Listener Reflections

Fundamentally Flawed (August 27, 2007)
I found this broadcast profoundly disturbing in its unquestioning acceptance of the legitimacy of the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. Furthermore, it presented surprisingly little discussion of the numerous problems of the returning "warriors".

Although President Bush equated al Qaeda with Saddam Hussein to justify his preemptive war, the link was never established. It was instead seriously refuted: The conflation of the September 11, 2001 attacks with the urgency to remove Saddam Hussein was a deceitful manipulation. And no weapons of mass destruction were ever found. Repeated allegations have not made these falsehoods true, though unfortunately it seems that this aggression has actually led to more desperate and vulnerable young people in more and more countries believing that Al Qaeda is some kind of salvation. That is an enormously grievous error on the part of American leaders!

As for the U.S. reality, in this era of the "volunteer" army that is largely composed of poor young people and immigrants, it is inaccurate to describe the bulk of the people fighting in Iraq in U.S. uniforms as "believing" in the mission. Such nasty realities are now being reported in some mainstream media — but they've been part of the story all along. The equivalent of an entire battalion has refused to fight: 10,000 military personnel have said they do not see a reason for fighting this war. (There isn’t enough room here to address the unethical issue of the more than 100,000 mercenaries who are fighting in Iraq—completely unregulated by American elected officials, and a very serious theme in the phenomena of the increasing privatization of war.)

This "war of choice" is directly responsible for untold civilian casualties, thousands of coalition soldiers' deaths and maiming, more than four million Iraqi refugees within the country's borders and in neighboring countries, and the destruction of Iraq's cultural treasures and environment. The use of depleted uranium with a half-life of 4.5 billion years will cause death and genetic defects among all creatures that were anywhere near the war zone for generations to come. Furthermore the hideous sectarian fighting with no end in sight results directly from the U.S. invasion and lack of any serious plans for reconstruction. This entire escapade was morally and ethically reprehensible. Where’s the soul searching here? There’s desperate need for a lot of questioning of the incessant push to go to war!

American citizens are not safer or healthier as a result of all the death and destruction; they are much worse off than before the invasion. The U.S. economy has been bled to pay for this disaster and to enrich private corporations — and now elected and appointed officials are using similar tactics of fear, the inevitability of war, etc., to prepare the American public for an attack on Iran! Added to that is the disgrace to "American values" caused by such human-rights injustices as the prisons at Guantánamo Bay and Abu Ghraib and the largely undocumented and unpunished murder of Iraqi civilians. Apparently we haven’t yet learned the lessons of war.

Only social justice at home and internationally will insure that returning soldiers are not a basic fact of the American future. Truly caring for needy souls comes from a broad and compassionate worldview that is based on deep morality. While the army chaplain did express candid moments of uncomfortable thoughts about his role, I sorely regret the lack of any real intellectual or spiritual probing by Krista. I feel deeply disappointed by how the conversation skirted the announced subject.

Where is the soul in war? What does that mean? That private individuals can be turned into killing machines at will — and then disregarded in their need for spiritual, as well as physical and emotional and financial care upon returning to civilian life — demonstrates a serious lack of any kind of moral and ethical commitment to the war itself. It’s business. Real soul searching would, in the long run, put an end to this murderous business. While tending to returned fighters’ needs of all kinds is extremely important, it's even more critical to stop "needing" them in the first place. How is it that the self-proclaimed "greatest country in the world" is continuously waging war? There’s a very basic flaw here. It is this assumption of a "just" war that needs to be examined—and seriously refuted—to save all our souls! This is not an expression of naiveté, this is a vision for a better future for all God’s children. We avoid this conversation at out peril.

Nancy du Plessis
New York, NY (Listens to SOF On Demand)

Themes for Memorial Day Sermon (June 17, 2007)
I am the rector of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Rushville, Nebraska. One of our principal events each year is a service on Memorial Day. I have been a peace activist since the 1960s, while many members of my congregation either have served or are presently in the military.

Chaplain Morris provided me with a pair of themes which I shared in my Memorial Day sermon. The first was the idea that war is the result of our fallen human nature and that killing another human being diminishes one. The second is that it is possible to hate the war, but respect and care for the warrior. My thanks to all those who have made this sharing of ideas possible.

William Graham
Alliance, NE (KTNE, 91.1 FM)

Of Mixed Mind (May 29, 2007)
Thank you for your show which is consistently excellent and inspiring. I wish to comment on a recent offering: "The Soul of War," which also was in depth and your guest Chaplain Morris was thoughtful. But honestly, I felt myself unsettled by it — or parts of it, perhaps as many people are or should be by this war. Though your guest described the war as a man made thing, he nevertheless seemed to have no doubts that it was the right thing — even perhaps a thing that can be blessed, which is not a far step from "god is on our side." I am going to paraphrase him but not with the intention of misquoting him. He said something like, "this is the reality now, there will be veterans coming home, for the rest of our lifetimes."

His certainty that this is the right and necessary course I find unsettling. I can't help but feel of mixed mind when he described the battle of Fallujah What was that like for the people who lived there? This siege for revenge. I find myself struggling to feel compassion for everyone. When there were accusations of illegal weapons used and terrible phosphorous bombs, how can a religious person bless this or at least wish death for an "unseen enemy."

Without doubt, war takes a terrible toll on the warrior. In Buddhism, there is believed a bodhisattva for every hell realm. So I am glad this man is there for the soldiers. I was union president, and I often felt when someone was being fired or disciplined that part of my job was just to be there for them, even when they were wrong. Chaplain Morris also described the 60s as "a societal nervous breakdown" implying that the breakdown is that the troops were not supported, but perhaps the breakdown is when societies take aggressive and violent action as the righteous course.

