We discuss journalist Michael M. Phillips’ Wall Street Journal article “A Chaplain and an Atheist Go to War.” It’s the story of Navy Chaplain Terry Moran (a fundamentalist and Young Earth Creationist) and his bodyguard Religious Programs Specialist 2nd Class Philip Chute, a Dawkins-toting atheist, who serve the troops in Afghanistan.
We’re also struck by the similarity of their relationship to that described between the Chaplain and Corporal Whitcomb in Joseph Heller’s novel Catch-22. In Heller’s satirical classic, the Chaplain is a spineless Anabaptist who’s afraid of his own shadow, while Corporal Whitcomb–an atheist–undermines the Chaplain at every turn, while simultaneously dreaming up ways to increase troop participation in church services.
Plus:
Feedback! We’re popular with the young folks (or at least, one young folk). Why can’t David pronounce “Copenhagen” like a real American? And what’s with our bleeping of all the swear words? For what it’s worth, if you can’t get enough swearing check out this YouTube video of all the curses in Episode 1 Season 1 of Deadwood.
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Theme music by Body Found.
Recorded September 12, 2010. Hosted by John C. Snider and David Driscoll.
Okay guys, I can see bleeping the S and F bombs for the sake of radio, but bleeping the god in goddamn? (this episode) There is no legal issue there, and it seems antithetical for your podcast to do this to appease the possible christians in your audience.
Otherwise, good episode, as usual.
David Tellet
badengineering.org
David,
We will address the bleeping issue in an upcoming podcast. We bleep because some radio stations actually rebroadcast our episodes. On bleeping “god”…I do that more for comedic effect.
I can understand that you don’t share the beliefs of Christians, but my only request is that you don’t bash the name of Christianity on such a public venue as this. Christianity has been proven to be factual through the course of history and there are more arguments for a young, created earth than there are for an earth that evolved. Quite honestly I think someone would be insane to think that something as complex as a human body, with all of its organs and functions, would have developed over millions of years from a single cell organism.
“RP2 Chute” is my cousin, and although I appreciate his service in the military, it saddens me to think that he has left all that he has known to follow the “new” philosophies of men, rather than one of the oldest (and most relevant) texts in the world, the Bible.
Although I may not agree with all of the methods that the Chaplin might use, I appreciate his service in the military and his desire to see those that are lost in their sins come to know the one, who has paid for their sins, in a personal way. There is no better person for the job than a Chaplin, because these men are staring eternity in the face and they need the truth! We need to encourage our men in military service and not beat up on them for the sake of a well rated podcast.
James,
Thanks for your comments. It will probably come as no surprise to you that I completely disagree with your summary of the factual veracity of the Bible and the case for a 6,000 year old earth.
We agree on the nobility of RP2 Chute’s service to his country, although frankly I’d prefer he spend his time in a more productive way than body-guarding a chaplain who handles the emotional needs of the troops so ineptly. Better to send a trained psychiatrist than some guy who hands out “prayer napkins” and (like you) thinks human history began when the earth came into being.
Finally, I would ask you why I should not “bash the name of Christianity on such a public venue as this.” When and where am I allowed to criticize your religion? Never? Only when you’re comfortable with it? Only when a tiny number of people will hear me? Baloney. I intend to fully exercise my free speech rights regardless of whether you are happy with me or not. If you can “refudiate” (as Sarah Palin would say) any of my factual claims, you are welcome to do so. I just ask that you not do it in “such a public venue as this.” :)
Thanks,
John C. Snider
Before you can bash the job title RP2 Chute chose, you must first know the choices that were open to him. For a man who chose to give his life to a country that gave him opportunity, that has embraced him and his family and allowed them to be here, it is very noble. For an atheist to protect a man of faith, is very noble. Given the choices to be a photographer, a cook or an RP, I believe he made the best choice to what was available. If you were a man of extensive knowledge, a great sense of pride and maturity and were given the options to be either of these three, setting aside your pride and beliefs to protect a man who’s opinions and ideas differ from yours, must be a very difficult job. But to those Christians on tour, who need a man of faith or spirituality to console and aid their aching hearts and minds, its comforting to know that a man like RP2 Chute is willing to sacrifice his own life so that those men and women can have their Chaplain, to have somebody there for them, through the thick and thin of it all. It does not matter what faith, or no faith, you may be. To have the solace of another human being when times are hard and death is knocking at your door, it’s the most human connection that can be made. Its what they need, to thrive and keep on their fight for our everyday rights and privileges. Its because of these men and women we can go to Starbuck’s everyday and order our grande carmel macchiatos. It’s because of men like Chaplain Terry Moran, these men and women can keep on. And it’s because of men like RP2 Philip Chute that these chaplains are safe and can do their jobs. As a close friend to Phil, I think his services are well placed.
Thanks for mentioning me in the podcast guys! You cant imagine how suprised I was when I heard it the other night! Great episode as always. :)
-Lisa