Fighting for the soul of the army..

[dgs49]

Any soldier approaching a Christian chaplain who would say, (1) I am an atheist, and (2) I am considering suicide, would surely be counselled by the chaplain, albeit with a different approach than he would for a professing Christian.

There is a true story of a ship sinking in the Atlantic during WWII (I forget the name of the ship) where four chaplains gave up their life vests to others, in an act of Christian charity. I rather doubt they asked the religion of the ones who got their vests.

The history of warfare includes a number of tales of atheists who willingly gave up their lives so that others might live.

Unfortunately, the number is approximately zero. Unless someone would care to come up with some examples.

[Sean]

Any soldier approaching a Christian chaplain who would say, (1) I am an atheist, and (2) I am considering suicide, would surely be counselled by the chaplain, albeit with a different approach than he would for a professing Christian.

There is a true story of a ship sinking in the Atlantic during WWII (I forget the name of the ship) where four chaplains gave up their life vests to others, in an act of Christian charity. I rather doubt they asked the religion of the ones who got their vests.

My point Dave, was that an atheist would not want a religious figure. Why would they? Is there any non-religious equivalent to the Chaplain available for the practising atheist?

The history of warfare includes a number of tales of atheists who willingly gave up their lives so that others might live.

Unfortunately, the number is approximately zero. Unless someone would care to come up with some examples.

Are you serious? Surely such an inane challenge is not to be taken seriously...

[loCAtek]

Yes, in my walk of life. Yes.

[dgs49]

Social worker?

Psychologist?

Counselor?

First Sergeant?

C.O.?

Bartender?

Mom?

Recruiter?

Friend?

I suspect there must be someone for a troubled atheist soldier to turn to.

But it's an interesting concept: a Secular Humanist Chaplain.

I like it.

[Sue U]

There is a true story of a ship sinking in the Atlantic during WWII (I forget the name of the ship) where four chaplains gave up their life vests to others, in an act of Christian charity.

Yeah, except one of them was a rabbi, so "Christian charity" on his part, not so much ...

(BTW, the Chapel of the Four Chaplains was dedicated by President Truman in the former church building that originally housed Temple University, where I went to school. It was a point of pride for the University. The chaplains -- two protestant ministers, a Catholic priest and a rabbi -- went down with the transport ship USAT Dorchester in 1943 after it was torpedoed by a U-boat.)

[Lord Jim]

Okay, so these two Ministers, a Priest and a Rabbi, board this ship....

[Sean]

...and sit down to chat. The subject gets around to the collection plate and what happens to the money. "What I do", said the priest, "is draw a chalk circle on the ground and then throw the money into the air. Any money that lands in the circle is for the church and what lands outside the circle, I keep for myself."
"We use a similar method", said one of the ministers, "but we keep what lands inside the circle and give the rest to the church".
"I don't draw a circle", said the rabbi, "I simply throw the money into the air and what God wants, he keeps!"

[dales]