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LTC Stephen F.
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Amen SSG Stephan Pendarvis. First we are bothers and sisters who have served our nation in uniform - for the most part. Some of us are on active duty while others have become veterans after we hung up our uniforms for the last time.
Each and every human being has been created in the image of God and is worthy of respect.
Thank for mentioning me SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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SGT Robert George
SGT Robert George
>1 y
Capt Michael Greene - Im not trying to make you believe anything CPT . but the Life , Death , and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is historic fact and if it weren't the church wouldn't last a year let alone 2016 yrs ...
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Capt Michael Greene
Capt Michael Greene
>1 y
SGT Robert George - Thanks, Robert. Normally I'm very vocal about that exact subject--the history of the Church and how Christianity came to be pretty much the only major religion in the Western Hemisphere. But I think it's best not to get into it right now.

My understanding is that you're a man of faith, and I'm not, so I'll be happy to leave it at that.
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SGT Robert George
SGT Robert George
>1 y
Capt Michael Greene - Thank you friend !!
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Maj John Bell
Maj John Bell
>1 y
Capt Michael Greene - Here comes a really bad analogy. Brace yourself. Religion doesn't kill people, people kill people. Are you still there...? Are you done groaning and laughing at me...? ;)

I agree that in the hands of a fool, a little bit of religion is a VERY dangerous thing. But in the hands of a good person...? More importantly, in the hands of a person who wants to be good, but is basically not good, like MYSELF; religion can be a very necessary brake. I am not full of self-loathing. I am pretty happy with me. Unfortunately, I am easily pissed off.

I can wallow in pissed off like nobody's business. It is why I made sure I live at least 50 miles from a Wal-Mart or a Home Depot. I like individual humans, but as a demographic, I prefer feral cats that pee in my truck. And, I easily justify, in MY mind, that the person or group that pisses me off, deserves a good smiting; (and here's the hubris), that other people would be glad if I delivered a good smiting.

Then, the thought of disappointing God, as I perceive God, causes me to take a deep breath, count to 10, and behave myself. It is not fear of God's punishment that stops me. Fear of punishment isn't faith. That is enlightened self-interest.

It is fear of disappointing God that stops me. A fine point, but to me, a very profoundly relevant fine point. I believe that God is the one being that will never give up on me. Even a dog will eventually decide that someone is just too big an SOB to stick around. I believe God ain't going anywhere, the price of omnipresence. Without my faith, I have no reason to take a deep breath, count to 10, and behave myself.

When I ask myself "What would Jesus do?", my answer has never been "HE'D KICK THEIR ASS". I also believe that anyone who answers "Jesus would kick their ass", is a fool, and certainly not a person of faith, at least not my faith. I am compelled to make peace, not convert them, just make peace if they will have it. And to walk away if they won't. Even if the only good that has ever come from "real" religion, is just getting me to think twice, I believe the world is a little better off.
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CPO Frank Coluccio
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Black lives matter, white lives matter, brown lives matter, yellow lives matter...ALL LIVES MATTER!!!

Racism know no color. There are white racist, black racists, brown racists and yellow racists. There will ALWAYS be racism.
The only thing we can do is to continue to educate our children to respect each other and accept others differences in the hope that one day, it becomes extremely RARE!!!
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Capt Michael Greene
Capt Michael Greene
>1 y
CPO Frank Coluccio - I don't believe that I could answer your questions to your satisfaction. The best I can do, perhaps, is to su suggest you see the video in this thread.
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Lt Col Commander
Lt Col (Join to see)
>1 y
CPO Frank Coluccio - Yes and their lives still don't matter.
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Maj John Bell
Maj John Bell
>1 y
Capt Michael Greene - Hmmmm, "Black lives matter" or "All lives matter". It is a total of six words. I choose both and all the positive nuances that come with each.
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Capt Michael Greene
Capt Michael Greene
>1 y
Maj John Bell - Your choice, of course. Shall we replace the VFW with an "All Persons Club" or Christmas with "All Gods Celebration Day"? "Black Lives Matter" focuses on a specific problem that is amenable to a specific solution. "All Lives Matter" dilutes that focus, diminishes the importance of the problem, and is, in general, perceived as a racist backlash meant to minimize the right of Black people to exist without fear.
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SSG Stephan Pendarvis
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And that is the whole problem....and the solution. Labels. The more labels we have the larger our egos get. We only think we are what society, our parents, teachers, military, whatever, has placed on us....what we have accepted. I actually think that is why we at times have a hard time in retirement and wish for the good ole days. we want to have that title or label back when we were "great". There is nothing wrong with the experience or the experiences of life. But when we start to believe that that is what we are...here is where the trouble starts and it becomes them vs us....me vs them....wars start like this....every war has started like this. We are not even really human...we are much much more....our bibles teach us this....Buddhism teaches us this. Without going too deep I just want to say that we all are one...always have been...always will be. We are apart is everything...before we were born...and after we die....we will always be. We are just here for 80 to 100 years at best...then it is time exit these bodies. The attachments we have created...the labels we have adopted...won't mean anything. What we have learned will stay. The compassion and love we have shown to each other (because remember...we are one) will be what matters. But right now we are thirsty fish swimming around in a vast ocean....think about that for a minute. Peace.
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SSgt Robert Marx
SSgt Robert Marx
>1 y
Your statement is true. Our bodies are the tent we need for this life which is preparation for the next. Our spirits live on: in Paradise with Christ when we know Him & accept that Jesus is Lord; in the lake of fire where the worm of torment dies not when we go our own way rather than bend the knee to God & Christ. We are all born fallen yet Christ came that we might have life in His Name. Amen.
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SGT Robert George
SGT Robert George
>1 y
Amen brother , The human condition hasn't changed one bit since time began just the props and scenery so enjoy your part in the making of the movie ...
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SGT Robert George
SGT Robert George
>1 y
sorry SSG Pendarvis I wrote a lot of my comments before viewing your video so if I got off track I apologize ...
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