Military Ptsd Question

[HopefulChristian]

Do any of you who are in the military feel that because of what you have seen or experienced that you aren't sure how good God is?

My Marine feels this way and I'm just trying to understand him. Is this a common feeling??

 

[anthony]

I am not spiritual for beginners... however; if there is something looking over / controlling this entire rock show, they have a sick sense of humour... as a veteran of many operational tours.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

however; if there is something looking over / controlling this entire rock show, they have a sick sense of humour

Agreed.

 

[mysihba]

I'm a Vet. of domestic wars but think this may help. For over 20 years I waded through the worst in Fire/EMS. For 25 years, one of my biggest hang ups was..."How can a loving God allow all this tragedy". For just as long, nobody could really answer this question. Not too long ago I finally got the answer, if one believes in "God".

God is not in control of everything. We have human will, acts of nature, sick and violent people, accidents....and war. He is not in "control" of everything no matter how devout one is. He can and does intervene at His will and not ours. Really that is the simple answer for me and for your Marine. This question tripped me up for many years and contributed to my PTSD. Believe in God or not ? God is not in control of all things....

 

[track108]

I am also a marine, while serving i fell away from god, what had he done for me(besides taking my closest brothers, making me watch children dead and dying, let people blow me up, forcing me to take my life into my own hands)

Now i have to believe in god, looking back at the things i survived and not a physical wound from the war (pretty big mental and emotional wounds) I believe that nothing but god had saved my life on multiple occasions in iraq

 

[mysihba]

Yes, He can and does intervene but does not control all...the good and the bad.

 

[Teddy]

I am not a military person at all.
But I have lived a major trauma with one of my children that ended up me loosing my faith in God. I questioned every thing!
How could he, Why would he allow this, Why would he make my other children suffer etc etc.
In the end to cut a long story short,this is what I came up with.... God gave us our most precious gift, which was 'free will'. (Adam and Eve were the start of it) It is up to us to do with that gift as we or our world leaders see fit. God does not start wars, it is those that disagree about 'Religion' that starts wars. There is a big difference between having 'faith' and having a 'religion'.
I have faith in God but I don't have faith in a man made version of him in a religion.

I hope you don't mind me putting my bit in when I am not in the military myself....
.

 

[seedling]

I'm not in the military either, but there is often a spiritual injury aspect to PTSD. I myself still believe in God and have the same faith but I can not pray. There's a block there.

I read C.S. Lewis's book "The Problem of Pain" and found it very helpful. One point he made was that God made the world this way, pros and cons both. He could have made it differently but this is the way it is. Would we really want God jumping in all the time to negate our every action and decision? Would be ever be responsible for ourselves or evolve to be kinder to others with that kind of intervention?

For me it's part of the injury that's been done to me, circuits are fried. My T said it would come back and I would again have the ability to pray. I'm hopeful (and patient).

 

[Teddy]

I completely lost my faith and I was a pretty strong believer, I got pretty messed up as it really 'cut me loose' as I had never thought of a world without God.
Be patient and it will come back. Mine did and probably stronger than ever.
I think it is good to question things as then you find the answer and not just drift along.
I believe we leave God but he never leaves us. (The Footprints poem is a great one for this sort of thing.)