CNN Religious Fundamentalists vs Religious Fundamentalists, eh?! I can see how a strong faith could help in times of war, and given that the US is a broadly Christian country, it figures that many of the soldiers may place a lot of stock in their Christian God, but I'm not sure it is wise to make it a requirement for promotion. On a pragmatic level, I guess a believer may well be less apprehensive about laying his life on the line (knowing there is an afterlife), but that in itself is a double-edged sword. Still... another good opportunity to laugh at the US 'establishment'.
Religion makes for a useful framework within which you can create loyal followers to lay their life on the line and commit atrocities for a stupid cause. It's about creating hierarchical tribalism and in-group vs. out-group dynamics. Can't have any people actually questioning that framework. Didn't the bloody religious history of Europe teach you anything? Sing along now: "Onwards Christian soldiers..."
Man. Each to his own. I'm a convinced non-christian myself, and i've for a long time questioned whether or not it's right for the Army (-ies) of the world, the Boyscouts, etc to discriminate like that. Especially in the army. All that should be required of me mentally is that i believe in my colleagues and my country strongly enough to kill and die for them without question. Where's religion come in? I say power to that solider.
How many muslims are in the US military? How many christians are in Al Qeada? This is a religious war, no matter what anyone sais. The military saying it's not a religious organisation sounds a lot like FOX news' slogan to me: "Fair and Balanced". It's a brilliant concept: make your slogan the polar opposite of what you stand for, and you get away with doing anything. Sad that these things happen, it's very hard not to just give up on humankind everytime i read an item like this.
hes from a country where its not obligatory to be in the military, so if he does not like them he should just leave them. seriously, the only answer people these days seem to know is sue or sue more or sue again.
LMAO! I have to admit, the more I step back and look at religion, the more I think its a useless waste of time. Certainly causes more problems than it solves tbh.
Actually there are quite a few Muslims in the US forces, and most are fairly well accepted. That is because it is not a religious war but a cultural war. The problem is with regional Islamic *culture* rather than the core tenets of the Islamic religion. There is nothing in the Koran/Quran Ironically, Muslims in the US are better integrated than many of their brethren around the world because they don't see a conflict between being American and being Muslim; they are able to separate religion from state.
I don't know how short sighted/sarcastic you're being but you're full of **** either way. Ever considered that some of us might actually believe in this stuff with genuine heart? Despite all the pits and falls of religion some of us try to adhere to it because of both reasoning as well as faith. We question these frameworks, yes, but like all arguments there's two sides and we've chosen one, you've chosen the other. It's through questioning our faith that some of us find strength and reasoned judgement to be stronger better people. A lot of us on the other hand, won't question because we're following a religion that's laid out by someone else (God, Allah, Buddah whoever) it's not really our place to say "oh i like this part of the religion so i'll take that, but i don't like this part of the religion so I won't take that". It's not really a religion then is it? More a case of i'll do whatever the hell I want. It makes me laugh because all you liberalists are totally rejecting someone elses ideas and beliefs like we're not allowed to believe them. remember, that as liberalists you gotta accept otehr people no matter what. or are you just hitler in disguise?
WOW The point is that your whole reasoning fails to work, unless you are a believer. You want non-believers to reason like believers? Now who is being the dictator here? You are absolutely free to believe what you believe, just as much as i am allowed to take all my showers with my jammies on, but the line is drawn when you require others to follow your reasoning while rejecting theirs. Mind you, i'm not rejecting your reasoning, i'm pointing out the phallacy in it.
Are people are confusing faith and religion? Faith is something you alone feel. Others may feel similarly but their views may be different. Religion is manmade, based on interpretation.
I'll defend your's and other's rights to believe in whatever religion you choose. I know some people in these forums may mock organised religion, but that's par for the course. But in the context of my original post, what are your views on the fact that your religion appears to be mandatory int he US armed forces?
Sounds about right to me, though as usual you've put much more eloquent words to the meaning. (usual disclaimer to avoid flamewar - my opinion, obviously we can't prove anything faith-based either way, to each his own, etc)
reasoning is chucked out the window to be a believer.. proven perfectly by scientology or pastafarians and as they say none so blind as those who will not see.. And so looking forward to nexxo's reply that i'd (almost) miss top gear to read it..
Well what about the fact that all religions are based mostly on the fundamental principle of be good to your self and others? I for one am a agnostic and the way I lead my life is through the base principle of most religions. That is not a case of "I'll do whatever the hell i want" but more of trying to find an inner peace by being good to everything around you. I will respect other religions, but i will not practice them. I have found something that has fit me perfectly and in the end it has turned out wonderful. In the case of the military though, i had a friend who was with the Marines and he told me how some of the people, if they were atheist were kinda set as outcasts to the squad (he was an agnostic). But that depending on the situation that could be a good or bad thing.
My comment regarding Nexxo's suddenly sounds more on the third grade level and looking at previous comments it doesn't require quoting again. Similar to the soldier in the original post I was born and raised in a religious environment (Christian in a Lutheran flavor though) Which can be quite different from Baptist affiliations and up until my college years after seeing the things that I have seen and by my own reasoning and choices I decided I did not agree with or follow the things my church and family would have me follow blindly. My best friend is a pastors son and all of my family remains religious and I do not hold their faith against them or think any less of them as a result nor do I find fault with other religions of the world until it is held against me that I am not of their faith or any faith for that matter. I take offense to being labeled a Liberalist because I choose to question a particular part of my life like religion as valid and challenge my faith similar to you only to find a different answer... I think the short sighted comment isnt pointing the way you intended.
