Blunderov
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"We think in generalities, we live in details"
  
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US troops do proselytize in violation of General Order #1
« on: 2009-05-05 15:40:24 » |
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"This crusade*, this war on terrorism is going to take a while." ~ George W. Bush
White House press conference, September 16, 2001
[Blunderov] Coneheads bridle at this quote and generally take the tack that Bush "mispoke" - but did he really?
http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2009/05/proof_of_christian_proselytizi.php
This Al Jazeera report proves once and for all that there are soldiers in Afghanistan trying to convert the local Muslim population, handing out Bibles in the local languages and witnessing to them. This is forbidden by military rules and the soldiers clearly know it. In true "Christian" fashion they try to get around the rules by saying they're just giving "gifts" of Bibles. These soldiers are endangering their fellow soldiers and inflaming a religious war. Video below the fold.
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<snip>
Yes, US troops do proselytize in violation of General Order #1.
In this video, the chaplain appears to be reminding the guys of GO #1. Perhaps if there had been less voice-over we could have learned more about the intentions of the troops and the command climate.
When I was in Bosnia, I was shipped pallets of dog food to distribute to dogs in the combat zone. Sometimes, people just send you stuff. (BTW burning rotting dog food smells even worse than rotting dog food.)
During my Iraq hitch, my guys worked directly with Iraqis and religion came up fairly regularly in conversations with the laborers. My guys had questions about Iraqi culture that I couldn't answer, and Iraqis had many of the same questions about my guys. The mutual understanding that comes from these conversations can keep people for getting shot that don't need to be shot. By proving that we were not obnoxious crusaders, we were able to develop sources of information that kept Iraqis and Coalition forces safer.
Proselytizing closed-minded pissants support the crusader accusation and endanger people.
The DoD has released a statement on this saying that the bibles were never distributed (I believe that) and that the sermon was taken out of context (maybe).
When I retired in 2007, Air Force Space Command Instruction required returnees from combat zones to see the chaplain as part of their in-processing. I told the commanders that I supported that I would not be enforcing the chaplain visit and that if there was a problem then I was the problem and not the troops. This didn't get so much as a grimace from the commanders. Usually, a senior NCO does not get away with cherry-picking what orders he will follow.
The God who sits on a cloud and helps little girls find lost puppies does not go to war. My biggest problem with the disproportionate influence of Evangelical Christianity in the military is that it's not helpful. If you're going to spend manpower, money and time doing something in a war zone, it better do some good. The troops who went to Wed bible study and Sun services came back every bit as screwed up (if not worse) than those that didn't. Let's spend that time doing something that actually helps the troops.
Posted by: Preston | May 5, 2009 10:37 AM</snip>
*"The Crusades were a series of religion-driven military campaigns waged by much of Latin Christian Europe against external and internal opponents. They were fought mainly against Muslims, though campaigns were also directed against pagan Slavs, Jews, Russian and Greek Orthodox Christians, Mongols, Cathars, Hussites, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and political enemies of the popes.[1] Crusaders took vows and were granted an indulgence for past sins."**
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusade
**[Bl.] (These days instead, USA citizenship is bestowed upon those formerly guilty of the sin of being Mexican but who repent by serving in her armed forces in Iraq.)
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