COMDTINST 1900.8 30 NOV 1990
6.
a.
(1)
Who is conscientiously opposed to participation in war in any form.
(2)
Whose opposition is founded on religious training and belief.
(3)
Whose position is sincere.
b.
The clause "war in any form" shall be interpreted in the following manner:
(1)
An individual who desires to choose the war in which to participate is not a
conscientious objector under the law. The objection must be to all wars rather
than a specific war.
(2)
A belief in the theocratic or spiritual war between the powers of good and evil
does not constitute a willingness to participate in "war" within the meaning of
this Instruction.
c.
The following guidelines shall be used in evaluating a member's request based on
religious training and belief:
(1)
In order to find that a member's moral and ethical beliefs are against
participation in war in any form and are held with the strength of traditional
religious convictions, the member must show that these moral and ethical
convictions, once acquired, have directed the member's life in the way traditional
religious convictions of equal strength, depth, and duration have directed the
lives of those whose beliefs are clearly found in traditional religious convictions.
(2)
A primary factor to be considered is the sincerity with which the belief is held.
Great care must be exercised in seeking to determine whether asserted beliefs are
honestly and genuinely held. Sincerity is determined by an impartial evaluation
of the member's thinking and living in its totality, past and present. Further care
must be exercised in determining the member's integrity and consistency of the
member's belief. Information presented should be sufficient to substantiate the
member's personal history and reveal views and actions strong enough to
demonstrate that expediency or avoidance of military service is not the basis of
the application. Therefore:
(a)
In evaluating an application, the conduct of the member, in particular the
member's outward manifestation of the beliefs asserted, shall be carefully
examined and given substantial weight.
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