain being a Major (O-4) went to the regulations and guidelines. Seems that the size of the symbol or knife/dagger had to be of a size that could do no “harm.”

Like, you can’t kill someone with a cross. I mean they use to nail people to the damn things…
Anyway, the Chaplain took that and ran with it. The troop was allowed to have the “Wiccan” symbol in his room. BUT…it had to be a really really some one.

The Chaplain really thought he did the troop over by getting to use the regulation to, in what he thought, was a way to screw the soldier over. And he really relished what he did.

Of course, to my business partner and I, we thought it was not only childish, but petty, and in a way, discriminatory.

What is your view on this matter?

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Comment by Bitsy Haywood on September 16, 2009 at 8:57pm: I've had a very unpleasant experience with someone who has a mental disorder. They are sneaky and sly about it, but spread rumors about people they dislike being into "witchcraft" and "demon worship" and "casting spells on people to kill them". Athiests tend to be logical and practical and are really unprepared for dealing with this foul accusation or even understanding the motivation and belief system of people who do this kind of thing. There are still people whose minds have never left the dark ages, and you may find youself standing beside them in the grocery store line.

Comment by Nate on September 15, 2009 at 12:21pm: Oftentimes, when governments set their sights on a religion or group of religions with the intent of restricting their activities, it's due to behind-the-scenes maneuvering from more established religions that resent losing members and influence to the "upstarts". There is a history of this church-fomented persecution in Russia and other former states of the USSR. In this way, the status quo religion is indeed attacking other religions, without getting its hands dirty.

Comment by Peter LeSavage on September 15, 2009 at 12:19pm: It's "anything goes" with any member of the clergy. What I find in this ~~asshole~~,,, er chaplin is that he had to find a regulation about the ergo. It is apparent to me, as well as anyone else that whatever path of xianity these idiots follow, there all the same and should allways be made an example of.

Comment by Sonny Mobley on September 15, 2009 at 12:08pm: Absolutely!

Rick: Pagans are no more goofy than christians or other monotheist's. All equally sad. :D

Comment by Rick on September 14, 2009 at 11:05pm: No you hit it right on the head. I've posted the same blog on www.thinkatheist.com. The reason I brought the subject up was that Wiccan's are not a "main stream" religion. They are also called pagans and witches.
As a side note, two guys in my old Guard Unit were talking about them. One was very religious, to the point where his family actually suffered financially from it. But that's another story. But he described them as actually being "witches."
I almost laughed out loud. Here it was, 2003 and there are still people who honestly believe in witches and ghosts. We've been to the moon, we have man who can fly, we can do medical wonders...but we still have people who actually believe in witches and ghosts.
Kinda sad....

Comment by Sentient Biped on September 14, 2009 at 10:07pm: @Rick,
Of course religions attack each other! Muslim vs. Christian, (Catholic vs. Protestant Ireland), Muslim vs. Hindu Catholic vs. Jew (Spanish Inquisition and others), Jew vs. Muslim, . It would be a shorter answer to ask which religions don't attack each other. Maybe Unitarian vs. Buddhist?

Maybe I misunderstood the question?