Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kirstin on December 19, 2008 at 2:54pm

I have a few girl friends in the military and they have more strength and will power then most guys I know hands down. guess what? They are atheists! I am proud of them :)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Trunx on December 19, 2008 at 4:18pm

I was a soldier in the U.S military. I went and stayed in Iraq for 14 months. There are plenty of Atheist in the Army, but that doesn't make it any more comforting. Before going on mission, or before a ceremony, someone usually says "let's bow our heads", at this point I would usually walk away or just stand there and wait for them to be done. Chaplains are kind, but altogether hypocrites. There are also stories which float around of soldiers who are refused promotion because of their beliefs or lack there-of. Regardless, I just wanted to know what people thought and possibly dispel a little myth.

Fun-Fact: My dog-tags have Atheist as my religious pref. For a time, I played around with them, changing my religions from: Shintoism, Buddhism, Taoist, and now finally Atheist. Initially, I had No--rel-pref printed on them, but another soldier told me to put Atheism; otherwise, if I died I would receive a Christian burial.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Morgan Matthew on December 19, 2008 at 4:37pm

wow I never thought about that Trunx, "but another soldier told me to put Atheism; otherwise, if I died I would receive a Christian burial."

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Liam on December 21, 2008 at 1:55pm

When I hear this line I usually say (just to be irritating) "Yes there ARE no atheist in fox holes, cos they are off being courageous while the christians and the rest are cowering in the fox hole praying to save themselves"

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Andrew the Fluffer on February 9, 2009 at 2:03pm

haha!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Johnny on February 9, 2009 at 4:50pm

Nice!!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Johnny on February 9, 2009 at 4:59pm

I served 6 years in the Army, my deconversion came towards the end of my service. I met a few guys who avoided church and religion in general but never verbally expressed actual atheist/agnostic views. I did have an XO who told me churches were "control mechanisms" and "a total crock of shit." I also had a commander tell me he had more important things to do on Sunday than go to church; and that he wouldn't require any of his men to waste their time there either.

The cliché term is used by religious people to make them feel better. Some of them can't stomach the idea of someone who is not 'god-fearing' fighting for our country. Some think that since being a soldier requires morals, none of them could be atheist. And some truly think we're fighting a holy war (I guess that could be debatable), so all the holy warriors must have faith in god.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Trunx on February 12, 2009 at 7:24pm

Awesome!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by girlatheist on March 8, 2009 at 5:18am

Yes. My son served in the army for 4 years and spent 15 months in Iraq. He's now in the reserves. His dogtags said "atheist". He refused to celebrate christian holidays or pray during his time in the Army. He also refused admission to the VFW because of the christian wording in the application form.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by David Silverman on March 8, 2009 at 9:15am

Surely if people truly believed in God, and the life after this one that is pretty universally liked to the existence of this supposed God, they wouldn't need foxholes.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dan on March 8, 2009 at 1:46pm

I was in The US Army Military Police Corp.

At the time I was an atheist, however I didn't advertise it. I was trying to blend in and not gain the attention of my superiors, outside of my duties.

My dog tags say Rom. Cath. The reason for this is at the induction center they ask what me religion preference was and I told them I don't have one. The SPC asked "Well, what are your parents?" I said Catholic... 3 days later my tags came in with Rom. Cath on it. I was always too busy to anapathetic to get them changed.

I did attend catholic services during basic training, not to worship, but to catch up on my sleep. A pew is pretty comfy to sleep on. They also had vending machines there...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Johnny on March 8, 2009 at 3:53pm

Yea, Sundays after breakfast, and the Drill Sergeant says "Anyone going to church fall in on the bus; anyone not going to church head upstairs to clean the latrines." Only took a few seconds of thought to decided I was a devout church-goer (at least for a couple months). LOL!

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page