It's a bit of an odd story that popped up in the German news today, via ARD (public TV, Channel One).
So, this reservist German soldier, who joined back in 2015 (volunteer)....came to some point where he'd joined the Islamic religion. Note, based on the ARD story, it doesn't appear that he was Muslim before.
An occurred in the past year or two....where a ceremony was going to be held, and he needed to shake hands with another member member (female, story doesn't relate if this was an officer, NCO, or junior enlisted). The guy took his religious stance, and said 'nein' (no) and refused to shake hands.
The Bundeswehr then did it's review, and eventually said 'enough'.....if you can't shake hands, then you can't stay in the military. They dismissed the guy.
Well....as you might imagine, he hired up a lawyer and challenged this on religious grounds.
This got all the way up to the Pfalz 'high court (the highest in that state), and they reviewed how this was handled.
Today, they stood up and said that the method of discharge was standard, and that the basis of men and women in the military (and throughout German society)....is a state of balance.
Going to the Supreme Court of Germany? Maybe, they'd have to agree to hear, and it might be six months before that comes up.
It's a curious position to take....on religious grounds. If they had reversed this, you would assume that dozens of future issues would pop up.....like him taking orders from a female, or being treatment by a German military female dentist.
I got into a discussion around five years ago with a Syrian over the practice, and he laughed. You just couldn't find Syrians who go to this extreme (at least in the old Assad days).
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