Soldiers & God?

Question

For soldiers who have served in combat, I am curious to know, if at all, how your religious and spiritual beliefs have changed after serving in combat?

I would think that being hands on in armed conflict would make you think about God.

Answer 1

I do.

My daily devotional has really changed since being here. You realize what is important and what is just silly nonsense. God guides you through that stuff.

I am emboldened by the fact that if God decides it's my time, I know where I'll be and that my family will be taken care of with out problems. He will make sure of that. The lessons that I learn from this will be God given and it has been his way of getting His point across by thick head.

If anything, my faith is stronger, now than ever.

As the Arabs say,

Enshallah

Answer 2

I'll tell one thing and that there are NO atheists in foxholes....Here's a few other thoughts in no particular order of importance

1) War completely destroyed ANY idea that all seeing, all knowing, loving, just, caring, or compassionate God exists.
2) God is beyond rational comprehension
3) Morality is relative - war is moral black hole
3) Religion is a bunch of mental masturbation used by evil men to control the masses. I can't believe there are so many stupid lazy people who fall for this garbage and don't think for themselves
4) Jesus, Mohammed, Siddhartha (the Buddha), etc. may have been great moral teachers, but none of them were divine or have "THE" way to heaven - merely "A" way.
5) One side's terrorist is another side's partriot
6) We are all instruments of each other's destinies - I'd sure like to know why I had to kill the men I did.....and why I am still alive
7) The ultimate goal of every human should be "Oneness" with God - I try to achieve this through the study of God's handiwork (Earth Sciences)

Lots more -

Answer 3

I am a devout christian,though far from one who practices.
Being in combat.Well.I wasn't thinking of God at the time.Wasn't thinking of anything except where My next round was going.
Afterwords.Can't say I thought alot about it then either.I rest easy though knowing God does not look unkindly upon me for killing.I did nat lose my honor or act like a savage.Did not kill any innocents or unnecessarily hurt anyone.
In my opinion the atrocity commited here were the rapes.There will never be an excuse for that.I am ashamed of those who did it.
I still hold to the saying."YOu can't judge a man by what he does in war".
However.Like I said.Rape does not fall under that.It is not part of combat.

Answer 4

I've been in the US Army for over a decade and seen multiple combat deployments. I came in as an atheist, and I still am an atheist.

For all those people that keep saying, "there are no atheists in a foxhole," all I have to say is... you are wrong.

Answer 5

I was an atheist when i went to iraq, and came back an even stronger one, with even less than good feelings about religion, any religion. I have been hit with IED's, been shot at and been mortared, that old saying of there is no atheists in a foxhole is not true. I have never believed in god, and i never will.

Answer 6

Made me think I will kill anything that gets between me and going home. I became less religious.

Answer 7

There is an old saying, "There are no atheists in foxholes."

Answer 8

Go to church and ask God what he thinks about your question=D