excellent read

[withimpunity]

I already tweeted this, but I'm recc'ing it here too because I think its a really excellent, interesting read.

A Chaplain and an Atheist Go to War

This is what it boils down to:

"He trusts God to keep him safe," says RP2 Chute. "And I'm here just in case that doesn't work out."

Its horribly frustrating in some parts, specifically the parts where the Chaplain walks around like he's bullet proof because God is watching over him. It..I don't even know. I'm 99% atheist, 1% agnostic, and I never insult anyone else's beliefs but this just doesn't sound right to me at all.

Lt. Moran says he follows the Marines' safety instruction and wears a helmet, despite his confidence in the divine. But the way he glides blithely through battle is a constant source of worry for his assistant.

"All my training and experience doesn't always help when the man I'm protecting isn't afraid of being hurt," says RP2 Chute.

This? Kind of makes me see red. I just don't get it. And, hopefully, this is an exception. Not the norm. I'm hoping that not all of them are so blase about the lives of the people protecting them.

RP2 Chute looked on, his impassiveness masking his disdain for talk of angels. "It's frustrating to listen to him tell people things I know not to be true, but I know it's not my place to get involved when people come to him for help," he said later.

I <3 Atheists. That is all.

Comments

[puckling]

My my, what an apropos icon.

Its horribly frustrating in some parts, specifically the parts where the Chaplain walks around like he's bullet proof because God is watching over him.

Yeaaaaaaaah. That's gotta be real frustrating for the Marines around him.

[withimpunity]

I can't even IMAGINE. =\

[sharksdontsleep]

I gotta say, I'm interested to read that, even though the quote makes me want to spit nails.

Um, I'll see you that one, and raise you a
As U.S. troops leave Iraq, an officer honors the memory of a young interpreter. As a warning, this made me sob and sob and sob and the cat came over to comfort me, because I was crying so much.

[withimpunity]

Most of it made me want to spit nails tbqh, but I have to believe that this is a RARE situations and all the Chaplains are not this insouciant about the lives of the people they have watching their asses.

[twincy]

It's like that story with the guy and the drowning and God is like "But I sent a helicopter!" you know?

SORRY TIRED, CONCISE > COHERENT.

[withimpunity]

Thank you for linking me that and making me read it, even if I did have to pause for a few minutes, cry, come back and read the rest, then cry harder. Then there was this:


The scout team leader who rode in my truck eyed me sidelong. "We took care of him, sir."

"What do you mean?"

"You remember that nine we kept under the seat?"

Oh man, I literally just clutched my chest. That just. Their protectiveness over him. It GOT to me. *weeps some more*