Was Pat Tillman an Atheist?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(flareak @ Apr 30 2007, 01:52 AM) [snapback]432425[/snapback]</div>

Do you remember what it was like before you were born? That is what it is like after you die.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tnthub @ Apr 30 2007, 04:13 PM) [snapback]432836[/snapback]</div>

That is an interesting concept. I do not wish to take anything away from anyone who has died for a cause but your idea is thought provoking. Thank you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(05_SilverPri @ Apr 30 2007, 09:32 AM) [snapback]432491[/snapback]</div>

You stumbled upon the one of two or three here that have likely made a gov. list omewhere due to their extreme fanaticism regarding the current administration.

h34r:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Apr 30 2007, 07:11 PM) [snapback]432863[/snapback]</div>

Ain't dat da truth.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alric @ Apr 30 2007, 09:21 AM) [snapback]432483[/snapback]</div>

Call me crazy, but when I read the actual words of Lt. Col. Ralph Kauzlarich, rather than the slanted commentarty of the blogger, I don't see any insults to Tillman's family or for that matter criticism or disparaging remarks about Tillman and his family not being Christian.

What I hear in the words is a man trying to emphasize with Tillman's family. In the only quote where he actually says anything substantial,
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE("Blog")</div>

he is basically saying (my paraphrasing)"It must be really tough to be an atheist and loose a family member. With Christianity, you at least have the belief of a better life after death. With atheism, there is nothing after death; no sense of purpose".(my paraphrasing)

In Lt. Col. Ralph Kauzlarich own words, "that is pretty hard to get your head around that. [...] I can only imagine that that would be pretty tough."

The only quote from Lt. Col. Ralph Kauzlarich that comes even close is:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE("Blog")</div>

But you really have no idea what the context of that quote really is. The "Asked by ESPN.com whether the Tillmans' religious beliefs are a factor in the ongoing investigation" is not specific enough for you to know exactly what question Kauzlarich was responding to. Especially considering that his response says nothing about religion and instead talks about trust in the "system" (that would be the military).

Oh, and by the way... I'm an atheist. But I'm an atheist that believes in freedom of religion. I'm not one of the "I don't think I should be forced to practice religion so I'm going to force everyone else to stop practicing religion" type of atheist.

 

Oh please. Just uttering a reference to his religious beliefs in the context of what happened is monstruously innapropriate.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alric @ May 1 2007, 09:04 AM) [snapback]433154[/snapback]</div>

So as I suspected, you are one of those "I don't think I should be forced to practice religion so I'm going to force everyone else to stop practicing religion" type of atheists.

I saw no condemnation, criticism, malice, or anything of the kind in Kauzlarich's words. I only saw such things in the blogger's commentary. I see lots of exageration and spin instead. I see a statment of empathy being spun as hate speech.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ May 1 2007, 08:21 AM) [snapback]433159[/snapback]</div>

As much as I think the world would be better if everyone stopped practicing religion I wouldn't dream of forcing anyone to believe anything. I would have a problem if religion influences legal or political procedures; which at some level it seems it did in the officer's mind.

 

The winds of Grace are blowing, but it is up to us to raise the sails.