C0DE423

This is my first post here so bear with me;

Im joining the army and i plan on going to basic training in about 4 to 5 months. Serving my country in definitly a passion of mine and i feel like i wouldint be able to live with myself by sitting on the couch knowing that theres a war going on, call me crazy but in my heart the army is just somthing i have to do. I dont know why but it seems that death is always on my mind. I plan on going into the infantry and i always seem to come across the thought of dying. I sometimes think about how my mom or girl friend will be devestated if somthing bad were to happen to me. Other times i think of how i come from a long line of survivers ( Grandfather being a purple heart in korea/ two marine cousins/ mother surviving a horrible car accident against all odds) and i know that God wont let anything happen to me. Are these thoughts im having normal? do most people think this way before going or am i just being negative? i would post this on yahoo answers, but im not in the mood for some biased bullshit. Thanks

Shauk

It's a human condition to ponder one's mortality. Only a fool deludes themselves in to thinking they're above the laws of the universe.

I don't want to even really address the "I know that God wont let anything happen to me" line but I can't help it. Many men died believing that faith would shield them from the result of steel and blood. The Crusades and many other wars before that, If it's not moral reasons for nations to go to war, it's religious ones.

You may ponder your own mortality, but I ponder the mortality of any man put in front of you. Can you kill a man because your country told you to, not knowing the complexity that makes this man a man? What situations and decisions in life he had to make that ultimately put him in your crosshairs?

I can't. Good luck to you.

ObieX

This would be the main reason i didn't join the military. My own safety really isn't my concern. The military will very quickly make you think of these *men* as nothing but targets to be destroyed. That will be your job. To kill.

I brought this point up to many people and they suggested joining the military as a non-com... but i would still be facilitating the killing of others.

Before you go i would suggest deeply thinking over stuff like this, as well as the reason the US is over in these places killing people. Consider what the real motives are behind these wars and the people who's lives you will be asked to take.

As for the God part, if you are really concerned with what God thinks about war/you you should remember the commandment that tells you not to kill. Remember, this is a *commandment* not a suggestion. It does not say "Thou shalt not kill.. except when X happens."
I find it interesting how religious people, Christians especially, can go out and justify killing. The story that sticks out in my mind the most from the bible is when the soldiers came for Jesus. One of Jesus' disciples pulled his sword to fight the soldiers so they wouldn't take Jesus, cutting off one of the soldier's ears. Jesus told him to put his sword away and (iirc) healed the soldier's ear and then went with them.

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dlish

i remember a most recent incident where i nigerian dude put his faith in god, and look where it landed him. if you think you're above the laws of physics, then good luck bud...many bad things happened to people who thought they had god on their side.

i also could have been killed twice in a week a few years ago, but i got through almost unscathed. it wont make me think that god's watching over me and my family with a sphere of protection

as for the thoughts on death, they run through everybody's head at different times in their lives..its only natural you are thinking those thoughts.

good luck

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The_Jazz

Yahoo answers? Please. You're going to get thoughtful responses here, for the most part.

I'm the son of a West Point grad who broke his back in a parachuting accident. I almost went to the Naval Academy (I'm approaching 40 now). When I was your age, I thought I was as bullet-proof as you think that you are. You're not. You're very not.

God is not on anyone's side. Accepting the belief in God for a moment since you do, I'm sure that you'll admit that you don't know God's plan or have any idea of what it holds for you. Your relatives' escapes don't mean anything for you. Those were all situations where they were lucky to survive. Those situations have no bearing on your future.

That said, you can die stepping off the curb at the wrong time or by stepping on the brake instead of the accelator. There's not much you can do about that and, as the saying goes, nothing in life is certain except death (and taxes). You're going to die eventually, but the question is whether or not it will be in a foreign land or elsewhere. You could get killed in a freak lightening storm during basic training.

Good luck, kid.

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Baraka_Guru

Thinking about death is normal. But it's also out of whack.

We tend to fear things disproportionately. For example, I'm a nervous wreck when flying, despite the statistical reality of my much higher likelihood of dying from cancer, heart disease, or a pedestrian/car accident. Just look at the statistics on cancer, heart disease, and car-accident mortality rates and then think for a moment our daily habits related to nutrition, exercise, hygiene, safety, etc., and I think most of us will see the disparity. Much of our fears/concerns are mislaid. How many of us have taken courses on nutrition and fitness? Defensive driving? How many of us treat operating an automobile even remotely the way a pilot does a commercial airliner?

