Article September 13, 1999 Issue

An answer to religious persecution

An airman's experience in boot camp

By David G. Shields

Many Christians throughout the world are being persecuted and even killed for their beliefs. They are not alone; other devout people are excluded from exercising their right to worship as they choose.

As I opened my heart to God about this problem, I realized that there is only one God, who is infinite, so all religious folk, whether they believe so or not, share the same God. This God loves all impartially. Since God loves His creation, He defends it from all wrong.

In 1968 I entered basic training in the United States Air Force. One Sunday morning, the drill sergeant announced that each airman must identify his religion; then he would be allowed to attend either the Protestant, Roman Catholic, or Jewish service. When he got to me, I said I was a Christian Scientist. He replied angrily that only those three religious classifications were acceptable. But I wanted to attend a Christian Science service instead of a general Protestant one.

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