U.S. troops turn to faith amid realities of war

CNN.com ^ | 12/23/2007 | By Alphonso Van Marsh

[dayglored]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- ...

The U.S. military has followers of Judaism, Christianity and Islam serving in Iraq. This December, all three faiths observe major holidays within weeks of each other. For some troops, it is not just difficult celebrating these holidays away from home. They are also turning to their faiths that espouse peace to cope with the reality of the war in Iraq...

...

At nearby U.S. Army Camp Liberty, Chaplain Felix Kumai says he counsels Christian soldiers who see complications with biblical commandments like "Thou shalt not kill," as they serve God and country. "It is a really sensitive and difficult question," Kumai, a Roman Catholic priest, says...

...

Muslim-American Army Spc. Lamia Lahlou was born in Morocco and was living in New York in 2001. On September 11, Lahlou's best friend was in one of the trains below the World Trade Center and was killed. "I needed to do something [in response to the attacks]," Lahlou says. She eventually enlisted in the U.S. Army... "[They ask me] 'How can you be a Muslim and you are fighting for America?'" she says. "I love America, so I fight for it -- that's my jihad," she says...

...

Before the Shabbat service, Jewish-American Army Spc. Thomas Forsyth says he thinks God is looking out for him in Iraq. The 30-year old says his faith helps justify his actions in the war zone: "As a Jew, even on Sabbath, what we do is defensive." Shulman says the Jewish troops he counsels have a similar mind set. "These are highly professional volunteer soldiers, who knew what they were getting into," Shulman says. "On the Jewish side of things, there is such a thing as a justifiable war."

...

[dayglored]

I find it interesting (and pleasing) that CNN posted this sort of article. It actually seems to be an attempt to recognize the importance of faith. Who'd have guessed? (/sarc)

[Clintonfatigued]

This is a development to be applauded.

[narses]

+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic Ping List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to all note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of interest.

[Gamecock]

***he counsels Christian soldiers who see complications with biblical commandments like “Thou shalt not kill***

It’s murder. Thou shalt not murder.

[RetiredArmy]

Muslim-American Army Spc. Lamia Lahlou was born in Morocco and was living in New York in 2001. On September 11, Lahlou's best friend was in one of the trains below the World Trade Center and was killed. "I needed to do something [in response to the attacks]," Lahlou says. She eventually enlisted in the U.S. Army... "[They ask me] 'How can you be a Muslim and you are fighting for America?'" she says. "I love America, so I fight for it -- that's my jihad," she says...

This young lady has more honor than Marxist Dimocrats who pretend they are Americans. Good for her.

[onedoug]

The original Hebrew is, “Do not murder.” I wish we could go to the source on these things.

[bray]

Merry Christmas to Our Amazing Troops

[Little Bill]

What did Christ say to the Centurion?.

[dayglored]

>> ***he counsels Christian soldiers who see complications with biblical commandments like “Thou shalt not kill***

> It’s murder. Thou shalt not murder.

Yes, but my KJV says "Thou shalt not kill", and a few years ago my daughter asked me whether that was absolute, or whether there were justifiable exceptions.

It's a legitimate question.

[dayglored]

> This young lady has more honor than Marxist Dimocrats who pretend they are Americans. Good for her.

That was my thought also. Wish there were more like her, but of course, she is notable not just for her beliefs, but for her rarity.

[dayglored]

> The original Hebrew is, “Do not murder.” I wish we could go to the source on these things.

Yes. Unfortunately, I don't like setting a precedent of saying, "The Bible is right, except for these parts where the translation is off." I'm an old fart who loves the KJV, and in circumstances like this I would go back to the sources, except I can't read 'em...

[dayglored]

> This is a development to be applauded.

The writer:

CNN bio page about the writer

[Gamecock]

I know this will set the KJV crowd off, but the KJV is not the most literal translation out there.

[dayglored]

> I know this will set the KJV crowd off, but the KJV is not the most literal translation out there.

Oh, well... duh. I know that -- I'm not a KJV literalist, but since I was a little boy it has been "The Bible" and I resist these modern-English groovy translations. Thing is, I'll always be dependent on -some- translation or other, since I couldn't read the -real- originals in the original language(s) even if I got my hands on them.

So for me, anyway, the KJV is "The Bible", warts and all. I don't re-define it; I just read it as the closest I've got.

[Gamecock]

So you want to base your understanding on “warts.”

Got it.

[dayglored]

> So you want to base your understanding on “warts.” Got it.

I don't think we need to go there. We all have our sources of wisdom and guidance -- you prefer your scriptural sources to mine, and I have no issue with that. I see from your profile page that you are very active in religious matters, and I applaud your faith, energy, devotion. Merry Christmas!

[Philo-Junius]

But you’ll notice that CNN posits a distinction between faith and reality, and implies that faith somehow constitutes a refuge from reality.

[dayglored]

> But you’ll notice that CNN posits a distinction between faith and reality, and implies that faith somehow constitutes a refuge from reality.

I see what you're saying.... but I interpreted this article as showing how faith lets our troops (and by extension, all of us) deal with difficult moral issues in our everyday life. Sometimes that means taking refuge from them, but at least in these cases, the troops are deriving strength from their faith, and doing what needs to be done. So I acknowledge your observation but offer in return that the article seems to encompass more than that alone.

[onedoug]

I also have a Shield Of Strength on my keychain that I read in Stephan Mansfield's The Faith Of The American Soldier are similarly carried by many Americans deployed.

It reads: "I will be strong and courageous. I will not be terrified, or discouraged; for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go." --Joshua 1:9

Best to You and Yours. Merry Christmas.

[dayglored]

> I also have a Shield Of Strength on my keychain that I read in Stephan Mansfield's The Faith Of The American Soldier are similarly carried by many Americans deployed. It reads: "I will be strong and courageous. I will not be terrified, or discouraged; for the Lord my God is with me wherever I go." --Joshua 1:9

Excellent!

> Best to You and Yours. Merry Christmas.

The very same in return!