I'm not sure what the average lifespan of military personnel of your nationality is or whether it deviates that much from the general population, but you are adding an additional risk factor to your life by choosing a riskier occupation than average.

However, life is an odd thing. I know you believe in God, but people of all walks and ages of life die. Some die quickly, others horribly. Some die accidentally, others by the hands of others. And whether these deaths came to those of good morals/faith or not doesn't seem to matter. Death comes just the same.

I think the trick is to commit your mind to things that matter, and realize that life is precious. You want to serve and defend your country, which is admirable. You seem to know the risks associated with this. It's normal to think about death, but don't let it overwhelm you. Think instead about what you hope to accomplish while you're alive. Think about how your living a full life will affect those around you, and even those you will never meet.

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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
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aceventura3

Thanks for volunteering to serve. I never served in the military and now at 49 I regret never serving. In high school I knew I wanted to go to college and I never really thought about serving after graduation or combining continuing education with service. I know a few people who chose that route and a few who have put in over twenty years and have now moved on in the private sector with the military experience under their belt. The opportunities, like most things, are what you make them - but having military experience is certainly an advantage.

I have been a risk taker most of my life and I have done many things where my life was at risk. What I have found is, with proper training and precautions I can approach situations with confidence. When confidence goes, it is time to stop, do something different or take another approach. Fear is natural and in my view required. I tend to think those without fear are ignorant. The proper amount of fear helps to make sure you take training and precautions seriously. I think you will do fine, I would worry about the guy who has no fear.

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Seaver

I salute you for wanting to enlist, however some of your statements are very telling.

As said, regardless of amount of faith God won't necessarily prevent anything from happening to you. I could get into a very long theological debate on how that belief started with radically ignorant pastors, but I won't save for the quote of "The rain falls on the just and unjust alike."

Remember that joining the military is more than just a job, and is not an easy commitment to make.

I myself was in Officer Training when I injured my back, I was unable to walk for 4 months and at the end of it I had to go under the knife. I was released before ever really being able to serve my country, but I took the lessons they teach their own and it has helped me greatly in standing out in the civilian world.

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Slims

Few people get injured or killed in the Military these days.

Worry is normal, but keep it in perspective.

Good luck!

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"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence

Cimarron29414

The commandment is "Thou shall not murder." There's a significant difference between killing and murdering.

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Baraka_Guru

God is one of the earliest documented inciters of genocide. But I think this is beside the point.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

genuinegirly

I was going to join the airforce ROTC in 2001, but my mother threw an intense fit over the matter, vowing to disown me if I decided to I'll always be a bit sad that I didn't go that route, but I'm finding my own path through life, finding ways to serve humanity through advancements in scientific discovery.

You have the option to join the military -go for it. Why anyone would choose infantry is beyond me, but if that's what you find most interesting, go for it. Before you choose, though, check out all of the options available to you in a military career. Opt for the one that will best match your future goals. You can learn many useful skills in the military that will translate well to civilian life.

As for this:
It really depends on the translation.

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Derwood

My own fear of death (coupled with not believing in any of the military efforts the US has engaged in) is one of several reasons I never joined the military.

KirStang

It's perfectly normal. I was in MEPs not too long ago and contemplating where this road would take me, and whether I'd be okay afterwards. Good luck, and stay safe.

Slims

No, the translation may differ, but the meaning of the original is more accurately translated as "Murder" and not "Kill."



I can mis-translate anything I want, but sloppy translation does not change the original intent nor the meaning.

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"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence

Willravel

C0DE423, I've never been in the military, but I would imagine a preoccupation with death is something you'll want to get out of your system before being deployed. If this concern continues, I strongly suggest a few sessions with a trained professional therapist or counselor in addition to speaking with your pastor or priest.

Good luck and be careful.



Regarding the Bible and killing/murdering, I know of plenty of passages that don't just condone murder, but command it. Likewise, there are pacifistic verses which very clearly put fourth the idea that one should never kill. The Bible is always going to be subjective because of its inherent contradictions, so please try to filter what you read through your own personal morality and the social contract. If you're like me and you don't believe in killing, don't kill. If you're like Slims (and most other people) and don't believe in murdering, don't murder. If you think it's okay to murder, please see the social contract (if you commit murder, there will be consequences imposed on you by your given society).