No atheists in a foxhole

EGarrett said:
I think the "no deists at a funeral" bit soundly defeats that little quote...whether it proves anything or not...
Click to expand...

That's all I'm trying to say. Sure, people cry because it hurts, and they take solace in their religion, but I never see that certainty that all is ultimately well. I think it is one of those times when people question their own beliefs.
 
"'There are no atheists in a foxhole' isn't an argument against atheism, it's an argument against foxholes."

-James Morrow
 
"Father, why hast thou forsaken me?"

Why did Christ offer up these last words in his dying breath on the cross?
 
Melendwyr said:
By invading Iraq? Not bloody likely.
Click to expand...

He was killed in Afghanistan, by Americans. :(

(edited to add) I see what you mean though, it seems even religious skeptics choose their own poison. I think he was caught up in the nationalistic fervor that happened shortly after 9/11 - you know, when BIN LADEN was the target
 
Last edited:
I have dug/been in foxholes and I am an atheist. When I joined I told them "none" for a religion and they put "NO REL PREF" on the dog tags. I should try to get DARWINIAN on my tag since they all insist that its a religion.

Athiests are a very small minority in the Army and hard core fundies are rampant dont ask me why. Who else would be dumb enough to join an Army lead by a religious zelot. Hey dont look at me I enlisted under Clinton and I have been stop lossed for over a year, that means my contract is up but they dont have to honor their end of it and let me out.

The rapture and how fags ruin the world are both popular water cooler topics. You can loudly spout any Pat Robertson quote and %90 of the room will nod in agreement. I for one would rather have a bunk mate that watches Queer as Folk than the 700 Club.

Group prayer in formation or at occasions is common I just stand there and dont bow my head or anything. The god part during swear in is optional but they wont tell you that you have to make a issue of it beforehand.

The worst part is when I have to go on trips with certain people in government vans. Sometimes I get stuck listening to horrid christian music or end of the world tapes. These are the same people whos wedding rings suddenly dissapear when on a deployment.

I am still forced to talk to the chaplain on occasion but its a very short conversation.
 
Let me guess:

Chaplain: Hello, Soldier.

AHM: I'm atheist, sir.

Chaplain: Okay.

That kind of short? ;)
 
geetarmoore said:
It is finished.

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.

Which 'last words'? ;)
Click to expand...

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. ~ Matthew 27:46-50
Click to expand...
Well, at the very least this suggests uncertainty to me.
 
slingblade said:
Let me guess:

Chaplain: Hello, Soldier.

AHM: I'm atheist, sir.

Chaplain: Okay.

That kind of short? ;)
Click to expand...

We have to talk to one before and after deployments as well as when you are close to getting out but it dosent look like I will ever have that conversation. Basically he fires off questions and I answer everything with no or none until he stops.

If I did need a counselor I would resent the fact that my only option is to see one that will quote bible verses at me. There is a need for mental health specialists in the military I just wish we would get real ones.

The Air Force seems to be going in the right direction but shoving Jesus in everyones face is still par in the Army. http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/03/airforce.religion/
 
slingblade said:
Let me guess:

Chaplain: Hello, Soldier.

AHM: I'm atheist, sir.

Chaplain: Okay.

That kind of short? ;)
Click to expand...

It would be nice if that were the response that NRP on your dogtags would bring, but it seems to signal "Open Season" on you by chaplains of various denominations. To ordinary people, No Religious Preference means you don't want to be bothered with the BS, but to a military chaplain, NRP means you're open to anything (and they see you as a challenge). The same is true in most hospitals. Put NRP on your records and you're likely to be visited by Priests, Ministers, Rabbis and Witchdoctors. :)
 
I guess I'm glad I never found out. I had NRP on my dogtags, too, but I got kicked out of recep for a bad knee--couldn't march. Never even made it into boot.

My MOS was journalism. Sigh.
 
The NRP tag bothered me to. It sounds like you are religious, but not picky. Eventually I was able to get my records changed to "none". The Chaplains in the Air Force never bothered me much, they seemed much more concerned with dependents than active duty. They were available, but not intrusive. Probably the most interesting experience I had with them was in 1992 at Dharan Saudi Arabia. I helped our deployed Chaplain (a Catholic) set up our covert chapel for Passover. The affair was officiated by a Rabi flown in from one of the carriers.
As to the point of the original post; Athiests in Foxholes, I've not spent any time in a foxhole in combat, but have sat in the front end of a forty year old unarmed aircraft, watching the tracer coming up. While I'm not an athiest per se, I'm also not a believer. If pressed I describe myself as a lapsed agnostic (don't know, don't care). By that I mean that I think the athiests are probably right, but have not proven the case for the non-existance of an immaterial being. At any rate, I didn't see any tendency for any increase in religiosity during combat.

My $0.02

Robert Klaus
 
I haven't been in an actual foxhole, since I was in the mechanized infantry. But I've seen hot situations, and remained an atheist during all those times.

My country doesn't keep records of your religion, neither in your service record nor on dogtags. I was pretty good friends with the army chaplain we had in Bosnia, but that was mostly because we were both huge Asimov fans.
 
foxhole9rc.jpg
 
BJQ87 said:
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.
Click to expand...

On the flip side, would you expect an atheist not to soil his pants and start invoking deities when the firefight starts?
 
phildonnia said:
On the flip side, would you expect an atheist not to soil his pants and start invoking deities when the firefight starts?
Click to expand...
Expect...pants soiled, yes. Deities invoked? Is that reflexive? Do christians invoke the names of multiple deities when the firefight starts?

If "oh, god!" is common in the language, it would not be unexpected. It would also not mean anything--unless the phrases "oh, *****" and "oh, [rule8]" were also considered "invoking deities".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom