There are no atheists in foxholes
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The statement, "There are no atheists in foxholes," is an aphorism used to argue that in times of extreme stress or fear, such as when participating in warfare, most people will believe in or hope for a higher power. [1]
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[edit] Origin
The precise origin of the phrase is uncertain. Various sources credit Lieutenant-Colonel William J. Clear, or Lieutenant-Colonel William Casey,[2] but the phrase is most often attributed to journalist Ernie Pyle.[3][4][5] The line is used in the film Wake Island, which was released sometime in early 1942. In the book Ghost Soldiers, author Hampton Sides credits the origin of the phrase to "Father Cummings," a chaplain present during the raid at Cabanatuan in 1945. In the form "There are no atheists in the trenches", the idea dates back at least as far as World War I.[6]
[edit] Usage
The statement is mostly quoted in sermons, religious services for serving personnel, or in general military memorial services. [7] While it is primarily used to comment on the specific experiences faced by combat soldiers the aphorism is often adapted to other perilous situations such as "there are no atheists on a sinking ship" [8] or "there are no libertarians in a financial crisis" [9]
The religious convictions of current US military personnel are similar to that of the general population and the military forces of most nations quite clearly contain atheists,[10] and perhaps a little less religious[11] Though the term is occasionally used to incorrectly imply that all soldiers in combat are 'converted' while under fire it is most commonly only used to emphasise that many people tend to seek out a divine power when they are facing an extreme threat. [12][13]
The Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers, an atheist organisation, opposes the use of this phrase. They have adopted the catchphrase of "Atheists in Foxholes" to emphasize that the original statement is clearly just an aphorism and not a statistical fact.
The quote is also referenced when discussing the opposite effect - that warfare will cause some soldiers to question their existing belief in a God due to the death and violence around them.[7][14][15]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ [1]
- ^ Cummins, Henry. "Spiritual Point". British Humanist Association. http://www.humanism.org.uk/uploadedFiles/cms/store//Humanist_Groups//ATTACHMENTS/Spiritual%20Point1%20no%20photo.pdf#search=%22%22no%20atheists%20in%20foxholes%22%20Lieutenant-Colonel%22. Retrieved on 2008-11-27.
- ^ "Oops! He Did It Again! Brokaw Repeats Canard, "There Are No Atheists In Foxholes" During NBC Evening News". Flashline (American Atheists). 2003-03-12. http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/atheist9.htm. Retrieved on 2008-11-27.
- ^ http://thetruereligion.org/modules/xfsection/article.php?articleid=415[dead link]
- ^ Books & Culture Weblog: Content & Context - Books & Culture, Christianity Today
- ^ Fred R. Shapiro, Yale Alumni Magazine, "You can quote them" column, March/April 2008
- ^ a b [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]
- ^ 21% of U.S. Military atheist or non-religious, Population Reference Bureau]], 2004.
- ^ http://www.maaf.info/rptchap.html
- ^ http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/thomas_j_reese/2007/05/no_atheist_in_fox_holes.html
- ^ http://www.rimonthly.com/Rhode-Island-Monthly/April-2007/There-Are-No-Atheists-in-Foxholes/
- ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,775935,00.html
