A Navy SEAL was attending some college courses between assignments. He had
completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

One of the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of
the ACLU. One day he shocked the class when he came in, looked to the
ceiling, and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I want you to knock
me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes."

The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by
and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am God. I'm still waiting."

It got down to the last couple of minutes when the SEAL got out of his
chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him; knocking him off the
platform. The professor was out cold. The SEAL went back to his seat and sat
there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned and sat there
looking on in silence.

The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the SEAL and
asked, "What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"

The SEAL calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting America's
soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like an
asshole. So He sent me."

AMEN!

Snopes link to "Atheist Professor" stories, including the SEAL and Marine versions

I thought the guy was a Space Shuttle Door Gunner in the original version.

im not sure if I understand...are atheists frowned upon in the military?

This was a forwarded e-mail wasn't it?

Quoted: This was a forwarded e-mail wasn't it?

yep.  i got a kick out of it so i figured i would share.

Quoted: Snopes link to "Atheist Professor" stories, including the SEAL and Marine versions

It's a joke.

What a shame.

Quoted: im not sure if I understand...are atheists frowned upon in the military?

they weren't in my time there.    The military actually helped me find a religion that didn't require a belief in God.   One of the Christian chaplains told me about Unitarian Universalism.  

Quoted: Quoted: Snopes link to "Atheist Professor" stories, including the SEAL and Marine versions It's a joke. What a shame.

Not a joke.   Its a modern myth.    Myths are powerful and have meaning, without necessarily being true.  

The story of the Good Samaritan wasn't literally true either, but to discount it for that reason would be foolish.  

Besides if it were true, are you actually in favor of assaulting people for their beliefs?    Would it be ok for me to punch out the next Christian who knocks on my door to ask me if I have found Jesus?

Its a story that has relevance and meaning, it is why it has spread in many different forms.  

Quoted: im not sure if I understand...are atheists frowned upon in the military?

Over 80% of the military is Christian.  

We have no problem with athiests, agnostics, etc.

We do have a problem with loud-mouthed, arrogant, self-promoting, jackasses who, in the name of tolerance and enlightenment, seek to shove their rhetoric down our throats - many of these people are athiests (though, not all athiests are like this).
Matt

Quoted: Quoted: This was a forwarded e-mail wasn't it? yep.  i got a kick out of it so i figured i would share.

You probably have spyware.

Quoted: Quoted: im not sure if I understand...are atheists frowned upon in the military? Over 80% of the military is Christian.   We have no problem with athiests, agnostics, etc. We do have a problem with loud-mouthed, arrogant, self-promoting, jackasses who, in the name of tolerance and enlightenment, seek to shove their rhetoric down our throats - many of these people are athiests (though, not all athiests are like this). Matt

more like under 70%

interestingly the fastest growing group in the military is Islam...

www.beliefnet.com/story/123/story_12389_1.html

All I know is that there are no athiests found in fox holes when the bullets are flying. Period. Everybody wants to be God's best friend right then.

Former 11B.

Quoted: Besides if it were true, are you actually in favor of assaulting people for their beliefs?    Would it be ok for me to punch out the next Christian who knocks on my door to ask me if I have found Jesus?

Sure, but only if you can make it stick.

Quoted: All I know is that there are no athiests found in fox holes when the bullets are flying. Period. Everybody wants to be God's best friend right then. Former 11B.

These gentlemen might disagree with you



from the most recent march by the Military Assocation of Atheists and Freethinkers(aka atheists in foxholes) on Veteran's Day

Atheists in Foxhole's Message board if you want to discuss it with them

Saying bs like that is disrespectful to the atheists who serve their country proudly, many of whom are over in Iraq right now.

Army Chaplain Joe Angotti - Tikrit, Iraq "I thought [combat] would change them, because there's that saying that there are no atheists in a foxhole, and I find that's not true. Even in a battle zone there's still a fairly large number that's not practicing a faith, . . ."

Quoted: Quoted: Besides if it were true, are you actually in favor of assaulting people for their beliefs?    Would it be ok for me to punch out the next Christian who knocks on my door to ask me if I have found Jesus? Sure, but only if you can make it stick.

Make what stick?