Saturday, July 23, 2005

Think, Christian

Even though the war in Iraq is a miserable reality, even though the number of dead American soldiers is approaching the 1,800 mark, even though more prisoner abuse scandals are unfolding, even though the number of insurgents is growing, and even though the war on terrorism is creating more terrorists, still Christians are defending Bush, the war, and the military... I was shocked at the pervasiveness of drunkenness and sexual immorality among my fellow soldiers. A half-hearted review of the divorce and unwed pregnancy statistics of military personnel would give one an outline for a book on military culture. Go to a VA hospital and see which department is the busiest – it will be the alcohol and drug treatment program. Military culture is rotten to the core (despite the clean-shaven, spit-shined façade), and it corrupts those who enter therein...

2 comments:

Fr. D.L. Jones said...

Has this man spent one day in the military?

It is my conviction that good Catholics and/or Christians must serve in the military. It's a vocation for sure and not for everyone, but it is honorable. A much better person to read on this topic is Dr. James H. Toner.

Anonymous said...

I served in the Army for 3 years and I find the comments very true. The divorce rate for E-4 and below was 80% when I was in. My unit was mixed (male and female) and adultery/fornication was very common in the field and the barracks. Pressure to get sterilized/obtain proper contraception was high.

I do believe that the Military can be an honorable vocation for the right Catholics. Unfortunately, for many Catholics it is nothing but an occasion of sin. Also, I would suggest that any Catholic that join the military, ground himself in the Church's teaching on just war, before he enter. I would also say that he should say up front that he reserves the right to selective conscientious objection, when told to go to an unjust war, or perform immoral acts on the battlefield.