I wanted to hear his story, and I understand the fine line as an interviewer, but I wished you had questioned him more on this. I would like to hear the other side of this, the tremendous toll war takes on the warriors as was described in Bill Moyers' excellent interview with Maxine Hong Kingston who was been working with veterans to get their stories out. I would also like to hear from religious people who do not view war as the answer, such as was considered on a recent edition of To the Best of Our Knowledge. There was an excellent interview of the author of a book called The Buddha and the Terrorist, Satish Kumar. I wish you would present some of these views on your show. Please do not consider this complaining, because I would be poorer without your excellent show, but I must ask how could you call it "The Soul of War," rather than the "soul in war," or even in my view "a war on the soul." Are you really saying that war has a soul?

Finally I might also recommend the Open Source show entitled "The Banality of Evil" with psychologist Phillip Zimbardo talking about Abu Ghraib. He opines that it was not bad apples but a bad barrel. I might ask how do you minister to men who are put into a situation which is wrong, based on lies, that would make an interesting discussion as well about caring for souls. Thanks so much.

Paul Caron
Ferrisburg, VT (WVPR, 89.5 FM)

I'm Sorry But I Won't Say Thank You (May 28, 2007)
I heard John Morris asking when do I become like them (i.e. the "monsters" who had tortured the American mercenaries and hanged them from a bridge). Well, if he could see the beam in his own eye (or his country's eye) before he saw the mote in the others' eye, he would know that these people were only responding to the "shock and awe" that the U.S. so kindly presented to them. The U.S. invaded their country for oil and for Israel's sense of security. So don't worry about becoming like them, please. Worry instead that you have made them become like us, so brutal.

Also, at another point he said we should say thank you to the soldiers in Iraq. Absolutely not. I can say I am sorry that you were made to do the dirty work for this Neocon administration full of chickenhawks. I am very sorry that you bought their lies. I am sorry that you continue to buy their lies if in fact you are. And I am sorry if you think you are protecting me. Because I am sure that this attack and occupation is making things worse. We are more hated and I agree that they have a right to hate this hegemonic bully.

Nina Sakun
Hartford, CT (WPKT, 90.5 FM)

Following Orders (May 27, 2007)
Chaplain Morris seems to think it's good enough that our soldiers kill others because our political rulers deem it necessary. I think that's wrong. We have an obligation to learn about history. How did the United States go from 13 colonies on the eastern seaboard to being a superpower with more than 400 military bases around the world?

Morris seems to think that the Abu Ghraib tortures were an aberration, but there's plenty of evidence that the torture guidelines came down the chain of command, starting at the Pentagon. Morris seems to think that the battle of Fallujah began when four U.S. mercenaries were killed and mutilated. He should know that some time earlier unarmed Iraqis protesting the taking of their school by the U.S. military were gunned down. Now it's becoming clear that the US is still intent on taking over Iraq's oil. We call it "privatizing" through production sharing agreements. That's what the talk about Iraq meeting benchmarks is all about.

Chaplain Morris, and all of us, have an obligation to understand what our rulers are asking us to do. There's plenty of information available. I don't ask that everyone agree with me, but at least go beyond the propaganda and ask the right questions.

Per Fagereng
Portland, OR (KOPB, 91.5 FM)

A Sacred Trust Between Soldiers and Civilians (May 27, 2007)
I am a retired military intelligence army warrant officer (USAR). I was mobilized for 21 months after 9/11. While I wasn't deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, I was intimately involved in the assessment of the threat posed by chemical weapons. I believe that a sacred trust exists between the soldier and the civilian. The soldier trains to be the most effective fighting machine he can be, and the civilian is charged with only committing that soldier to combat when it is absolutely necessary. The soldiers have performed honorably in executing their assigned tasks, but they have been betrayed by their civilian leadership who committed them to an illegal war. I am still quite angry about that. I can only guess what a combat vet has to deal with.

Another source of my anger is how the spouses of my (and other) Reserve soldiers were treated by their friends. It was if they had become pariahs (kinda' like the way widows are shunned by their former married friends). They were no longer invited to parties; they had no one to talk to about what they were going through in their daily lives. My wife developed a whole new set for friends during my deployment. People who were just acquaintances before were the ones who would check up on her to make sure everything was OK (Did she need help clearing snow from the drive? Did she need any help caring for our small farm property? etc.) Our "friends" ignored her.

Major Morris' ministry to the returning Guard and Reserve soldiers and their families needs to be expanded 1,000X to include the communities that these soldiers are from. The active duty military has support systems for the soldiers and their families, but the Guard and Reserve does not. Thanks to you and Major Morris for a great Memorial Day program.

Robert Moran
Noblesville, IN (WFYI, 90.1 FM)

Most Noble and Most Brutal (May 27, 2007)
This was the most incredible Speaking of Faith broadcast I've experienced, and I'm a faithful listener! I've now downloaded it and listened to it twice, once while reading the transcript — and I've been crying off and on the whole time. I'm 52, graduated from West Point in '78 and retired from the Army after a career in both the Artillery and Military Intelligence. My dad is also a West Pointer — he saw combat in both Korea and Vietnam. My brother served as a sergeant in Vietnam and passed away in 1993 from "related issues." My daughter just competed her plebe year at Annapolis — so this is a very personal issue. In my 20-year army career, I never saw war, and part of me has felt incomplete — that I should have, to really be able to say "I served." Today, I can now simply thank God that I didn't.

