Anyone Planning on answering the call of duty...

[IrishJohan]

Silly me, a quick Google search produced a number of Protestant websites for those in the military. Many can be found linked at this site:

http://www.crosssearch.com/People/Military/

I shall enjoy looking at them. Still none I could find for Eastern Orthodox though...

 

[IrishJohan]

I forgot to post a link to this great website as well: Military Martyrs

http://www.ucc.ie/milmart/

Here is another good site: Catholic War Veterans of the USA

http://www.cwv.org/

This homepage has lots of stuff for both Catholics and Protestants:

http://members.aol.com/veterans/warlib62.htm

 

[TehRoxxor]

was a Christian and I was a soldier and I was wrong on both counts.
But I do believe that Jesus's teachings... his plain words,
would not lead a believer into the military.

A large portion of my family serves our country and I resent this just as much as alonesoldier.

he didnt hear any 4th of July Rally round the flag jingo's from me

When you see how much others love the United States of America, why is it that all you can manage is a petty insult? You see patriotism, and all you want to do is stamp it out.

 

[daidhaid]

A large portion of my family serves our country and I resent this just as much as alonesoldier.

just as much wow
a large portion hmmm
By all means you should resent me too.

I can see and understand alonesoldier's stand.
He was also a grunt or in a grunt unit and may have been in combat.

but taking you to heart is not gonna be easy.
you basicaly know some guys that were in the military and you are co-opting their experiences to support your voice.
isn't this taking time away from tying yellow ribbons or something?

When you see how much others love the United States of America, why is it that all you can manage is a petty insult? You see patriotism, and all you want to do is stamp it out.

Do you really equate my not following your, political leader's, pre-emptive war as not loving America?

Does your lack of dissent prove you love America more?

is my belief that war is not a Christian endeavor a petty insult?

Is my dissent stamping out patriotism?
Or could it actually be patriotic?

Caution trick questions.

You say I'm unpatriotic andI love America less.
I wonder how many young wounded soldiers you have held.
I wonder if you have breathed in the last bloody breath
of a soldier drowing in his blood.
or listened to the incoherent words of a head wound seeing a vision of home as he faded.
Ever held a a guy while he called for his mom.
Ever told a guy who probably would never walk he was gonna make it.
have you ever finished a hard day still wearing the blood of the mornings first KIA.

Tell ya what try it see if your good at it put in a couple of tours in combat arms and then we will discuss patriotism and love of country.

Meanwhile the simple point I offered was WWJD.
You are the folks who want to follow Jesus.
Would Jesus kill people for a government/political goal?
Forget my patriotism or whatever.

You will agonize over abortion, wail over porn, decry gambling,
but war oh now that is ok. God is on our side on that one.

I have meet a lot of war loving Christians... I saw it when I was one.
I also know that some Christians oppose war, on belief in God, and the teachings of Jesus.
Do they love God less for not supporting a war you think God supports?

If there is a God and he does come back I doubt that any B.S. will fool him. He is going to spew people like crazy for all the goofy stuff they did in his name.
He will probably cut a banged up convicted sinner more slack than many who claim to do his will today.

 

[Uzi_4_U]

I am not really planning on joining the military. I am looking more towards the police.

 

[IrishJohan]

I am not really planning on joining the military. I am looking more towards the police.

Just as good and honorable.

 

[IrishJohan]

but taking you to heart is not gonna be easy.

you basicaly know some guys that were in the military and you are co-opting their experiences to support your voice.
isn't this taking time away from tying yellow ribbons or something?

At least he isn't spitting on returning veterans and calling them "baby killers" like my Dad faced after Nam.

I have a lot of respect for grunts, Army and Marines. This in no way means I ignore instances where I believe their views have gone extreme (not yours that I have seen yet) or are flat wrong (unsure on yours at the moment). I'm usually quieter about them than others, but not totally. I served in uniform myself, though not as a grunt. Am I to receive similiar remarks from you as well?

is my belief that war is not a Christian endeavor a petty insult?

Why then did you volunteer? No one forced your hand or mine to sign the enlistment papers. You will note that I haven't questioned your patriotism, and frankly I missed who did.

You say I'm unpatriotic andI love America less.

I wonder how many young wounded soldiers you have held.
I wonder if you have breathed in the last bloody breath
of a soldier drowing in his blood.
or listened to the incoherent words of a head wound seeing a vision of home as he faded.
Ever held a a guy while he called for his mom.
Ever told a guy who probably would never walk he was gonna make it.
have you ever finished a hard day still wearing the blood of the mornings first KIA.

Good summation of why I respect grunts so much. They endure a lot of **** in combat, more than most squids and flyboys.

