Soldier's Baptism in Iraq

[Nope]

Someone posted this on Facebook. It is a video from 2006 so you might have seen it already. An American soldier is filmed being baptized in the Euphrates River in Iraq. One part of the video says 'To perform a Christian baptism in a hostile land that is gripped by Islamic Extremism."

Would this group need approval to go into, what the video says, is hostile territory and perform the baptism? Also, if they had come under fire and been captured would other soldiers have had to risk their lives to save them?

[watchamadoodle]

I wonder if they meant that Iraq in general was a hostile land gripped by Islamic extremism? So hopefully the baptism was performed in a part of Iraq that was under US control at that time? (I didn't watch the video yet; I'm just speculating. I make a point to not read about current events, because they depress me, so I don't know the rules for US soldiers in Iraq.)

[Brian37]

The oath of office does not prevent religious people serving in the military, OF ANY LABEL and even atheists serve. I only see this as superfluous not illegal. I would say that there should be no paid enlisted military doing it. If a holy person wants to volunteer or get paid from private churches, fine.

But if they are going to allow Christian Chaplins they have to allow other Chaplins as well.

[Nope]

The oath of office does not prevent religious people serving in the military, OF ANY LABEL and even atheists serve. I only see this as superfluous not illegal. I would say that there should be no paid enlisted military doing it. If a holy person wants to volunteer or get paid from private churches, fine.

But if they are going to allow Christian Chaplins they have to allow other Chaplins as well.

They do allow other religions to have their leaders serve as Chaplains also.

I agree that religious soldiers should be able to practice their faith. My concern that if this occurred in as hostile an environment as the video suggests then they could have been attacked. If they had been attacked, other service members would have had to risk their lives to help them. In the video, the chaplain says that baptism isn't for salvation so the soldier being baptised didn't feel that this was something he had to do in order to get to heaven.

I know when my husband was stationed in Afghanistan, he couldn't leave the base without permission.

[Brian37]

The oath of office does not prevent religious people serving in the military, OF ANY LABEL and even atheists serve. I only see this as superfluous not illegal. I would say that there should be no paid enlisted military doing it. If a holy person wants to volunteer or get paid from private churches, fine.

But if they are going to allow Christian Chaplins they have to allow other Chaplins as well.

They do allow other religions to have their leaders serve as Chaplains also.

I agree that religious soldiers should be able to practice their faith. My concern that if this occurred in as hostile an environment as the video suggests then they could have been attacked. If they had been attacked, other service members would have had to risk their lives to help them.

I know when my husband was stationed in Afghanistan, he couldn't leave the base without permission.

All religions are nutty, but when it comes to the military, when it comes to relaxation events like that, I am sure they go out of their way to make it as safe as possible.

I doubt they were breaking protocol.

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I will say this, depending on unit or assignment there still is a high degree of social pressure, especially in training bases and military schools to fit in with some sort of religious activity.

[Drich]

Someone posted this on Facebook. It is a video from 2006 so you might have seen it already. An American soldier is filmed being baptized in the Euphrates River in Iraq. One part of the video says 'To perform a Christian baptism in a hostile land that is gripped by Islamic Extremism."

Would this group need approval to go into, what the video says, is hostile territory and perform the baptism? Also, if they had come under fire and been captured would other soldiers have had to risk their lives to save them?

That was awesome thanks for sharing, make me a proud God fearing Merican!

[Minimalist]

a proud God fearing Merican!

You're a pussy.

[dyresand]

a proud God fearing Merican!

You're a pussy.

[Anomalocaris]

a proud God fearing Merican!

You're a pussy.

Even a disembodied vagina would have more brains than drich.

---

Someone posted this on Facebook. It is a video from 2006 so you might have seen it already. An American soldier is filmed being baptized in the Euphrates River in Iraq. One part of the video says 'To perform a Christian baptism in a hostile land that is gripped by Islamic Extremism."

Would this group need approval to go into, what the video says, is hostile territory and perform the baptism? Also, if they had come under fire and been captured would other soldiers have had to risk their lives to save them?

Drich should go baptize himself where the islamic extremism gripping the hostile land can really grip him as well.

[dyresand]

You're a pussy.

Even a disembodied vagina would have more brains than drich.

---

Someone posted this on Facebook. It is a video from 2006 so you might have seen it already. An American soldier is filmed being baptized in the Euphrates River in Iraq. One part of the video says 'To perform a Christian baptism in a hostile land that is gripped by Islamic Extremism."

Would this group need approval to go into, what the video says, is hostile territory and perform the baptism? Also, if they had come under fire and been captured would other soldiers have had to risk their lives to save them?

Drich should go baptize himself where the islamic extremism gripping the hostile land can really grip him as well.

You know he would be the one guy to shoot himself in the foot to get sent back home because he is a coward.