I've spent a good portion of my life grappling with the issues that Krista and Major Morris so eloquently addressed in this program. Not just how to reintegrate the returning warrior, which they beautifully addressed. (I'll now be visiting a VA hospital tomorrow — on Memorial Day '07 — just to say thanks). But more importantly, on the differences between the lack of moral ambiguity we associate with WWII, and the moral anguish I've associated with our conflicts from Vietnam through today's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Chaplain John Morris — I've never heard it put more eloquently and honestly as when you said: "[war] is chaos, this is human fallenness to the max, and we're using the most brutal tool of human society, the military, to solve a very, very terrible problem. And this isn't God here, this is fallen human beings. So God help me and have mercy on me. I'm a part of something like this, and I prayed that it wouldn't be, but here we are. Save me from becoming a debased, immoral human being. And save my soldiers as well."

War is massive destruction and death. The military is at once both a noble and most brutal tool, it is "human fallenness to the max." I suspect you'll take some heat for that description, but you nailed it. That's why I'm heartbroken when our system sends our troops to battle in as cavalier a manner as we did in Iraq. Thank you both for contributing so eloquently to this profound topic.

Ken Bresnahan
Weston, FL (WLRN, 91.3 FM)

Morris' Naivete and Dishonesty (May 27, 2007)
Maj. John Morris' apparently blind faith in the justness of the Iraq war undermines every other good and decent and insightful thing he said. And if he has something less than blind faith in the moral character of Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld and the other architects of the war, and he failed to mention those misgivings, then he can rightly be accused of dishonesty, a dishonesty that serves no one and perpetuates the senseless death preemptively initiated by the United States.

Notice his red-white-and-blue naivete about Fallujah and Abu Ghraib. What U.S. forces did in Fallujah is widely considered to involve a series of war crimes. As for Abu Ghraib, the torture there was obviously a sorry consequence of top-down U.S. policy. Maj. Morris' "a few bad apples" theory is ridiculous, unless he's referring to Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gonzalez, Rice, etc. The U.S. is now, thanks to determined efforts of the Bush administration, correctly viewed as a torture state.

And Ms. Tippett, by failing to ask about the moral character of President Bush and his cronies (for starters) looks just silly. If she can't handle a serious topic, she'd do better stick with the soft ones. (She might have also asked Maj. Morris whether the moral conscience of this country has ever grappled with, much less recovered from, our firebombing of civilian cities in World War Two.)

Disturbing stuff. Would Jesus shoot someone if Dick Cheney ordered him to?

Nolan Sterling
Portland, OR (KOPB, 91.5 FM)

Spirituality, Merchant Marine, Humanity, and Peace (May 27, 2007)
Your wonderful discussion with "Padre" Morris reminds me of my merchant-marine, world-citizen vision that I made into an article that you might be interested in reading. It is 2,600 words and the first three paragraphs follow. Let me know if you would like to read it. The theme is our collective humanity as illuminated by a vision I had one night on lookout.

"Message from the Midnight, Briny Deep"

A simple merchant seaman submits to the military a message for anyone trying to solve a tough problem, especially the anonymous analyst burning the midnight oil hoping for a connection between world events. The seaman lacks intelligence training, access to classified reports and knows his opinion doesn't count. So what can the slow sea turtle offer the high-performance dolphin? He offers a riddle and a sea story, hoping that the talents he developed to compensate for his slowness might be of interest to the fast dolphin.

First is the riddle. What is the difference between bombing from 50,000 feet, boots on the ground and psych-ops? My answer is: lots, lots of differences. Rather than a precise answer, my interest in the riddle is its hint of a deeper issue. Is there yet another, less-obvious level of operations? It is this possibility the sea story, "The Third Kingdom," raises:

"With several weeks of hectic Mediterranean ports behind us, we had just cleared the busy Straights of Gibraltar and were homebound for the States. We were looking forward to the peace and quiet of steaming solo across the Big Pond. I dispatched my work for the midnight watch quickly so I could relax in my corner of the wheelhouse. Coffee and night lunch in hand, snuggled up to the glass, I assumed the position of lookout and faced the empty ocean. The darkness of the midnight, briny deep beckoned my attention."

Curtis Junker
Easton, PA (WHYY, 91.0 FM)

Using the Prince of Peace Unjustly (May 27, 2007)
Today our son will graduate from high school. His older brother will not be able to attend because he is in Iraq with the Minnesota National Guard. He has been there 14 months. Unless further illegally extended by the war criminal in the White House, he will come home in two months. That will constitute the longest single deployment of any unit: regular, Reserve, or Guard.

This Thursday I will attend the funeral of Jason Schumann of our home town of Hawley. It will be the third funeral of area soldiers that I have attended. The sad truth is these young Americans have died for nothing. You, by putting Major Morris on your program, have done as much as any one person could to legitimize this illegal, immoral, unconstitutional, and unbiblical war of aggression to control another country's natural resources. Major Morris is perpetuating the delusion that the war can yet be won. It is lost. Like Vietnam, it is a hopeless cause. A determined insurgency can never be defeated. 58,000 American boys have been in their graves some 40 years and people like Major Morris are making sure they have died in vain in that we have not learned our lesson to stay out of other countries' affairs.

