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No atheists in a foxhole

Withnail

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I've heard that dozens of times from true believers. Now, having never been in a foxhole situation, I can't say if it would be true for me or not. I don't imagine it would matter what I think at any given moment; god either is or isn't. But here's the reverse I rarely hear mentioned: There are no deist at a funeral. I have been to a few funerals, in churches. Was that wailing and crying I heard? Do they not believe all is well, their loved one in a better place, to be reunited with in the future? Do their convictions falter at the gravesite just as the atheist's might in the foxhole? Perhaps they should be reminded of this next time they say "there are no athiest in the foxhole."
 
Withnail said:
I've heard that dozens of times from true believers. Now, having never been in a foxhole situation, I can't say if it would be true for me or not.
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I can't say much about whether it's true for me either, but there are a few websites that would appear to disprove the claim.
 
I've been in a foxhole, although I wasn't Agnostic at the time. I guess I wasn't a very good Catholic at the time either, since I never really thought praying helped anyone.

There are Atheists in foxholes as you'll see if you just run a quick search on Pat Tillman.

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Pat+Tillman+++atheist&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Skeptics could easily claim that young Mr. Tillman was fighting for our right NOT to believe. :)
 
Withnail said:
I have been to a few funerals, in churches. Was that wailing and crying I heard? Do they not believe all is well, their loved one in a better place, to be reunited with in the future? Do their convictions falter at the gravesite just as the atheist's might in the foxhole?
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Why would a belief in god or an afterlife keep me from missing a relative who's just gone away? Not that I have any such belief. I'm just asking if you aren't expecting a bit much from grief-stricken people regardless of belief.

I cry when my kids go back to college after a visit, and I know there's a better chance of me seeing them again in a couple of months than of seeing my grandfather, dead now these 37 years, any time soon.

Crying, wailing, sorrow, grief...these are natural when someone you love goes away, whether you think you'll ever see them again or not.
 
I've heard that dozens of times from true believers. Now, having never been in a foxhole situation, I can't say if it would be true for me or not. I don't imagine it would matter what I think at any given moment; god either is or isn't. But here's the reverse I rarely hear mentioned: There are no deist at a funeral. I have been to a few funerals, in churches. Was that wailing and crying I heard? Do they not believe all is well, their loved one in a better place, to be reunited with in the future? Do their convictions falter at the gravesite just as the atheist's might in the foxhole? Perhaps they should be reminded of this next time they say "there are no athiest in the foxhole."
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So you expect a believer to not say "ouch" or anything if someone pokes them with a hot iron? Death of a loved one is going to hurt, just because it does.
 
It's still going to hurt, albeit it might make it easier to accept the loss.
 
Iacchus said:
It's still going to hurt, albeit it might make it easier to accept the loss.
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Depending on circumstances. The opening post here describes one instance where the religious belief added tremendously to the burden of death. I have written here about a friend who died, whose parents blame themselves and their lack of faith for his failure to recover when they prayed.

Religion is not all positive.
 
I think the "no deists at a funeral" bit soundly defeats that little quote...whether it proves anything or not...
 
Believer: "There are no atheists in foxholes!"

Atheist: "Yeah, because an atheist is smart enough never to get into a situation that warrants a foxhole."
 
Mercutio said:
I have written here about a friend who died, whose parents blame themselves and their lack of faith for his failure to recover when they prayed.
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But then again, maybe they were holding on to that which was never meant to be ... indefinite that is.

Religion is not all positive.
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No, it is not.
 
Iacchus said:
But then again, maybe they were holding on to that which was never meant to be ... indefinite that is.
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They were doing their utmost to be true to their faith. I won't have you insult them. The fault, dear Iacchus, was not in themselves, but in their religion.
 
Mark A. Siefert said:
Believer: "There are no atheists in foxholes!"

Atheist: "Yeah, because an atheist is smart enough never to get into a situation that warrants a foxhole."
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I'd just prefer to call all religious folk mindless little warmongers hellbent on wasting life because they want to believe in fantasies over it, but yeah. :)
 
Mercutio said:
Nor of science, nor of logic, nor of coherent reasoning. Yes, we are aware.
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I definitely believe there's a kingdom beyond the one in which we currently reside. This, you will never be able to get me to recant.
 
Mercutio said:
They were doing their utmost to be true to their faith. I won't have you insult them. The fault, dear Iacchus, was not in themselves, but in their religion.
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Actually, this is more of a generalized statement, that applies to just about anybody.
 
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