Military Base in Iraq: A Faith Not Shared

[Synnical]

Original post in GD: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3060836&mesg_id=3060836

Follow Up From Christianity Today:

March 24, 2008 2:43PM
There are Atheists in Foxholes

...intriguing theological sensibilities, too.

Derek Keefe

Will Higgins's report on attendance levels at Holy Week services at a military base in northern Iraq is intriguing on several levels. First, although there are some 4,000 soldiers stationed at the base, the chaplains deemed 150 chairs and 3 Easter services more than sufficient to accommodate the number of soldiers inclined to attend. A Good Friday screening of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ drew only four soldiers, two of whom snoozed their way through it.

While such anecdotal evidence from a solitary military base is by no means enough to establish statistical significance, it does at the very least challenge conventional wisdom that there are no atheists in foxholes. Looking around for other media coverage of Easter services among American military in Iraq, I found little of interest save a small collection of photos that revealed services most notable for their sparse attendance (Be sure to click on the third photo to see if you can identify the gun at the foot of the praying soldier's feet). Sergeant Christopher McFadden of Indiana National Guard’s 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team finds the low attendance "dumbfounding." "If you saw the possibility of dying in front of you," he continues, "now would be the time to open the door and at least look inside."

[Warpy]

1. He just doesn't get it, does he?

When you're in the middle of the insane viciousness of war, especially a war in which women and children pose potential threats, your faith in a loving Sunday school god who will swoop down and save your ass when the going gets tough will evaporate, especially if you're in the majority "afraid not to believe" group.

[onager]

2. You know, that's exactly the advice I used to give my Marine recruits.

Centuries ago, when I was a Drill Instructor at San Diego.

They had an hour on Sunday mornings to attend "worship services." Most of them slept thru the services anyway.

I used to advise them that the time would be better spent learning more about their rifle or emergency first aid, since Jesus had a bad habit of not showing up when he was most needed.

The Marine Corps has its own, non-Biblical Proverbs. One of my favorites: A sucking chest wound is Nature's way of saying you fucked up.

[progressoid]

3. Not too surprising.

I know quite a few ex-military that are Atheist/Agnostic. A few went in as believers but left as non-believers.