Conscientious objector would not a person know this before they join the military all this guy did was got an free education at american tax payer's exspense and they saying that his won't kill , please give me a break I was in the military and I knew what I was getting into before I joined and I have meet people in the military just like this guy , when war comes up it seperates the men from the boys for sure , I say make him pay back the government for his education.

"Izbicki may have to reimburse the service for all or part of the cost of his education, said his lawyers, Sandra Staub, legal director of the A.C.L.U. of Connecticut, and Deborah H. Karpatkin and Vera M. Scanlon, of New York."

kwolf443, can you assure me you are exactly the same person you were five years ago, with no new insights, opinions, perspectives, prejudices, ideals? The human spirit is subject to change, wouldn't you agree?

How much harm's way could this guy been in , stationed aboard a submarine not much . Anonymous who never sereved for sure one just does not train for combat for years not knowing what they what they were training for and having insights as you call it is a code word for saving one's butt when things get real and all of the fun is done,he asked them , he signed the contact,he made the commitment now it is time for him to live up to and yes he should be made to pay all of it back,nice try on his part.

"kwolf443, can you assure me you are exactly the same person you were five years ago, with no new insights, opinions, perspectives, prejudices, ideals?"

EXACTLY the same person?

I doubt it. Otherwise you are writing from six feet under.

It seems a bit suspisious that his questioning og goals occurred AFTER graduating. We all change over time but that seemed rather quick and convient. He definietly should reimburse the cost back.

An Atheist could make a better case for conscientious objector status based on his understanding that this short amount of time that we are alive is so precious that no one has the right to deny anyone else, as well as them-self, the full measure of the Human lifetime experience. Personally, I think a Human life is squandered if any portion of it is spent on the futile effort of pursuing the, get pie in the sky when you die lie, that just ain't gonna happen.

“I think a Human life is squandered if any portion of it is spent on the futile effort of pursuing the, get pie in the sky when you die lie,”

That says all anyone needs to know about how much you truly value human life. Unless it’s spent pursuing your ultimate truth then it isn’t worth anything to you. Hardly something that would make any conscientious objector status case. I think Christ’s sermon on the mount trumps any argument you or any other atheist could make.

Bobbie anyone claiming conscientious objector status is suspect if the events are similar to these. It's the timing that brings this into question. Other than the insult and discounting of a theist life the other part of your justification matches most of the major religions in the world today. It also rings a bit of an ultimate truth. Something I could have sworn you denounced earlier. It's amazing how you contradict yourself sometimes.

What an opportunist. Baloney. Sermon on the Mount he says, melted his heart and told him we all need to love one another. And some dopey judge fell for this crap? In this country, a man can scream fire in a movie theater, when there is not a spark to be espied, cause a stampede and a dozen deaths, but if he says god asked him to do it, there will be a judge somewhere to declare him free for listening to the loving voice of god, even in a movie theater. Religion is a potent potion in this country or should I say poison? If this guy is all for Christ's sermon on the mount he wouldn't give a whit about being deemed dishonorable by mere humans. He would look to the lord for comfort and not run to hire the law to state his case. He is a phony and of course the religionists on this blog would carry on effervescent about one such because the very mention of the sermon on the mount brings goosebumps to their flesh. As Scrooge put it, "Bah humbug!" Kwolf443 has it right despite his deplorable English, which exemplifies the simple truth, poor English does not amount to poor logic and the opposite of that applies to Anonymouse--good English does not amount to good logic--"could this man's spirit have changed in 5 years?"asks Anonymouse. Indeed yes, but it didn't change. He wanted to keep his cake and eat it too--something not endorsed by the sermon on the mount. The man didn't pass quietly into the night singing "blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth!" instead he said, "blessed will I be no matter what, you buggers, I'll have your heads on a platter for dissing me with a dishonorable discharge!" Now that ain't the sermon on the mount folks, that's a blunt force punch to the navy for calling his bluff, but Anonymouse as always drools at the religion bit and forgets the rest of it- moved by biblical aphorisms and references, our very own Anonymouse will enter the arena on behalf on any half witted religious upstart.
R Anon

R Anon comparing someone who endangers the lives of others is hardly the same thing as the matter ruled on here. That you would make such a ridiculous comparison simply proves your own inability to use good logic to make your point. I don’t recall saying anyone changed. I simply posed a logical question to someone who felt they knew the answer. I have no idea if the person has changed or not. If you weren’t so blinded by your own intolerance and stereotypes about who and what believers are you might have noticed the obvious lack of logic in your response. Buried in your anti-religious tirade you make a few valid points. Unfortunately they get lost in your appeals to ridicule and personal attacks