Think, Vance

July 26, 2005

My recent LRC article, “Think Christian,” generated over one hundred responses from veterans who confirmed the testimony of my four “witnesses.” Two veterans, however, responded with some criticism and wanted me to “think, Vance.” It is these two critics that I would like to now briefly address.

An Air Force major objects that I “characterize the general call and mission of the military as being unChristian.” But if dropping bombs on people half way around the world that you don’t know is not unChristian then nothing is unChristian. He also mentions in a general context people laying down their lives for others. There is no doubt that many dead U.S. soldiers thought that they were laying down their lives for the people of the United States. I am sorry to say that they were deceived and died in vain for a “war on his mind” president and the U.S. global empire. The tragic thing is that no U.S. soldier had to die or shed one drop of his blood since Iraq was no threat to the people of the U.S.

A WWII Navy vet maintains that prostitutes, pornography, and bad language “are the result of what is in a man or woman’s heart” and not the fault of the military. I agree. But why should a Christian who avoids these things put himself in a position where he is tempted to partake or where he has to be around such things?

The more I think about Christians (or anyone else) in the military the more I am opposed to the idea. Ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, women and men–just say “no” to the recruiters.