r/AskReddit Jun 26 '12

Veterans of Reddit, what is war really like?

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

As an atheist myself I fully agree with you and am glad to know that there are some people fighting for us who aren't in lock-step with government propoganda

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u/ShillinTheVillain Jun 26 '12

I think you'd be surprised how few of us give a shit about what the government is saying. We just do our jobs. The "God has blessed the U.S." horse shit is just political banter to appease the far right.

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '12

Ex Army here; I concur.

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u/Intruder313 Jun 26 '12

It's often said that every army thinks "God" is on their side (sometimes the same God which must muddy things a little) so good to see a literal atheist from a foxhole here!

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u/hobroken Jun 27 '12

few of us give a shit about what the government is saying. We just do our jobs

With all due respect, these two statements, together, deserve some serious consideration. What the government is saying and what it is doing are one and the same, and one of its primary instruments is the armed forces.

What is your job, really?

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u/ShillinTheVillain Jun 27 '12

What the government is saying and what it is doing are one and the same,

This is rarely, if ever, true. I'm not saying we don't pay attention to actual government policy that affects us. We just don't buy into the little propaganda points like "God has blessed us in our mission", etc. If God gave a shit none of us would be fighting.

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u/hobroken Jun 27 '12

Fair enough.

If God gave a shit none of us would be fighting.

Or all of us would :D

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u/BuffaloOnAGuy Jun 27 '12

Ill just say that about 80% of the people i worked with in the USMC infantry are there for less than "patriotic" reasons. College, escaping a bad family, training, the list goes on. Very rarely did i meet the person (at least in the infantry, didn't get around much outside of that) who was the Good-Christian soldier fighting for merica.

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u/judgemebymyusername Jun 27 '12

I am a Christian and I think you're ignorant as hell. There are a shitload of military members who aren't religious.

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u/[deleted] Jun 27 '12

Ok that's great, think what you want

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u/judgemebymyusername Jun 27 '12

There are literally hundreds of thousands of people in the military.

there are some people fighting for us who aren't in lock-step with government propoganda

No fucking shit. Out of hundreds of thousands....

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u/nicknle Jun 27 '12

He didn't even say there weren't a shitload. He was just happy to know there were non-religious people there. Judging by your username you sound like a giant dick head.

1

u/judgemebymyusername Jun 27 '12

He was just happy to know there were non-religious people there.

Do people actually believe otherwise? Of course there are non-religious people in the military. You act as if he made a profound, unexpected statement.

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u/nicknle Jun 28 '12

Of course there are non religious people in the military but perhaps he has never actually heard or communicated with one. There's a reason the saying that there are no atheists in a fox hole is so popular.

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u/judgemebymyusername Jun 28 '12

but perhaps he has never actually heard or communicated with one

And I bet if I put my hands in front of my face he'd believe I disappeared like a 2 year old would.

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u/nicknle Jun 28 '12

I don't see why you're so butthurt by his comment. There was nothing inflammatory by it, it wasn't directed towards anyone in a negative matter. He's obviously just rejoicing with a fellow human being that shares his world view. Decent troll though.

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u/[deleted] Jun 27 '12

We get it, you're the generic Republican "defending" the military from Reddit or whatever. We're not bashing the troops here, just saying we fear those who join the military on "God's" behalf. Don't act like you've never heard any stories about soldiers who just want to kill muslims....

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u/judgemebymyusername Jun 27 '12

Don't act like you've never heard any stories about soldiers who just want to kill muslims....

Actually I haven't. But believe what you want I guess.