This article: "Soldier father accused of 'waterboarding' daughter, 4, because she can't recite alphabet" is a painful reminder of the potential abuse that arises out of situations that soldiers are forced to go through, endure, process and carry with.
I do not incriminate or point to this act as an attempt to say that the army did this to this man or is solely responsible but...isn't it fair to examine the issue? Do folks have a right to examine religions that produce extremists? Do we have a duty to examine the "input/output issues of violence, media and our cultures effects on the young and old alike? Isn't most of life a testimony of cause and effect? Not in all cases...but probably easily observed. The man was probably simply sick and in need of mental health support...but maybe not?
Just because a Priest sexually abuses a child, it shouldn't incriminate the Catholic church...but it should cause us to examine its' position on "celibate clergy" and ask tough questions as to wether that policy helps create a culture of potentially sexually repressed men and women?
As a pastor, I am concerned about the re-entry issues facing men and women who are in the service or are veterans. PTSD is a hot button in some circles...It's affect on marriages, relationships, parenting, friendships and inner psychology are serious issues to me. We use certain phrases in interpersonal conversations that are unspoken truths...like when someone off handily remarks that their father was in the military. The general assumption is that would mean that certain issues of intimacy, authority, discipline, displacement, attachment challenges for transitory families are or have been experienced. Does this mean all MK's deal with this or all Solider or Vets fall into such classifications or stereotypes...I don't think so...but are they generally accepted distortions, seems so.
"Supporting the Troops"...is taking on a whole lot more meaning in my mind these days.
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In its study, (http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG720/) the RAND Corporation wrote that the federal government fails to care for war veterans at its own peril -- noting post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury "can have far reaching and damaging consequences."
"Individuals afflicted with these conditions face higher risks for other psychological problems and for attempting suicide. They have higher rates of unhealthy behaviors -- such as smoking, overeating, and unsafe sex -- and higher rates of physical health problems and mortality. Individuals with these conditions also tend to miss more work or report being less productive," the report said. "These conditions can impair relationships, disrupt marriages, aggravate the difficulties of parenting, and cause problems in children that may extend the consequences of combat trauma across generations."
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