Posted on Nov 26, 2014
What Role Does Religion Play Within Our Military?
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With member of the military identifying with 98 different religions, it is evident our Armed Forces is extremely diverse. Unfortunately, religious differences sometimes cause feelings of animosity between service members. Are you less likely to trust another service member who does not identify with the same religion as you?
Religion
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Command Post
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 138
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The GAT tool tells me I need more spiritual in my life... What is the difference between spiritual and religion? Someone please try to differentiate these two for me..? Because I feel like it is telling me I need more religion in my life.
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SGT (Join to see)
SFC I think you're using that term a bit to broadly, but it's a moot point anyhow, the section of the GAT we're discussing is labeled "Spiritual", not "Religion", otherwise it'd ask me how much time I spend worshipping my PS4 (which I play religiously)
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MSG (Join to see)
Fine to disagree, but my point is that the standard conception of religion is too narrow.
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SPC (Join to see)
MSG (Join to see) I`m not 100% sure what you mean from your post on 01-FEB. But looking back at what I said it very well looks like I mixed up my good instincts with religion. So I will apologize for that. It will not let me delete it, I could edit it blank... Although instinct is good and you could not win a coin toss or dice roll even on the phone against me. Sometimes my lack of thought and most of the time lack for clarification is a downfall. If you don`t mind would you give me a comparison\diffrence of Spiritual vs Religion. Or how you would define each?
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MSG (Join to see)
Religion is just the search for happiness. I can be purely physical, purely spiritual, or a blend of both.
Spirituality is some form of a belief in the supernatural, be it deity or deities, the transcendent self, direction by dead ancestors, simple fate or destiny....
Consider the transformation of christian theology--from have no thought for this world but prepare your soul for the next, to the modern Social Gospel and the postmilleniarian drive to prepare this world for the return of Christ. The former would be essentially spiritual and the latter a blend. A purely physical creed might be the follower of Mammon--acquisition of enough material goods will make me happy (or at least prevent me from being unhappy).
Let me take a moment to make a point--I tend to use an absolute voice, and you might think I'm trying to tell you how it is. I am not, I'm only trying to tell you how I see it. If you see it different, or better, if you didn't fully understand how I see it, you have committed no error--there is no need for you to edit or change your opinions. If nothing else your questions have called me to clarify and if anyone finds any resonance in here, clarity is optimum.
Spirituality is some form of a belief in the supernatural, be it deity or deities, the transcendent self, direction by dead ancestors, simple fate or destiny....
Consider the transformation of christian theology--from have no thought for this world but prepare your soul for the next, to the modern Social Gospel and the postmilleniarian drive to prepare this world for the return of Christ. The former would be essentially spiritual and the latter a blend. A purely physical creed might be the follower of Mammon--acquisition of enough material goods will make me happy (or at least prevent me from being unhappy).
Let me take a moment to make a point--I tend to use an absolute voice, and you might think I'm trying to tell you how it is. I am not, I'm only trying to tell you how I see it. If you see it different, or better, if you didn't fully understand how I see it, you have committed no error--there is no need for you to edit or change your opinions. If nothing else your questions have called me to clarify and if anyone finds any resonance in here, clarity is optimum.
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To answer the first question, religion does play an important role in the military. Many people's religion are their source of strength in adverse conditions, and is also their moral compass.
Based on my experience as a Marine, the last question is irrelevant. It did not matter a persons beliefs, we were brothers, and a team. regardless of our beliefs, we all had each others backs. I am also confident that many of us would have sacrificed for our brothers.
Religion is a personal thing that drives the individual. I have been out of the service for nearly thirty years now and the religious debate is more active now than when I served. I think it is a debate that is causing tensions within the military that should not be.
Leaders from the president down to the lowest in the military should try to unite service members. There are all kinds of diversity programs to teach us to be understanding and tolerant of those from different cultures and backgrounds. I think the politically correct mentality is cause unnecessary division in the ranks.
Based on my experience as a Marine, the last question is irrelevant. It did not matter a persons beliefs, we were brothers, and a team. regardless of our beliefs, we all had each others backs. I am also confident that many of us would have sacrificed for our brothers.
Religion is a personal thing that drives the individual. I have been out of the service for nearly thirty years now and the religious debate is more active now than when I served. I think it is a debate that is causing tensions within the military that should not be.
Leaders from the president down to the lowest in the military should try to unite service members. There are all kinds of diversity programs to teach us to be understanding and tolerant of those from different cultures and backgrounds. I think the politically correct mentality is cause unnecessary division in the ranks.
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Trust, Camaraderie, unit cohesion and efficiency are all based on the deeds and personal performance of the soldiers, not their words or professions of faith/non-faith. In my 32+ years of service I have found that those who did follow a particular faith, were excellent Soldiers and were very close-knit with those Soldiers that did not profess a particular (if any faith), and they were also great Soldiers! Beyond that, it's no one's business but the individual Soldier.
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As an anti-theist/atheist I only received degradation once while I was in. It was when I first joined and was getting my ID tags. They asked me my religious preference and I stated "atheist". The 'kindly' E-5 told me he won't put that on my tags and told me to get right with god. He stamped 'no religious preference recorded' on my tags, and I still have them to this day.
Other than that, never did someones religion seem to play any role, negative or positive, while I was in. Everyone seemed much more interested in having a good time.
Other than that, never did someones religion seem to play any role, negative or positive, while I was in. Everyone seemed much more interested in having a good time.
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i think that religion is very important to the military. The word of God has been used many times in the founding of the military by some of our greatest Military leaders in the United States. We can not limit or stop what this nation was founded upon. Gen Washington Prayed and asked his Soldiers to pray before battle. Look at out values they are so alike to what the bible teaches. In our public schools the ten commandments are now not allowed to posted on the walls but look all around the units on the walls and read a bible and open your eyes to whats in front of you.
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SPC Stewart Smith
What are you talking about? George Washington prayed with the soldiers that wanted him to for moral. He did not ask them, they asked him. And with that he still refused to take mass. Our military wasn't founded on any god and neither was our country.
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I feel it plays a huge part in our military. no mater your religion you need something to hold onto and to keep you in line.
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SPC (Join to see)
let me add to that that our nation was founded on religion. this is why you can find "in God we trust" on all of our currency.
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COL Ted Mc
SPC (Join to see) Just to add on to what Capt Prickett said - "... there is example after example of how the founders were trying to keep OTHER PEOPLE'S religion out of our country's government (THEIRS WAS OK) ...".
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SPC Charles Griffith
PV2 Ft Riley You have every right to believe what you want. I happen to agree with you but what some people don't see is that most of us Christians don't care what they want to believe,That is to say we are not in the least bit concerned that they are anti Religion or atheist or what ever. But you don't see us telling them they can't pray wherever they want. Keep on keeping on and don't let the world around you dictate what you can Believe in.
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Looking at the: Religion In The Military Poster that RallyPoint has posted and uploaded, in 1972, the denominations of Christians, Baptist, Methodist and Protestant are all the same. Back then you had to be a Catholic or Protestant, they did not individualize denominations, you had to choice one during Boot Camp. Atheist did not exist, they considered you are the devil, and Physical Trained you all during church services.
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Not less likely, unless it is apparent that the other service member has a distrust of me.
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