thedrifter
08-26-03, 04:29 AM
Baptism in the Tigris for U.S. Christian Soldiers
Sun August 24, 2003 07:28 AM ET
By Andrew Cawthorne
TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Nineteen-year-old Private Bill Goodwin puts down his gun, takes off his combat jacket and steps into the warm waters of Iraq's Tigris River.
"I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ," proclaims his unit's Protestant chaplain, Xuan Tran, submerging the soldier completely for Sunday's baptism rite. Goodwin emerges smiling and posing for a photo to send to his family in Oklahoma before reflecting on what he has done.
"I have been away for five and a half months and have though a lot about this. I could die here. I realized it was necessary to get baptized," he said.
For many of the 132,000 American soldiers occupying Iraq, religion is an important solace as they face loneliness, hardship and the possibility of losing their lives.
Most profess religious belief, with only a small percentage describing themselves as atheist, their chaplains and commanders say.
Protestants and Catholics make up the majority, although the full spectrum of religions is represented, including Islam.
Chaplain Tran, a Southern Baptist minister, performs regular baptisms of U.S. troops in the waters of the Tigris at a U.S. base in a former palace of Saddam Hussein at his hometown of Tikrit, north of Baghdad.
Many such rituals reflect the widespread evangelical belief that a Christian must be "born again" through adult baptism.
"For some, it is the first time, for others it is a re-dedication of their lives. They face many risks here, and want to make sure they have a right relationship with God," Tran said, before taking Sunday's communion service on the base.
THOU SHALT NOT KILL?
The soldiers see no moral conflict between their Christian faith and their battlefield duties.
Many have killed or wounded Iraqis during the intense hunt for guerrillas and former regime loyalists around Tikrit, a hotbed of anti-American resistance and pro-Saddam sentiment. "The Bible says 'thou shalt not kill' but the original Greek says 'thou shalt not take a judicially innocent life.' Saddam and his men are pretty evil, if they were tried in any court, they would be found guilty," said Goodwin.
"I don't think it's a problem because God sent people to war. Just look at the Old Testament," added Corporal Christian Gaspard, also baptized Sunday.
Lieutenant Colonel Steve Russell, who leads the 1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment, seems to be one of his unit's most devout believers. He has suffered two deaths and 30 injuries among his men so far -- a relatively small toll given several months of round-the-clock raids in Tikrit.
"God is watching over this battalion, believe me," he said.
Most of the Christian soldiers say they believe what they are doing is right because of the brutalities of Saddam's regime. They are only vaguely aware of objections by the international anti-war lobby and the rising dissatisfaction of Iraqis themselves with the occupation.
There is little sympathy among them, however, for the notion that the invasion of Iraq may form part of a wider international clash of civilizations -- Christianity against Islam.
"Maybe we don't understand them (Muslims), but this has nothing to do with religion," added Gaspard, a 24-year-old from Louisiana. "We are here to do what (U.S. President) George Bush said -- find weapons of mass destruction."
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=reutersEdge&storyID=3327115
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Sun August 24, 2003 07:28 AM ET
By Andrew Cawthorne
TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Nineteen-year-old Private Bill Goodwin puts down his gun, takes off his combat jacket and steps into the warm waters of Iraq's Tigris River.
"I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ," proclaims his unit's Protestant chaplain, Xuan Tran, submerging the soldier completely for Sunday's baptism rite. Goodwin emerges smiling and posing for a photo to send to his family in Oklahoma before reflecting on what he has done.
"I have been away for five and a half months and have though a lot about this. I could die here. I realized it was necessary to get baptized," he said.
For many of the 132,000 American soldiers occupying Iraq, religion is an important solace as they face loneliness, hardship and the possibility of losing their lives.
Most profess religious belief, with only a small percentage describing themselves as atheist, their chaplains and commanders say.
Protestants and Catholics make up the majority, although the full spectrum of religions is represented, including Islam.
Chaplain Tran, a Southern Baptist minister, performs regular baptisms of U.S. troops in the waters of the Tigris at a U.S. base in a former palace of Saddam Hussein at his hometown of Tikrit, north of Baghdad.
Many such rituals reflect the widespread evangelical belief that a Christian must be "born again" through adult baptism.
"For some, it is the first time, for others it is a re-dedication of their lives. They face many risks here, and want to make sure they have a right relationship with God," Tran said, before taking Sunday's communion service on the base.
THOU SHALT NOT KILL?
The soldiers see no moral conflict between their Christian faith and their battlefield duties.
Many have killed or wounded Iraqis during the intense hunt for guerrillas and former regime loyalists around Tikrit, a hotbed of anti-American resistance and pro-Saddam sentiment. "The Bible says 'thou shalt not kill' but the original Greek says 'thou shalt not take a judicially innocent life.' Saddam and his men are pretty evil, if they were tried in any court, they would be found guilty," said Goodwin.
"I don't think it's a problem because God sent people to war. Just look at the Old Testament," added Corporal Christian Gaspard, also baptized Sunday.
Lieutenant Colonel Steve Russell, who leads the 1st Battalion, 22nd Regiment, seems to be one of his unit's most devout believers. He has suffered two deaths and 30 injuries among his men so far -- a relatively small toll given several months of round-the-clock raids in Tikrit.
"God is watching over this battalion, believe me," he said.
Most of the Christian soldiers say they believe what they are doing is right because of the brutalities of Saddam's regime. They are only vaguely aware of objections by the international anti-war lobby and the rising dissatisfaction of Iraqis themselves with the occupation.
There is little sympathy among them, however, for the notion that the invasion of Iraq may form part of a wider international clash of civilizations -- Christianity against Islam.
"Maybe we don't understand them (Muslims), but this has nothing to do with religion," added Gaspard, a 24-year-old from Louisiana. "We are here to do what (U.S. President) George Bush said -- find weapons of mass destruction."
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=reutersEdge&storyID=3327115
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: