Most of what has happened the last few days, I can't really talk about on here.... Sorry I haven't posted much, but we have been plenty busy and again, it is stuff that just has to come out in the news.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081226/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq
I can tell you that we (my team) are all safe and have had our hands in all of this, but that is about all.
The Islamic culture is very different from the American culture. Aside from the point that one revolves around a religious dominance and the other around a nation of religious freedoms, there is the point of where they put their faith.
Muslims seem to believe that God has outcomes despite our actions. (en sha Allah: God willing) In other words, if it is your time to die, you will die, regardless of what you do. If God wills it, your actions will be completely fruitless. You have no free will. You have no choices or decisions, or power to create your own destiny, it is ALL, COMPLETELY up to Allah.
Americans seem to believe that your actions allow God to move or prevent Him from acting. If you are in the right place at the right time, because of actions or choices you make, God can use you to accomplish something.
Consider the biblical example of Noah. Had he not taken that hundred years to build the ark, where would we be today?
Consider Lot. He actually bartered with God to spare people from a city God had decided to destroy with fire. Although he couldn't find the people he had bartered to save, he had choices and influence on the outcome, based on his actions.
There are many more examples, but you get my point.
We were training a few students and the question "why" kept coming up. We would tell them that when you think there is an IED in a vehicle, don't let anyone go near it. Get an expert to get on his protective gear and professionally disarm the bomb.
They would ask why all that was necessary. If it is God's will, that bomb will kill you even in all that gear. You might as well go up, open the car door and cut the wire, because if it is not your time, you will not die... it is completely up to God.
How do you teach someone with that mindset to be careful? I don't know either, but stand back... I think we have some volunteers to work on the Iraqi bomb squad....
Semper Fi,
m
3 comments:
I can't thank you and your team enough, Gunny. God bless you and keep you safe. Let us know anything we can do to help support you. You are always in our prayers.
Mark,
Wow!!! I don't know what planet I'm on, but I sure haven't seen any of this on our news here!! Did you know any of the Iraqi policemen who died? Are any of the insurgents still missing or are they all accounted for? (Dead or alive???)
I think in your Biblical example of Lot, you probably meant Abraham. It was Abraham who bartered with God, trying to save Lot from destruction, although they couldn't find enough to save Sodom and Gomorrah, so God just saved Lot and most of his family.
God is in complete control, but He allows us to make choices that affect not only our lives, but those around us. So glad you are ok.
Mom
Mom,
You are absolutely right. I did mean Abraham, in the story of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah. Thanks! I need to read some more bible and less Koran, right....
Semper Fi,
m
Post a Comment