Hey guys what's your thoughts on one's spirituality after seeing combat or experiencing death first hand (does not have to be combat)? Do you feel it will strengthen that bond (a person to a higher power) or crush it? Another quick one; I always hear that the war zone is the "real world", what is your take on this comment? Which is the "real world"?
Most old veterans I've heard talk (ww2/vietnam vets) say your faith is almost literally beaten out of you when you're exposed to long periods of fighting
The way I see it, it can go 3 ways: Strengthens your faith Breaks it Neutral, doesn't change it. As it was before.
I've seen someone die pretty brutally but I'm not spiritual or religious so that never really entered my mind.
I think if it breaks your faith then your faith was never real to begin with, honestly. It was flimsy and probably would've broken eventually. If it strengthens it, then it confirms it. If it "doesn't change", chances are it's not really anything if it's not affected in some way by first-hand death.
So if a preacher loses his faith because both his wife and newborn child died during childbirth, nothing is really lost because he never had much faith to begin with? Are you kidding? Who are you to decide such a thing? There's no limit to the unfortunate circumstances which can shaken the stoutest faith; I don't care how "faithful" you feel at the given moment.
Faith and doubt both are needed - not as antagonists, but working side by side to take us around the unknown curve. -Lillian Smith
Apathy, and anomie are two huge issues that veterans run into after returning from conflict. I think it's more likely one will lose their faith. Someone who says, "The war zone is the real world." would have stated something completely meaningless to me.