Whats does the Catholic church think about joining the Armed Forces? is it a sin?

[jazz91]

Wether if it was for a cause or not, the war will always be war. that i like them no, that i approve of them no, bt i will always give thanks to those who serve in the military & pray for ther lives, because it takes a lot from someone to join the military. I personally coming from a parent who joined i personally not a fan of the military but then again things are way different in other countries, and its much more difficult. but I will always support the troops because they are the ones who protect us, freedom is not free & you guys have to agree on this, no matter what your opinion is wether military is bad, etc, everything you guys have been arguing about. So many people have so many different point of views, & its respected but one thing we should all get together for is support our troops & always give them that thanks & god bless you they need for doing everything they do for this country. & i can imagine how hard it is for someone to have their husband, son, daughter, wife etc in the military. I personally have a very good friend of mine in the marine, his thank god reserve but that dsnt mean his free of getting deployed. ive never agreed with the military just because of all the violence & things that i believe are just unfair, like the war were in right now, but then again im not very educated about it & i only go by what ive heard & seen in tv, so i cant say much & argue about anything because i dnt know anything, bt i am against it. their is so many points of views you guys, & you have to respects everyones point of view no matter what it is… but may god bless your troops & thank you guys for everything you do. Every single person in the military.

 

[Benadam]

I have no doubt that the military presents a great field of spiritual opportunity. Where else would the average joe get to participate in something as rich in meaning as whats happeing in Afghanistan?

 

[PatriceA]

My personal opinion is that most people would benefit from spending at least a few years in military service.

Same here.

 

[PatriceA]

I have no doubt that the military presents a great field of spiritual opportunity. Where else would the average joe get to participate in something as rich in meaning as whats happeing in Afghanistan?

Are you being sarcastic? Because my husband, that works in civil affairs in Afghanistan and Iraq, could share all the good that is happening in both places that you will probably never hear about in mainstream media.

 

[PatriceA]

I don’t deny that there are many fine Catholics in the military, I was simply saying I think it is better not to join

Better for YOU not to join, maybe. But please don’t speak as if you are an authority that all Catholics should not join the military.

 

[jazz91]

i once my self wanted to join the military my reason i wanted to help people, i want to become a nurse for children & teenagers, & at one point i decided nothing is better than helping people in the military services & other people being a nurse in the military, but im also sorta scared for so many reasons but i know the military makes you grow into a better person, not everything is bad & makes people respect you & you help so many people out. I believe its a very good opportunity for a better life, but i shall never forget about my faith, about my god that has helped me through out so much & still continues to bless me & my family.)

 

[Benadam]

Are you being sarcastic? Because my husband, that works in civil affairs in Afghanistan and Iraq, could share all the good that is happening in both places that you will probably never hear about in mainstream media.

I wasn’t being sarcastic. Where people are committed to such profound transition the call to self sacrifice comes loud and often.

 

[PatriceA]

I wasn’t being sarcastic. Where people are committed to such profound transition the call to self sacrifice comes loud and often.

Can you expand on your comment? Because I do not understand what you mean.

 

[Benadam]

Can you expand on your comment? Because I do not understand what you mean.

Like in Afghanistan, we are committed to providing an environment that will allow the Afghan people to build strong civil and military structures. They are committed to make this transition and we are committed to help them. This kind of environment is richer than average in opportunities to put others first. It’s a place where things are happening.

 

[ChiRho]

But please don’t speak as if you are an authority that all Catholics should not join the military.

Thanks but no thanks. My advice doesn’t pertain strictly to Catholics either. I find it interesting that no other profession has such a thin skin when it gets criticized, that any detractor is automatically lampooned.

 

[ahollars]

Thanks but no thanks. My advice doesn’t pertain strictly to Catholics either. I find it interesting that no other profession has such a thin skin when it gets criticized, that any detractor is automatically lampooned.

