Spirituality in the SOF Circle

[frostyred]

I'm curious as to the different opinions that float around as to what roles, if any, that spirituality plays in the community.
Why? Why not?

Do you discern a difference between spirituality, and religion? Is it all bunk, and a waste of time?
I'm interested in "semper gumby"ing better.

 

[Arf]

We have chaplains who are a very comforting resource. Chaplains are the only one’s who have 100 percent confidentiality, and for this reason are safer to talk to than psychologists/psychiatrists.

 

[frostyred]

I was asking less as a request for guidance, and more as a point of discussion and engagement.
I've always tried to steer my soldiers, regardless of their faith, to understand that role that chaplains take, and found it to be greatly helpful to many of them.

 

[pardus]

A complete waste of time and resources IMO. Don't you have friends and leaders to talk to about problems? The flying spagetti monster won't make the sad go away.

 

[Bypass]

Me personally I was an Atheist until I was 30. Long story as to why I found Jesus but it had a little to do with being blown up and medivaced to Germany and what happened late one night laying in a hospital bed.

Good news though 3 days later I made it back to my unit in Iraq as if nothing ever happened.

Something did happen though. I had lost my fear of death and had a new outlook on life and reason for being. I live for GOD and Jesus now instead of what I considered my previous obligations which were only to myself and what is next for me.

BTW these threads in my experience never turn out the way you might expect. There are a lot of strong feelings one way or another.

 

[Kash27D]

@Bypass ,Thank you for your testimony. God bless.

 

[frostyred]

Me personally I was an Atheist until I was 30. Long story as to why I found Jesus but it had a little to do with being blown up and medivaced to Germany and what happened late one night laying in a hospital bed.

Good news though 3 days later I made it back to my unit in Iraq as if nothing ever happened.

Something did happen though. I had lost my fear of death and had a new outlook on life and reason for being. I live for GOD and Jesus now instead of what I considered my previous obligations which were only to myself and what is next for me.

BTW these threads in my experience never turn out the way you might expect. There are a lot of strong feelings one way or another.

Appreciate it, and of course. Just like politics, these types of things are divisive issues.

 

[Grunt]

At the end of the day, your "spirituality" is a personal issue and one that you have to be able to sustain and cultivate on your own -- if necessary. By doing so, you will find like-minded individuals within your unit. Personally, I never worried about those things and knew it would always work out...and yes, I am a Christian.

 

[Brill]

I had lost my fear of death and had a new outlook on life and reason for being.

For me, that was key. I just didn’t understand the apparent randomness of combat: I saw our guys make it through unbelievable things without a scratch and then other guys who were “safe” until they weren’t. Loosing experienced warriors provides perspective.

In my opinion, there is something bigger than us that enables a man to seek cover, reload a rifle, take a deep breath, whisper “Thy will be done.”, then rush a well fortified position...along with 12 of his closest brothers.