 

[daidhaid]

At least he isn't spitting on returning veterans and calling them "baby killers" like my Dad faced after Nam.

what does that have to do with anything about the post?
anyway
I went trhough that period of time. Most of the problems that faced Nam Vets were not hippie protestors.
the spitting on vets and the baby killer stuff happened here and there but it was fringe behavior

I have a lot of respect for grunts, Army and Marines. This in no way means I ignore instances where I believe their views have gone extreme (not yours that I have seen yet) or are flat wrong (unsure on yours at the moment). I'm usually quieter about them than others, but not totally. I served in uniform myself, though not as a grunt. Am I to receive similiar remarks from you as well?

flat wrong bent twisted or what... my opinion hasnt even been addresssed.
as to my remarks to you... dude you are seeing them now.

Just one of you needs to say
Hey my flag decal will get me into heaven .
Jesus likes killing
join up today.
go on the record testify can I get an amen.

The whole point of this was to contrast the OP's statement that God was calling him into the Military.
specifically into combat arms and special ops.
in contrast
with my subjective experience as a combat medic and grunt.

contending that
that Jesus probably doesnt want us going to war.
I don't know what part of the sermon on the mount to begin with. but...
Limiting to just the words of Jesus might make it simple to understand...

Why then did you volunteer? No one forced your hand or mine to sign the enlistment papers. You will note that I haven't questioned your patriotism, and frankly I missed who did.

there was a fair amount of coercion
in order to guarantee I would be a medic they required me to disavow my claim to be a CO and volunteer to be a medic. to volunteer meant 3 years
not doing meant prosecution for refusal of the draft.
it was essentially a favor granted to my dad who meant well
my subsequent re-enlistment for was a result of being unable to make a satisfactory readjustment to civilian life.

When you see how much others love the United States of America, why is it that all you can manage is a petty insult? You see patriotism, and all you want to do is stamp it out.

there you have the statement I responded to.
I see "others love America"
and
"I stamp out patriotism"

ok now all the me stuff is out of the way...

Anybody wanna end this
by just telling me Jesus wants to kill
I'll take the post to work
and post it right by the jesus loves you tract.
we will all be happier.

 

[alonesoldier]

http://www.bunafumc.org/bunafumc/PastorNotes2.htm





I was inspired to do a google of God and the military and I found this story from a church that I have never been to or heard of and it was about me. Thats pretty strange right there. I'm Nicholas. Very very strange.

[size=+3]FROM THE PASTOR 04-09-2003[/size]

[size=+2]All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord stands forever. (I Peter 1:24-25)[/size]

[size=+2]Here’s an interesting story from the front. It was shared by Lincoln Milstead, Delbert’s son. As some of you know, he is in Iraq right now. He sent his mom and dad a newspaper article from Stars and Stripes which deeply moved him. When I read the article, I was also deeply moved. [/size]

[size=+2]A few weeks ago a fire spread through the dining tents at the base in Kuwait, where Lincoln was stationed at the time. The dining hall was composed of 5 tents, one of which was used for worship services on Sunday. An electrical short caused a fire in the northernmost tent on Sunday Morning. A strong northwestern wind quickly spread the fire from tent to tent, and within minutes, all 5 tents were totally consumed.[/size]

[size=+2]A Protestant worship service had just been dismissed from the worship tent just minutes earlier, but two Chaplains and a Chaplain’s Assistant, along with several worshippers, were still present when they heard someone yell, “Fire! Fire!” Chaplain’s Assistant Sgt. Nicolas Vara tells Stars and Stripes that he just “grabbed some stuff” and left. When the fire had finally burned out and everything was cool enough to go in and see what could be salvaged, here is what they found. Sgt. Vara says he found his laptop computer partially melted but, amazingly, still working. But all the furniture, the altar, and the table on the altar were all burned to a crisp. However, Vara’s Bible, which had been on top of the table on the altar, was completely untouched! Of Vara’s belongings, his Bible was the only item to survive the fire intact![/size]

[size=+2]I believe that this should be a lesson to everyone. Regimes may come and go. Nations will rise and fall. Wars will be fought and people will die. But God’s Word endures forever. When this war is over, I pray that God’s people everywhere will dedicate themselves to fighting the “good fight of faith” as zealously as when we fight our secular wars, and carry the Gospel of Peace to all persons everywhere.[/size]

[size=+2]See you Sunday,[/size]

[size=+2]Pastor David
[/size]

 

[SqueezetheShaman]

You say I'm unpatriotic andI love America less.
I wonder how many young wounded soldiers you have held.
I wonder if you have breathed in the last bloody breath
of a soldier drowing in his blood.
or listened to the incoherent words of a head wound seeing a vision of home as he faded.
Ever held a a guy while he called for his mom.
Ever told a guy who probably would never walk he was gonna make it.
have you ever finished a hard day still wearing the blood of the mornings first KIA.