I'm sure Major Morris is making a big name for himself with "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon." He has put forth the the falsehood that our troops are there because they want to be. There are not mass desertions he informs us. The truth is they go to war or they go to jail. Most choose the war hoping they will survive and be allowed to come home and get on with their lives. Don't be fooled by interviews with troops that "believe in what they are doing." If any soldier talks to the media it must be cleared by the command. What they say is scripted. They cannot say anything against Bush, the Army, or the war. If they do speak negatively it is not allowed to be made public.

One year ago a poll showed that 72 percent of troops serving Iraq said we should be out by the end of the year (2006) no matter what the situation. What do you suppose the percent would be now? Major Morris is using the name of the Prince of Peace to keep us in a war we have long since lost. He and you are doing your part keep the blood of Iraqis and young Americans flowing 'til hell freezes over.

Mike Ross
Hawley, MN (KCCD, 90.3 FM)

A Christian Reply, Not an Anti-Christian Silence (May 27, 2007)
You two educated, experienced, contemplative, and spiritual people managed to talk for an hour without facing the satanism of war. The reverend described training a citizen-soldier to point his weapon at a civilian immediately, and fire until dead. This is not Christian. It is not Muslim. It is not spiritual. It is evil. Satanic. Anti-Christian. You two avoided explaining how a spiritual person can go to war and kill. A Christian can not. Christ never killed. Some other religions may sanction killing in war. (There is no just war. Paul wrote to please a king or to parody a king.) Christianity and killing are not possible.

Address killing. Address how one atones for killing in war. Address what the Christian response to lying blood-thirsty leaders taking our neighbors to war. Give a Christian reply, not an anti-Christian silence.

David Weaver
Westerville, OH (WOSU, 820 AM)

Great Show (May 27, 2007)
Thanks for the great show. I'm a vet and a fuel truck driver and do not believe in God. Where did that whole thing come from? Thanks.

Shawn Ross
St. Paul, MN (KNOW, 91.1 FM)

Thank You Very, Very Much (May 27, 2007)
This was sooooo powerful — thank you.

Mark Ritchie
Minneapolis, MN (KNOW, 91.1 FM)

Call to Action (May 27, 2007)
I'm sorry to say, I tuned in late and heard only the last few minutes. My immediate thought was what can I do? I want to help. I live in Missouri. One thing I can do is contact our state reserve or the VA. This war breaks my heart. There isn't a day that I don't want to cry. But that isn't helping anyone. I will contact the person on your show and ask how I can get involved.

Bobbi Linkemer
St. Louis, MO (KWMU, 90.7 FM)

Laudable Outreach, Flawed Thinking (May 27, 2007)
I was troubled by Chaplain Morris's description of his experience at war and his vision of the future. While his current efforts to help vets are very laudable, his broader ideas seemed more aligned with Ares than Christ. He waxed almost longingly about sacrifices that would have to be made for "generations" in the "war on terror." Shouldn't all of us — military/civilians, believers/non-believers — be seeking peace, not wars that last for generations? What is the War on Terror? How will we know when we've "won"? In these words, Morris acts more as a flak for the military than he does as a man of faith.

In a similar way, Morris described his experience in Fallujah almost as a self-serving victim would. He is a man of peace (he says) put in a situation where the enemy must be killed. Then, almost as an afterthought, he added the word "apprehended." Ideas like these are the reason why we are trapped in a war where our soldiers and innocent Iraqis are dying for no apparent good cause. What gives us (U.S.) the right to decide who has the right to live and die? I am always educated by SOF. This week's guest, however, was a little disappointing. Thank you.

Clay Cerny
Chicago, IL (WBEZ, 91.5 FM)

A Better Understanding of My Father (May 27, 2007)
Your program was very timely and personally meaningful. The correlation to the effect of war on previous vets was enlightening. My father, now deceased, was a fighter pilot in WWII and faced many difficulties on returning to civilian life — the worst being his wife, my mother, developing schizophrenia and he being left to try and raise four children, my three sisters and myself along with the horror of a devastating mental illness in the home. It was not pretty. My father as a war vet struggled terribly as a civilian but was always known as a very nice guy.

Major Morris' realistic but compassionate approach to his military flock was profound. My father was left to deal with life on his own except for diving into the intense world of evangelical Christianity. It is that foundation in which I was raised but have had tremendous conflict with. Major Morris' discussion of those who "lost their faith" is very pertinent. My father is free of his pain, my mother still lives in a distant world in her mind, we the children as adults are still dealing with the long term effects of "war." Your program was a very enlightening and helpful reflection on the sufferings of my father and his children as a result of war… over 60 years post WWII. I felt a bit of personal healing by listening, and a better understanding of why my dad was as he was. Thanks for sharing this on this Memorial Day weekend.

Robert Doty, Jr.
Oak Park, IL (WBEZ, 91.5 FM)

Opposed and Enlightened (May 27, 2007)
Thank you for your program on this Memorial Day weekend with Major Morris and his very clear message about the effect of war on our service men and women. I am so opposed to the war in Iraq, but his explanation of the importance of welcoming our service people as they return to civilian life not only when they first come home but whenever they have a need. My husband served in WWII. He is deeply affected when he hears of the death and injuries of our men and women and the innocent people of Iraq. It brings back his own experiences.

Nan Smith
Chester, MD (Listens to SOF OnDemand)

Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (May 27, 2007)
As a clinical psychologist, I found the program repeat from June '06 very touching. Wonder if these chaplains are aware that there are thousands of trained EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) theraposts across the U.S. who are trained to work with PTSD. Some of the VA Institutions are aware and have endorsed EMDR treatment as the most effective way of dealing with PTSD; however, most of the VA therapists are not trained in this methodology.

