CONFUSED

Dear MRFF:

I was in the Air Force for 24 years with time in Vietnam. I had a friend in Vietnam who was a medic: him and I use tell stories a lot, especially on his experience in the field. We were talking about GI’s who did not believe in God( I am not a religious person): he told me about guys on stretchers who were wounded and scared that they would die that they asked for a chaplain to get their sins forgiven: and there were quite a few who did not believe (atheist) who did this. Can you give me an answer to why they called for a chaplain??? I sometimes get very confused and do not understand: maybe you have the answer.

(name withheld)
(76 yrs old)

Dear (name withheld),

Most of the time, reports of death-bed conversions are made up as religious propaganda, but I’m sure they happen sometimes. Non-religious soldiers who request chaplains for “forgiveness” probably had a religious upbringing, most likely Catholic since Protestants generally don’t believe that an intermediary is needed in order to pray for forgiveness. Why would they choose to convert as they’re dying? In some cases, they may not have been sure about their beliefs and simply changed their mind. I had an atheist friend who reconverted back to Buddhism under life-threatening conditions in Iraq for the same reason – he just wasn’t sure. I think some cases can also be explained scientifically. People who have survived near-death experiences report very similar symptoms as the brain shuts down: a tunnel, bright light, out of body sensation, visions, and so on. A person whose brain is shutting down may associate the early onset of these symptoms with whatever religious theology they are most familiar with and become convinced that these biological events are something mystical in nature. If they have time, they might act on these delusions and ask for religious counsel.

To learn about the biological causes of near-death experiences, read this: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=peace-of-mind-near-death

I support providing these dying men with whatever comfort they ask for, but I am bothered by smug religious authorities who imply these anecdotes constitute some sort of victory, like it “proves” they are right. It clearly doesn’t help their case at all that thoughtful intellectuals only accept their theology when half of their brain isn’t working and the other half is doped up on stress hormones and hallucinogens. Taking advantage of a person who is mentally incapacitated is quite similar to getting a woman slobbering drunk then claiming she “consented” – maybe she did, but maybe it’s rape. Maybe these guys do have a change of heart, or maybe they’re being spiritually raped by religious predators.

Dustin Chalker
MRFF Non-Religious Affairs Advisor