I am now five days deep into plebe summer as a detailer. It's weird this time around, you see the kids running around, scared and confused, and remembering back to when that was you. It's like watching the sixth sense for the second time, so much more makes sense. Mostly the summer has just been yelling, making sure they do things right, drill, basic military things; however they throw in the occasional brief to do nothing more than to give them information.
Yesterday was the religion brief. Here at the academy we have several Navy chaplians appointed to our location (about 14 i believe) of all denominations: Christian, Jewish, Muslim, we got em all. Anyway, the senior chaplain got up and talked and said something to the effect of "during plebe summer you'll need God more than ever, which is interesting because you see a lot of people lose their faith when they enter the Academy".
I disagree with this statement on two points.
First, I don't think there are situations where you need extra God, God premium if you will. He doesn't come in grades of gasoline. I think there are situations where the will of us is weak, and maybe needs to be strengthened, but I'd like to think that he's as much with me, and as much looking over me, when stuff is going right as when it's going wrong.
Secondly, I don't think that anyone loses their faith. It's the same way I look at love, I don't think people fall out of love. If you don't love someone, you never did. To me love, (refering to husband and wife type love) is much too strong to disappate over time. If you are able to convince yourself that a man was born of a virgin, was fully God and fully man, walked this earth preforming miricles, died on a cross for your sins and rose again three years later ... I just dont see you getting talked out of that.
People don't lose faith, they dont have it to begin with. Far too often we attach ourselves to the faith that is presented to us, at home, at church, with our friends, whatever. I remember in ... junior year, maybe senior year of high school we were going through some new youth ministers and finally we got one for ... about a month. He was fantastic, i had heard him speak before and was looking forward to it. The first day he goes around the class what we would like to study, and i heard a lot of "what do you (the new teacher) think about", "what's your opinion on". And it struck me when it came to my turn. All i want to do is get deep into the text.
Far too often in church we hear one man's interpritation and not the God breathed scripture itself, and as a result we have nothing to take with us when we depart from this one man's pulpit, nothing of our own. We're mearly borrowing faith, ideals, theology, and doctrine. Read the Bible, find your own faith.
Peace and love
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