We are holding our annual conference at the end of September in Dallas, Texas and have planned an entire day workshop on treating vets — both Reserve and enlisted personnel — along with their families, if needed. This type of therapy has been utilized for about 15 years and EMDR-trained therapists have volunteered to work with survivors in the Katrina disaster; also some have volunteered to go overseas to work with tsunami victims. You can contact EMDRIA at their Web site for further info and referrals; there is a referral directory nationwide for those of us with advanced EMDR training. Hope this is helpful and enlightening. As a clinical psychologist — who was trained to use hypnosis 20 years ago — I have found EMDR to be both faster and more effective than any other method in dealing with all types of PTSD and have been using it in my practice for over five years!

Beatrice Brody
Redondo Beach, CA (KPCC, 89.3 FM)

Morris Is an Enabler (May 27, 2007)
Having been in war in Vietnam and Nicaragua, I have come to the conclusion that there is no soul in war. The title of your program is an oxymoron. The chaplain is an enabler — enabling religious people to commit godless acts, and giving them the implication that it's all right. What part of Thou Shalt Not Kill don't you understand? It is impossible to "rehabilitate" ex-soldiers; they will be f'd up forever. The only rehabilitation possible is to work to eliminate the sin of war by eliminating war. Please interview peacemakers and find out where they get their spiritual strength to continue their struggles. Equal time!

David Grainger
Plainville, CT (WNPR, 89.1 FM)

A Better Way to Speak (May 27, 2007)
Thank you for a very good topical interview which sets a very different tone about our vets and active duty military personnel than what we are constantly subjected to in the media feeding frenzy. Being a military daughter, sister, and wife and mother this viewpoint is very refreshing and necessary. The chaplain's comments are well articulated and your style of allowing the person speaking complete a thought and idea without interruption, or at least little interruption allows the listener to understand completed thoughts and intelligent listening as well as demonstrating a high regard for the speaker. Again, thank you to the chaplain for realizing and articulating the manner in which we ought to be acquiring abilities to speak and act about our active duty personnel and veterans!

Krista L. Schupbach
New Philadelphia, OH (WKSU, 89.7 FM)

Right On (May 27, 2007)
Articulate and precise, Major Morris was an absolute delight to listen to. I've sent a link of the program to many of my friends and family. Keep up the great work.

Alan Wild
Kingston, RI (WNPR, 89.1 FM)

Salute (May 27, 2007)
I wish to commend you, or should I say, "salute you" for the selection of the Chaplain Major on your program. If all leaders were so forthright and clear…

Allan Karson
N. Bergen, NJ (WNYC, 93.9 FM)

Combat Damages the Soul (May 27, 2007)
Your discussion with Chaplain Major John Morris seems to indicate that combat is always damaging, and seldom constructive to the participants. If there is an observant God, surely s/he must regard this activity as one that we should not engage in. Sure, one can justify the "morally good" war — the stopping of lethal aggression, etc, but should we really be engaging in combat activities?

We know that the practice of any activity, including religious rites, permanently alters the brain, whether or not there is a god associated with that religion — this is also true of the practice of combat — in this case, it's what we call PTSD. This does not mean that we should hold the typical combat participant personally responsible. What about President Bush? Did not he scale back the effort to capture bin Laden, a man who sent people to kill us in order to invade Iraq — a country which posed no significant threat to the USA? It has been suggested that George W Bush invaded Iraq so that he could run for reelection as a wartime president. Bush himself has said that his Texas Methodist God sent him on a mission to bring democracy to the Middle East — because democracies don't start wars — but if you do a count, Israel has started the most wars in the Middle East since its founding; and since 1945, the USA has started the most wars in the world. Was Bush mistaken, or lying?

I wonder how the various Gods: Catholic, fundamentalist Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc. view all these wars. The Jewish God seems to want non-Jews killed — or so the prophets, say in the Old Testament.

Obbie Shafto
Redondo Beach, CA (KPCC, 89.3 FM)

Easter in Fallujah (May 27, 2007)
C'mon, Krista, who cares about Easter in Fallujah when people are bamboozled into doing this war and suffering. Your PollyAnna reactions to politics shows you shouldn't be doing a so-called "religious" program. Your question on Fallujah is obscene. Get off it or get on the spiritual politics which is about is getting out of the phony war caused by a reformed drunkard, our president. Anything else and you should recuse yourself from the subjects you entertain. If you are making your career on this WNYC program, get lost! Such false consciousness. Ugh.

Daniel Goode
New York, NY (WNYC, 93.9 FM)

No Soul in War (May 26, 2007)
I really like your program, but today's program title had the most oxymoronic title you could have picked. Really, there is absolutely no soul in war or anything to do with war. All war does is steal the souls of the unfortunate soldiers who are duped into serving — as witnessed by the content of your program. Please don't ever equate soul with war; our souls are sacrosanct and war is as opposite to war as you could possibly get. Thank you for letting me speak on something I feel very strongly about.

Pat Carter
Santa Cruz, CA (KAZU, 90.3 FM)

How Can You Reconcile? (May 26, 2007)
Chaplain Morris is ministering to men and women who have volunteered to kill other human beings. Shame on us for making killing an option for any person, especially a young 19 year old.We are all responsible for what is happening in Iraq, even if we have been against the war from the start. Thank you Chaplain Morris for helping these pawns of our political forces to salvage a life for themselves when they return — for walking arm and arm with them, acknowledging their humanity. Mothers raise their children to be kind to others, to not hurt others, and then the military squeezes that out of them so they can hunt and kill the enemy with no thought. How can a soldier return to a family and not see the enemy whenever there is a challenge to his authority? Like the Amish who forgave the serial killer who killed their children in a small school house, Chaplain Morris' compassion has no limits.