Tell ya what try it see if your good at it put in a couple of tours in combat arms and then we will discuss patriotism and love of country.

Meanwhile the simple point I offered was WWJD.
You are the folks who want to follow Jesus.
Would Jesus kill people for a government/political goal?
Forget my patriotism or whatever.

You will agonize over abortion, wail over porn, decry gambling,
but war oh now that is ok. God is on our side on that one.

I have meet a lot of war loving Christians... I saw it when I was one.
I also know that some Christians oppose war, on belief in God, and the teachings of Jesus.
Do they love God less for not supporting a war you think God supports?

If there is a God and he does come back I doubt that any B.S. will fool him. He is going to spew people like crazy for all the goofy stuff they did in his name.
He will probably cut a banged up convicted sinner more slack than many who claim to do his will today.

There are christians on here who seem to enjoy the idea of war, alone soldier, yes I am referring to you. It may be an incorrect view but you seem to enjoy it. That seems horrible to me, and not a christian trait.

 

[Kelly]

I think that none of us 'enjoy' war. We should not seek out warfare, but we should gird ourselves for the possibilty and defend ourselves when needed.

I think that's evident in Jesus' teachings:

Matthew 26:52
"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

Luke 22:36 "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.

 

[alonesoldier]

squeezetheshaman you are correct in that you have an incorrect view. I do not enjoy war but believe in it's necessity at times. Again I think this belongs on the political board.

 

[lucypevensie]

MOD HAT ON

Actually, we just need to get back to the original topic. If this continues to stray I will shut it down and anyone can start this debate in a different forum or thread.

MHO

 

[Hound]

What was the topic? I joined this one late.

 

[IrishJohan]

there was a fair amount of coercion
in order to guarantee I would be a medic they required me to disavow my claim to be a CO and volunteer to be a medic. to volunteer meant 3 years
not doing meant prosecution for refusal of the draft.
it was essentially a favor granted to my dad who meant well
my subsequent re-enlistment for was a result of being unable to make a satisfactory readjustment to civilian life.[/QUOTE]

If this was during Vietnam, you have a right to complain about the process then. Much has changed for the better since then. As for the rest, I disagree with you on this war and I'll end it there. As I said before, unless I see something really off-the-wall I do not care to argue with combat vets. They earned respect.

 

[IrishJohan]

I think that none of us 'enjoy' war. We should not seek out warfare, but we should gird ourselves for the possibilty and defend ourselves when needed.

Agreed. I'd far prefer to keep the military "toys" for fun on the practice range than have to use them in real combat. Only a misguided fool wants to fight a war. Most of the rest of us see it as a necessity at times, but something to avoid if possible.

 

[IrishJohan]

What was the topic? I joined this one late.

LOL! I forget too! Funny how these threads can get so distracted...

 

[daidhaid]

LOL! I forget too! Funny how these threads can get so distracted...

the thread is not that far off post.
the question posed by the OP was ...

>For all us crazy, warriors for Christ who feel the every present trumpet call to service for our God, Country, and fellow warriors, is there anyone that is going in to the service, has already signed up, or is almost certain of their calling?
that begs the question wwjd.
only squeezshaman approaches that.

Really how many xtians really think Jesus is saying "go to Iraq and kill for me"?
isn't that what a calling is?
This isn't the question how many soldiers joined up thinking they were going to defend America, or how many soldiers got saved and went to war doing their sworn duty,,

this is a'priori more like, ok is Jesus telling kids to join the military, specificaly combat arms and special operations and goto Iraq?
Do You really think Jesus Christ endorses going to war or to this war?
Dare I say a preemptive war conjured from political motivations...

Go on shut the thread down if you don't see the obvious connection to the OP's original post.
>So how many crazy warriors for Christ are there?

Are there...
As many as crazy warriors for Allah?
Or for Oil?

Go on decry secular humanism, fume over gay marriages,cry tears for the unborn, rage against porno,
Hate others for fearing God, Gods or, Godessses, differently.
Hate sin in all it's other forms but...
Don't consider a simple question i/e is Jesus calling you to join or support combat arms to kill in Iraq.

The mere question seems to call your patriotism into question. Why is that?
And must we think Patriotism/ Nationalism is next to Godliness.

Maybe we need to rewrite a few hymns.
Like this one pulled from memory...

"Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling.
Calling for you and for me.
Why should we tarry and heed not his calling.
Callingfor you and for me.
come home come home.
All who are weary come home."

That is the basic calling from Jesus.
Maybe we need to update that to include Iraq.
That was the substance of answering the OP.

 

[lucypevensie]

This thread will be closed until further notice.