I once spoke to a friend who was in TA with me. She was an atheist and declared herself to be such on the officer application form. During the interview she was asked how she could maintain religious soldiers’ morale and spiritual well. She could not answer this question.
This question is a perfectly reasonable question to ask. A soldier’s fighting spirit is one of the most important resources an army has. Most people on seeing the horrors of war will start to question their beliefs and in the process forget their training and orders.
On reflection my answer will avoid the prickly issue of theism versus atheism. I would tell the soldier that God does not come into consideration. The British Army’s goal is to safeguard UK and do things for the greater good. The army does not carry out God’s will but the will of the British people which are represented by the government. That is the reason why we fight. Those are good enough reasons to fight irrespective of God’s existence or will.
This question is a perfectly reasonable question to ask. A soldier’s fighting spirit is one of the most important resources an army has. Most people on seeing the horrors of war will start to question their beliefs and in the process forget their training and orders.
On reflection my answer will avoid the prickly issue of theism versus atheism. I would tell the soldier that God does not come into consideration. The British Army’s goal is to safeguard UK and do things for the greater good. The army does not carry out God’s will but the will of the British people which are represented by the government. That is the reason why we fight. Those are good enough reasons to fight irrespective of God’s existence or will.
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