Deirdre Fennessy
Tarrytown, NY (WNYC, 93.9 FM)

Military Friendly Churches (May 26, 2007)
I'm curious why your show emphasized the theme of veterans being "excluded" from society and had a guest like John Morris who repeats the myth that vets were "shamed" by society when they came back from Vietnam. This idea has been debunked by Vietnam Veteran and Holy Cross University sociologist Jerry Lembcke in his book The Spitting Image and in numerous articles on the myths of vets being "abused" when returning from Vietnam. In fact, as surely your guest Rev. Morris knows, thousands of vets came back from Vietnam and even as GIs in Vietnam became active in the anti-war movement. Why not talk about their spirituality, the spirituality that led them to speak out as vets against the Vietnam War and subsequent wars?

On Veterans Day, does it really do vets a service to pretend that Vietnam was an era in which vets were "shamed" by society, when in fact vets were very active and proud agents of antiwar resistance to the point of driving Nixon and advocates of war to the brink? What purpose does it serve Speaking of Faith to talk of vets as "victims" or "excluded" by society when in fact society widely supports publicly funded programs to help them readjust and so many Iraq vets have come back from the present unpopular war and become involved in the antiwar protests?

Stephen Philion
Maple Grove, MN (KNOW, 91.1 FM)

Who is Chaplain Morris? (May 25, 2007)
Who is Chaplain Morris? Where is he from? What faith does he profess? How long has he been a chaplain? Where did he study? Did he have a ministry in civilian life? In what other units and theaters has he served?

Ray Marshall
Minneapolis, MN (KNOW, 91.1 FM)

A Poetic Explication of Chaplaincy (July 8, 2006)
Most look confused when I tell them I am a chaplain or a rabbinic pastor. They think of the military — or recall M.A.S.H. with Father Mulcahy. The fact is that there are chaplains everywhere, and that most people don't know a chaplain until they need one. Here is my poetic attempt to distinguish chaplaincy, to convey just what a being a chaplain, a rabbinic pastor is all about.

It's not Okay
That
You reach an advanced age
Only to feel alone, depressed abandoned, unappreciated and
With no one left and with nothing to look forward to
The rest of your days.

It's not Okay
That
You lie alone in your hospital room
Broken, healing, uncomfortable, and in pain,
Wondering, "Why me? What did I do to deserve this?"
With no one to be with you, listen to you, and share your
Feelings of helplessness in one of the darkest times of your life.

It's not Okay
That
You find yourself imprisoned, alone
Anxious, intimidated, in a menacing sea,
Feeling deserted by your community, forsaken by God
With no one to visit you, witness your unique being,
Celebrate your essential humanity; share your fears and hopes,
And to hold out the possibility of a life beyond your bars.

It's not Okay
That
You and your family find yourselves trapped in a relationship
Unloving, abused, victimized, perpetrating, victimizing,
Not knowing how to communicate your feelings, your thoughts
Without someone who will see you for who you truly are a
Child of the same God, who will be there to support you
As you struggle to survive and to seek your way out.

It's not Okay
That
You find yourself institutionalized in a psychiatric hospital
Forgetting who you are, sometimes for day and weeks,
In a drugged haze, "for your own good."
Disrespected, managed, and manipulated — as if you were
A helpless fumbling idiot, child, a sub-human nuisance.
Without someone nearby who cares to be by your side as you
Struggle to reclaim your life, your dignity, and your humanity.

It's not Okay
That
You awake one day in hospice, or alone in your home
In the last days of a life you have just been living
Wondering about the meaning of that life, your life
Angry with yourself, enraged with God,
Angry for living in a pain that just won't go away.
Without someone to be there, share your suffering and confusion,
To help you re-view the riches of who you are, have been,
Come to Peace, commemorate, and celebrate your living.

Why me?

Because I, too, have felt…
Alone, abandoned, isolated, powerless,
Trapped, victimized, forgetting who I am,
Misunderstood, managed, manipulated,
Disrespected, confused, aching, and in pain.

We are children of the same God.

And if my being with you
Witnessing, sharing your life, feelings
Helps you grow towards wholeness,
In touch with your wonder and awe,
Expanding your capacity to love and to praise God,
Re-knit yourself into the Web of all Life.

Then our lives together,
Our time on earth
Will have been well and truly spent.

Pinchas Zohav
Bellevue, WA (KUOW, Webcast)

How Best to Help Them Reintegrate When You Are Sorry They Had to Go? (June 9, 2006)
Thank you so much for bringing Maj. Morris to your audience. He clearly and sensitively brought out many of the hard truths about war. It will be helpful for all of us as we seek to reintegrate veterans, especially Guard and Reserve, into society.

Here is my question: How can one who believes that a particular war is illegal and immoral express some level of appreciation to those who have borne the brunt of the terrible mistake? What if "thanks" is inappropriate? What if a more truthful response is, "I'm so sorry that you were put in that situation. How can I help?" Many veterans are no doubt trying to justify their involvement and would not respond well to such a genuine expression of caring. Many others believe they were involved in a noble cause and would respond even less well. Still others are wrestling with the myth that if their war was a mistake, then their friends who died or were wounded suffered "in vain." Nevertheless, silence seems inappropriate, especially after hearing Maj. Morris. How can one be truthful and caring in this kind of situation?

