For one of the Midshipmen:

Over time, the officer’s feelings on the issue evolved. For her first two years at the school, she came to attention and pretended to pray. Only in the last two did she stand at parade rest and wait the prayers out.

“It became really frustrating to decide what to do, whether to play along or have to stand out,” she said. “I was worried that people would think differently of me if I chose not to participate. I have to imagine that there are a lot more midshipmen out there who won’t speak up for themselves because they don’t want to stand out.

“It is very naive to say you won’t be judged. Everybody can see you, and there is a lot of pressure to conform. There is a lot of peer pressure.”

What she did here was set herself up.  She made people believe that praying was okay and deep down she didn’t want to do it.  Had she been comfortable with herself and let people know what she really felt at the beginning, no doubt that anyone would have thought differently of her, except that it was not something she did and that’s how she was raised, and people have no choice to accept that.  The fact that she went along with it so that she not be looked at differently made her out to look like she didn’t respect the thought of her peers, and that they wouldn’t have respected her.

I was brought up Christian and I am not ashamed to say it, though in reality you wouldn’t know it.  I haven’t been to church voluntarily in a long time, but at no point have I stopped believing.  We have an evening prayer every night when my ship is out at sea and believe it or not, the people I work with don’t mind what they here.  In fact, at the end of every prayer, she closes with “Good Night, (Ship).” and I can say it makes me feel at peace.  I honestly could care less about those who don’t like the evening prayer, though I have yet to find anyone who does.  Even then, I wouldn’t pressure them to accept it.  At no point should personal belief be looked down upon, and certainly at no point would I judge someone for what they do, or refuse to believe.

As future Officers of the Navy or Marine Corps, religion should be the last thing that would bother me during the day.   How about did I do well on that test, or I hope my rack is squared away for inspection, and even I hope my family is doing well with out me?  All those things, whether we know it or not, are prayers to someone in hopes that they are listening and help us get through the day.  To ask for help or guidance, even in your head, in my opinion constitutes a prayer.

Everyone prays, we just don’t realize it.