Criticism is one thing. Saying things that are false and can be disproven, just because you have a flawed perception, is why you are called out for it.

The were WMDs in Iraq, and when we found them, the Washington Post buried a single story on page B9. Most of the media completely ignored it and continued the slander that the whole thing was a lie. Your earlier statement is factually inaccurate, and a simple google search can find the reference.

We have thin skin because of Vietnam and people like you who have never seen any of the good that our force has brought the world. Of course you can sit back and criticize about what you see wrong. You weren’t there, you don’t know the whole story, and you have the gall to say that eyewitnesses, like me, are part of the problem.

You would rather believe the worst about your fellow citizen who volunteers to defend your right to be a pacifist, than admit that you do not know the entire story. Most of what we do is classified and will not be heard about so that the people are protected and the techniques cannot be countered.

Vietnam could have and should have been different. We won every battle and still lost the war, because people like you spat on us when we got back home.

 

[ahollars]

BTW, if you believe that the commanding officers are privy to information that soldiers are not, then that shows your level of ignorance of military affairs.

FROM THE CREED OF THE NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER:

“I will communicate consistently with my soldiers and never leave them uninformed.”

Just where do you think military commanders get their intelligence information from? The troops on the ground.

My wife and I were both in signal and intel, and our commanders got their reports from us and the rest of the platoon.

I am still in the intelligence field, so excuse me if I don’t share details with you to your liking, but there are a lot of things that you probably have never heard before.

If you really believe that about the military, then be prepared when your child tells you at 18 that he or she is not going to college but wants to enlist. It happens all the time.

 

[ChiRho]

Criticism is one thing. Saying things that are false and can be disproven, just because you have a flawed perception, is why you are called out for it.

The were WMDs in Iraq, and when we found them, the Washington Post buried a single story on page B9. Most of the media completely ignored it and continued the slander that the whole thing was a lie. Your earlier statement is factually inaccurate, and a simple google search can find the reference.

If whatever weapons you are referring to had been anything close to what the Bush administration was looking for, they would have paraded them left and right as a justification for the war. The WMDs which I believe you are referring to were degraded anyway, which the report says were likely pre-Gulf War. (au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/dni/dni_ltr_wmd_21jun06.pdf)

We have thin skin because of Vietnam and people like you who have never seen any of the good that our force has brought the world. Of course you can sit back and criticize about what you see wrong. You weren’t there, you don’t know the whole story, and you have the gall to say that eyewitnesses, like me, are part of the problem.

In other words “if you weren’t there, shut up”. Thank goodness people don’t listen.

You would rather believe the worst about your fellow citizen who volunteers to defend your right to be a pacifist

When have I advocated being a pacifist? I’m simply rejecting the notion that brutal killings of civilians such as in Japan and Germany in the past are justified. You are the one who tried to defend that, not me.

Vietnam could have and should have been different. We won every battle and still lost the war, because people like you spat on us when we got back home.

I wish it had been lost sooner, so so many on either side wouldn’t have died.

 

[JimG]

I have no doubt that the military presents a great field of spiritual opportunity. Where else would the average joe get to participate in something as rich in meaning as whats happeing in Afghanistan?

One of the priests of my diocese got permission from the bishop to join the Army and is now serving as a chaplain in Afghanistan. He loves the work there. But the bishop wants him back when his Army stint is finished.

 

[Wendy1989]

Food for thought: If it was so sinful to be in the military, then why is there a Military Archdiocese? Yes, that’s right - all five branches of the military (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force & Coast Guard) are recognized together as a diocese. There are many fine priests and deacons serving in the military as chaplains. It is a unique diocese. It really has no borders or boundries. If your child is considering a path into the Armed Forces, please have them talk to their priest. If you are near a military post, you might be able to speak to the priest nearest to that post or even a priest serving as a chaplain.

I have also included the link to the Archdiocese:
milarch.org

God Bless our Troops and the families who serve with them!