Craig Repp
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (KPCC, 89.3 FM)

Religious Diversity in the Military (June 3, 2006)
On this program, it was stated that "In the American Army these days, there are also Muslims and Wiccans and Buddhists." I realize that this statement was intended to show the amount of diversity within the modern American Army. However, it is safe to say that there are no true Buddhists among the ranks of U.S. soldiers. No Buddhist could set aside his/her conscience and kill another human being simply by being ordered to do so. Ahimsa, the concept of non-violence (also practiced by Gandhi), is a core value of Buddhist philosophy. As stated in chapter 10 of the Dhammapada, "Everyone fears punishment; everyone loves life, as you do. Therefore do not kill or cause to kill." In this way, the philosophy is similar to that of the Quakers who believe that Christ's teachings prevent them from waging war. One may call oneself a Buddhist (or a Christian or a patriot), but that does not make it so.

Carl Wilcox
Clemmons, NC (WFDD, 88.5 FM)

Bridging the Gap (June 2, 2006)
I was opposed to this war when it began, but now I have a nephew in Iraq working as a translator. I do not push my opinion of the war in his face, but regularly send him e-mail to encourage him and make him feel that someone cares. I was glad to hear that someone is dealing with the spiritual wounds of returning veterans, which must be so deep. Major Morris had some vary valid points to make about how this society treats our soldiers after they have returned from combat. I was also impressed by his willingness to speak to Iraqi Muslims about his faith and their faith honestly, without trying to score points. God bless you, Major Morris. I hope there is someone like you there in Camp Tajii, where my nephew is stationed.

Nancy Larsen
Minneapolis, MN (Listens to SOF OnDemand)

Agreeing with His Observations (June 2, 2006)
I was moved by John Morris' lucid and compassionate reflections on soldiers' reintegration. My work includes the reintegration of children who have been associated with fighting forces around the world, and I found myself agreeing with many of his observations, including the importance of support from the entire community.

Karin Landgren
New York, NY (WNYC, 93.9 FM)

Thank You for Caring (June 2, 2006)
I am retired after 31 years of military service in the Army and the Connecticut Army National Guard. Fortunately I have never been required to go into combat. But over those many years I have listened to many veterans, from WWII to Iraqi Freedom, and/or their families tell stories of their traumatic experiences during their combat tours and how they did or did not cope with their experiences. You are absolutely right that every war has produced PTSD amongst its participants. Thank you for your program with the Minnesota National Guard, and I wish every state had such a program. Your program, "The Soul of War" needs to be heard by every American. Thank you for what you do.

John Bednarz
Portland, CT (Listens to SOF OnDemand)

War and Approval (May 29, 2006)
I really appreciated Chaplain John Morris. I found him to be a truly thoughtful human being. He has had to do battle on the inside and outside to find justice. And I do hope that he helps young soldiers who often grow and live with so much disapproval from self and others. That disapproval can then lead to warfare. If we truly loved our souls and valued human life — all of it — could we find justice in war?

I know from my own experience in life — when I feel bad or down — I project it out into the world and make war. And I believe most human beings do this every day. What are the effects of our collective war on the wars we see being fought by young and old soldiers? How many of these soldiers have the time or the resources to reflect on a just war? Love the enemy as thyself to me translates as there is only one self so when you kill the so called enemy you are killing a part of yourself. And you see this being played out on both sides of the Iraqi and Afghani conflicts. There is disdain for the other, but in reality on the spiritual realm there is no other. Until human beings evolve and find peace and resolution in themselves they will continue to destroy themselves and others.

All this collective disapproval just creates more war and suffering and less love. The mother of us all loves all of her children equally. She makes no distinctions because they all came from her and are part of her. Let us — and I include myself — find unity peace in ourselves and bring into the world. It is no easy task but it is the only way. The Tibetans understand this concept very well. But I do have a lot of respect and admiration for the chaplain. I wish him luck in his work and commend him for making this deep sacrifice. It does deserve to be honored.

Rebecca Schaye
New York, NY (Listens to SOF OnDemand)

From a Military Instructor to Major Morris (May 29, 2006)
I hope this Memorial Day finds you well! My name is SFC Cooper, and I am the NCOIC of Staff and Faculty Development for the Fort Dix NCO Academy. We are continually pioneering many new initiatives and while listening to you discuss your initiative "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon" I began to think of some ways that we could collaborate on a project for our soldiers.

We teach thousands of active, Guard and Reserve soldiers each year at our NCO Academy (most are Guard and Reserve). Since we also teach instructor training courses, we teach hundreds of soldiers (PFC through COL) who will soon be instructors (thus interacting with thousands of soldiers) and most of the are combat veterans. You mentioned that four to six months after deployment is when most soldiers begin to deal with PTSD. While discussing your project with our Commandant (CSM Franko Antolovich) he pointed out that we (the NCO Academy) are the first place that is a structured military environment that most soldiers enter after a deployment. I have personally witnessed many of our soldiers suffer from PTSD, but we are not trained in recognizing the signs and symptoms, nor or we actively thinking about the issue.

I hope that we can work together to create an effective training program here at the NCO Academy so that we can better serve our Soldiers. I can envision some sort of project here like this:

•Quarterly training on PTSD for our cadre (perhaps you can recommend an expert in our area?)

•We develop or adopt a PTSD lesson plan and teach it in all four of our courses (Warrior Leader Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Total Army Instructor Training Course, Small Group Instructor Training Course)

After our initial training on PTSD perhaps you can come to our academy and speak to us about "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon" and we can have some round tables in order to develop a unique and successful program. Next, I think that there are probably some PTSD questionnaires that we could implement during our inprocessing/medical screening. Thank you for your assistance and I look forward to hearing from you!

