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My dad, who was a WWII marine corps combat veteran believe no atheists in "foxholes" exists, when the enemy is shooting at you. Do you agree or disagree? Please explain you answer ... for example ... when faced with death you will believe in a God because you want to stay alive.

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  • 28 votes
AirForceRN1 7 June 13
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28 comments

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6

I was in combat in Vietnam and don't ever remember thinking of God. The closest I came was to say, "Jesus fucking Christ"

5

Just because I want to stay alive is no reason to start believing in a delusion.

4

Wouldn't make any difference to me. No point in wasting time on sky daddys who don't exist. I'd be trying to find a way to escape!

4

As a veteran, I know how stubborn we are. Vets are, in general, not the most open people, and when they've formed an opinion, it's unlikely to change. However invested he is in that opinion though, I assure you it's wrong.

I've never seen men pray under direct fire. I've seen them pray on helicopter flights, after mission briefings, and after the dust settles, but when bullets are flying there are more pressing things to do. I'm pretty sure that neither believers nor nonbelievers even think about god while the shit is actively hitting the fan.

JimG Level 8 June 13, 2018
4

Why have a foxhole if god will save you?

3

My father became an athiest in the foxhole, so no.

3

Believing in god/gods won’t save anyone, it’s just the luck of the draw. We all face death, some sooner than others.
Prime example from my life: my brother was a dedicated, lifelong xtian. Lived his truth in every way, I actually respected him because he was never preachy-judgey and he loved without condition. He was diagnosed with Glioblastoma brain cancer at age 49 and despite his faith/belief/lifetime of serving his god, died. Meanwhile here -I- am, atheist. Still alive. Never believed, never prayed, nada. I’m just luckier than my brother was.

2

Marine and there isn't any god for protection proof is the number of prayers unfullfilled and the graves to prove it.

Marine Level 8 June 21, 2018
2

I cannot imagine that watching bodies being blown apart can convince someone that there is a god, unless they are talking an evil god. However, it does seem, illogically, that people become more religious in the face of disaster. Never understood that.

2

I was in the military and someone I was stationed with overseas posted a meme about that up on his facebook page. I asked him if he remembered being in the bunkers with me and he did, then I reminded him that my dog tags said None in the religion space for a reason. I think he blocked me because I have not seen him on there in a long time...lol

2

I would be concentrating on trying to stay alive, not stick my head in the dirt and ask for help for something that's not there.

xyz123 Level 7 June 14, 2018
2

I've died a couple of times. Sorry for the curious but I saw no light, recall no fairies... LOL Just nothing and then zzzzzzzt back. No realization on my part of the time that I was "gone." I did have marks on my chest from the paddles. I must be allergic to that stuff that they use on them.

2

"Do you agree or disagree?"
Please explain your question.
Yes or No doesn't work here logically!

Athos Level 5 June 14, 2018
2

I voted no, but i think depending on the person, it could go either way. Ive never been in the military, but i have been in life or death situations, and i did not pray to anyone. I guess if anything, i prayed to myself, so i guess maybe i kinda did.  I thought things like, move your ass! And go go go, and don't breath. Not, oh please save me big sky daddy

Byrd Level 7 June 14, 2018
2

I have faced my own death in many ways, including being shot at, and many times. I didn't believe or pray at those times and I still don't believe. One time I thought, "Well, I thought I'd have longer to live, but, oh well ...". Another time, had I died, my last thought would have been, "Oh, sh*t".

2

Even Einstein referred to god as something unexplainable and he was a super agnostic. When shit happens and you can`t immediately explain it the human thing to do is blame something. So when you make it out of combat and you are not hit, after you change your shorts and sort it out, you feel the need to blame something.

azzow2 Level 9 June 13, 2018
1

As you can see from the comments below the answer has to be no. You can get hit by a bus crossing the street, driving in this country you can die at any moment, if facing death changes your belief in God then you probably aren't changing your belief. Because someone is shooting at you doesn't prove there is a God right? The saying should be changed to" foxholes prove who the true atheists are."

lerlo Level 8 June 25, 2018
1

This is simply not true. I've seen it myself. No one talked about religion before, during, or after we all thought we could die at any moment.

1
1

I don't know if it's not just habit from language and expressions we were raised with. I mean, I'll admit I've screamed god a few times.

1

That's insulting.

1

It's a trick question and your all knowing god could tell instantly why a person suddenly started believing. Nobody really wants to die, but ask god about all those children in hospitals and dying of cancer.

1

Can anyone deny that many, if not most of the 6 million jews, and millions of others who were incinerated by the Nazis believed in god and were praying to god on the way to the showers. Ask your father how that turned out for them?

0

I find it odd to realise that I have never asked myself this question .. perhaps I have never needed to. Over my lifetime, despite having faced life-threatening situations several times - some subsequently resulting in unpleasant injuries - I have never consciously or spontaneously, reached for "god". I think it just simply never occurred to me. However, the worst I have suffered (and do so now) is the threat to the lives of those most dear to me (thro' mental health issues), which has been continuing now for some years - still no god has shown up!
As a kid, I started out as a questioning agnostic (tho' I wouldn't of known that term then) and have graduated to a die-hard, almost antitheist, atheist.

0

No.

Coldo Level 8 June 23, 2018
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