Religion and Military Service

[nsplayr]

Not sure this has been addressed directly in another thread. After seeing a lot of reluctance to address religious convictions in other threads I figured we should have a place to discuss those separately if so desired.

How does religion affect your views on your profession? On international terrorism? On DADT? On working with others who's views differ? Open forum for direct discussions of religion.

I'd be happy to address that question via PM or another thread.

Ask and you shall receive...

Edited February 7, 2010 by nsplayr

[pawnman]

It hasn't, really. Although while stationed in TX, my family's lack of religious convictions was a consistent, though small, thorn in my side. Every person we met invariably started a conversation with "My name's Bill, what church do you belong to? Oh, you don't have a church, you should try mine!" Got old after awhile having that conversation with everyone you meet...but that was largely out on town, not nearly so much in the squadron.

I have honestly never had a problem working with someone in the squadron because of their beliefs or my own lack of them. I've had some good discussions about religion, but all in the same way you might debate politics, or USAF policies, or any of a hundred other things that get debated on a daily basis.

[afnav]

I stayed away from this topic like the plague. I got the 'what church do you go to' question a few times and ignored it if I could.

The one time that it came up and I didn't mind was when I was deploying to Saudi with a young nav and he seemed very nervous about it. He asked to speak with me in private and confided to me that he was Jewish and worried about running into the locals. I told him that since he didn't have a Jewish-sounding name, he shouldn't have any problems, but I would watch out for him. It was definitely an understandable concern.

[Guest Hueypilot812]

I keep my religion private. I don't ask people to attend my church unless they are asking "where's a good church to go to", which honestly hardly ever happens. The only issue I've had with religion on the job was while I was married to my first wife. She was...difficult...to be married to. Everywhere we went she'd find things to hate about it, and she always, always hated the other wives. I'm not sure why, but that was just her. When I first got to Maxwell I tried encouraging her to do things with the other wives, but after dozens of times of being told "they aren't my friends" I gave up and stopped altogether. One day, the DO's wife called her and asked why she didn't go to a dinner they had put together, and she said "My husband never told me about it". BS, but it was her way of not being embarrassed and saying she didn't like hanging out with them.

So I got called into the DO's office and lectured about how a good Biblical husband should be, and how I was failing in my duties and failing God. After he was done with his lecture, I simply stated "Sir, with all due respect, you don't have to live with her" and walked out. Ironic thing is that clown got fired as a Sq/CC for an alleged racial incident.

Edited February 8, 2010 by Hueypilot812

[Guest Justshootme]

I'm a person who's faith has a pretty significant role in how I live my life. That being said, I niether am overt or shy about sharing my faith. My experience has been that spiritual conversations can happen without being awkward or annoying to others when it is just that...a conversation. I don't confront people with an agenda and they seem to appreciate that fact that I'm just legitimately interested in what they think.

If people don't want to talk, they won't. and that's perfectly fine.

People with an experience like hueypilot's make me groan, because too many christians beleive that just because they are believers they have a right to become anyone's Holy Spirit. You know who I confront about things I believe are wrong? Only my closest friends that I have a well-developed relationship with. NOT work associates or people I hardly know.

What people don't seem to understand is that convictions are just that...convictions. I may think sex outside of marriage is wrong, but if someone doesn't hold to the same source of morality and truth I do (the bible), what reason could they possibly have for having the same convictions? For me as a follower of Christ, actions are secondary to beliefs, so until you believe in the same gospel that I do, I have absolutely no grounds for trying to adjust your morality.

Just my .02.

-JSM