The essence of the small group method of instruction: "I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand." ~ Confucius. Please visit the Fort Dix NCO Academy Web site for more information: https://arrtc.mccoy.army.mil/dixncoa.

Steve Cooper
Fort Dix, NJ (WHYY, 91.0 FM)

Muslims Are Law-Abiding Citizens (May 28, 2006)
I am a Muslim American who converted to orthodox Islam many years ago. I live and work in the Middle East. I was very impressed by the program which featured Chaplain Major John Morris. The impact of the current conflicts located in the Middle East are a bit different in one way than that of the Vietnam conflict because they are directly or indirectly associated with trauma in the American society as a result of the criminal attacks of 9-11. One must assume that this trauma will still be fresh in the minds of U.S. military members as they are mandated to perform their duties in the theaters of conflict.

I hope that the efforts to assist returning veterans will include their acknowledgement and realization that America is also the home to millions of Muslims who are also law-abiding citizens and are seeking the same securities in life, education for their children, and prosperity like many of the veterans. Perhaps some effort or interface might be helpful that involves some of the Muslim communities as the veterans return home.

Chaplain Morris' account was very poignant and helped me — a civilian understand the pressures borne by all the service personnel who provide spiritual stability assistance. I wish that his statements are circulated all over the world. And maybe perhaps those who lead our world's nations would be more restrained as they seek to resolve their conflicts. Thank you Major Morris. I pray that you find continued guidance and success in your efforts.

Ibrahim Siddiq
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (NPR Worldwide)

Required Listening (May 28, 2006)
This program should be required listening for every American citizen. Those who disagree with the Iraq War would learn a great deal. Those who support the war but have never been in combat would learn more than they want to know, and those who support the war and have been there would see a side of this war that they didn't know before and if they did, they have forgotten.

Steve Bobenhouse
Clive, IA (KUNI, 90.9 FM)

Required Listening (May 28, 2006)
Major Morris' talk was very inspirational and comforting — to know our soldiers have such excellent support is a great blessing. Is there a local outreach program in Duluth for this program? Thank you.

Joan Bernt
Duluth, MN (WSCN, 100.5 FM)

To Pray for Mercy (May 28, 2006)
Thank you for today's moving, appropriate program. I was humbled by this chaplain's common sense and yet holy approach to our military personnel serving in war zones. While I am totally opposed to this war, I can only pray that his program will take root throughout the entire military. I was particularly impressed with his spiritual courage when given the opportunity to fall into the "God is on our side" trap at Fallujah. To pray for the mercy not to hate in the midst on chaos and insanity is totally beyond the grasp of the average American. Please continue to offer your programs. They enlighten and broaden the faith experience of your listening audience.

Alice Ferdinand
Minneapolis, MN (KNOW, 91.1 FM)

Helping Guardsmen's Wives (May 28, 2006)
I used to listen to Justice Talking while getting ready for church and then it was replaced by Speaking of Faith. I was annoyed. However, I am really enjoying your program. Especially the last two Sundays. The program about creeds and particularly this morning with the military chaplain. It really gave me a lot to think about. I did not realize that the National Guard came directly home without any cool down period. My husband was in the regular army and fought in Vietnam. He was given help when he came back home. I am going to contact my local National Guard Armory and see what I can do to help the women in my county whose husbands are in Iraq.

Nydah Ellet
Ravenna, OH (WYSU, 88.5 FM)

Soldiers of Faith (May 28, 2006)
I wish you had been more direct with Major Morris and asked about the trouble soldiers of faith, or at least those who respect the Bible (either literally or liberally), have with passages such as "Love your enemies" or "Do not kill." Of course there is ambiguity even in the United Methodist tradition of Major Morris and President Bush. It is reflected in the U.M. Book of Discipline's Social Principles. There (Para 165.VI.C) we find the statement, "We believe war is incompatible with the teachings of Christ." But the statement is immediately followed by: "We therefore reject war as an instrument of foreign policy, to be employed only as a last resort in the prevention of such evils as genocide, brutal suppression of human rights, and unprovoked international aggression."

Does the fact that our current soldiers are volunteers suggest that such questions are not really pressing? Have they, for the most part, already decided this is a "just" war? Would the very real problem that Iraq war veterans have been even worse if it was being fought with a drafted army?

Jerry Moyar
Naperville, IL (WBEZ, 91.5 FM)

Audio Journal (May 25, 2006)
I really appreciated Chaplain Morris' audio journal. It brought the reality of the situation over in Iraq one dimension closer.

Don Gillman
Los Angeles, CA (KPCC, 89.3 FM)

A Small Taste (May 25, 2006)
Thanks again for such a needed program. I just listened to this week's piece by Major Morris about his work in Iraq. What amazing work he does. I used to do some volunteer ministry at the hospital and have had a small taste of what it is to just be with people in great need. But nobody was shooting and after a few hours I went home. It's good to be reminded of what's really important.

Kit Anderson
Burlington, VT (WVPS, 107.9 FM)

Books? (May 25, 2006)
Very interesting, insightful. I'm having trouble "imagining sacrifice as noble." But I thank you for exploring this. We need to keep it out in the open and continue to discuss the hard issues. Last January at Westminster we read The Weight of All Things by Sandra Benitez. We are interested in your suggestions for fiction about the themes of war for an other all-church book read next winter. Can you suggest some good titles? Thank you.

Jennie Bartholomew
Minneapolis, MN (KNOW, 91.1 FM)