There were KIA because of it, I'm pretty sure. I'm thinking that it was artillery rather than a tank unit. It involved the 2nd Marine Division if not mistaken.
There were several blue on blue incidents in that area. I don't remember if this one resulted in a KIA or not. I just remember one guy taking a round to the head, and I thought he survived. It was a small sniper team, and I thought it was tanks. We got mixe stories, though.
Pascal's Wager. Doesn't hold up to theological or logical scrutiny. If I only "believed" in a "just in case" way, I wouldn't be sincere and am still going to hell by Christian and Islamic tradition. I might be okay if I did it with Judaism.
Were I the kind of person who assigned much credence to the notion of Satan, in the Judeo-Christian sense, I can think of no better ruse to purport than that of ghosts, really. By "ghosts", I mean a portion of a once-living person's soul, essence, life-force or energy that continues to remain on earth, even after their death. I believe that it introduces a pleasingly welcomed third-option to non-believers, and which starkly contradicts the assertion of the biblical text that there are only two - heaven or hell. It's enduring appeal is that it affords a means to allow you to remain here on earth, staying close to your loved ones and being watchful over them, or perhaps the promise of a perpetual safeguarding of those things you hold closest or most dear in life (i.e. your home). And as we see evidences for both "good" and "bad" ghosts throughout these stories, the unstated assumption must be that your conduct in life, however charitable or heinous, seemingly has no limiting effect on your ability to become and remain a ghost, once dead. So, the myth of ghosts is so damnable, particularly because it specifically targets non-believers (what believer would choose to remain on earth to open doors and scare dogs, at the expense of being in heaven?), it is an entirely pleasing but altogether false promise of a middle ground that extends beyond either heaven or hell, it takes the naturally occurring inner yearnings for eternal fellowship and bastardizes them by redirecting their aim from heaven and back to earth, and it seems to allow the option to be available to all, without consequence, no matter what kind of life they have lead, and despite the choices they have made. For the believer who may be deceived into believing such nonsense, it can serve not only to be a lingering source of doubt, as they seek both encouragement and comfort from the their dear grandmother whom they believe is somehow watching over them, wishes to speak to them, or is lingering about to comfort them....instead of the true, eternal and rightful source of those things, which is the Trinity, alone. If they knew how closely they were truly watched over (given a choice, most would prefer to see the most terrifying "ghost" than the most beautiful angel - who can be terrifying in their own right), how badly He wished to speak to them, or the comfort that only He could provide, they would never exchange that pearl of great price for the shards of glass of cheaply meaningless "ghosts", instead). Of course, I would say all of this, that is, were I to believe in any of it.
I know very little about the Bell Witch, but this portion of your post intrigues me - can you elaborate? Not a challenge, just genuinely curious.
I would find this argument more compelling if there was some factual evidence to support ghosts in the first place. Otherwise, it is just a competing supernatural or spiritual concept, like any that can found anywhere in the world and all through time. It assumes a "status quo" of Judeo-Christian tradition, which doesn't mesh well with the span of human history or geography-- unless some people and groups are more human than others.
I assume that these are both B-lister gay porn stars, and hence, your reference has no meaning to me.
Yea, it happens though. There are so many units moving through an area at any given time that sometimes shit happens. The story we got was that the team was set up in an abandoned building, and the unit coming through saw them, saw the muzzle flash or something and then opened up on them. We had three close calls, and one actual blue on blue, but nothing as bad as that team.
Were I a Christian, I would be gravely concerned about IP's lack of a belief in the afterlife, and I wouldn't give two shits as to what he thought about my having them for him. Not directed at you, JayV, or anyone else, just speaking in general. Not that I am a Christian, snake-handling, bible-thumping or otherwise, of course, just speculating on how I think I would feel, if I was.
Somebody really smart has a quote basically saying what you just said: basically, that there is no downside to believing in god. From a game theory perspective, you're better off believing. If you're right, you go to heaven. If you're wrong, you're no worse than if you'd never believed. Not a bad way of thinking about it, really. It wasn't Einstein, and I'm probably not gonna be able to think of who it was. Oh well.
I didn't take it personal at all. All I will say is that I am not required nor capable of "winning souls". Christians are to present the meaasage. It is up to the listener to decide. IP knows the deal. He doesn't believe it. I'm not going to badger him over it as that would lead to the disingenuous conversion IP has referenced before. I also don't find it prudent to cut off contact with him like he is a leper. If he ever does have questions, I can be there to answer. I'm pretty sure from my experiences with telemarketers that said badgering will not evoke a response that I would deem favorable. IP is a good dude. He makes his own decisions. If anything changes, he can give me a shout. End religious debate for me. Back to some haints, witches, and/or boogers.
This may not qualify as a "ghost story", but it did happen. A friend who was a well known musician in East Tennessee, Allun Cormier of Folk Soul Revival, was killed in a late December fire two years ago. A mutual songwriter friend, Barry Ricks, played a song he wrote in tribute to Allun at a Singer/Songwriter festival about a year later. Afterwards, I was telling him how much I liked the song when I heard my cell phone text tone. I hit the display key and it said "Allun Cormier". Cold chills went over my body, and I showed my phone to Barry, and he freaked out. Later I thought perhaps I hit the wrong key, and that Allun was the first name on my contact list and came up by coincidence. When I pulled up the list, there were two names before his. The next day, I decided to delete his name from my list, but it was already gone. I did nothing to cause it's deletion.
