[theme music]
00:00:01.53\00:00:15.14
[drum and trumpet music]
00:00:22.42\00:00:24.55
This is It Is
Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
00:00:31.33\00:00:33.73
Thanks for joining me.
Right about now, Americans are
00:00:33.73\00:00:37.40
preparing to
celebrate a national holiday.
00:00:37.40\00:00:40.67
For many people, it's
the best time of the year.
00:00:40.67\00:00:43.54
Thanksgiving: family,
sometimes travel, always food.
00:00:43.54\00:00:49.84
And a time for us to
reflect on just how good God has
00:00:49.84\00:00:52.75
been to us. It's
not unusual for people
00:00:52.75\00:00:55.98
around the table at Thanksgiving
dinner to recite what they are
00:00:55.98\00:00:59.79
thankful for from
the previous year.
00:00:59.79\00:01:03.22
Well, this year--every year,
truthfully--I'll be thankful
00:01:03.22\00:01:06.46
for, among other
things, the Bible: God's book,
00:01:06.46\00:01:09.36
God's revelation to us
of Himself and His love
00:01:09.36\00:01:12.90
for a sinful world. The
Bible contains the story
00:01:12.90\00:01:16.07
of the plan of salvation:
how Jesus came from Heaven
00:01:16.07\00:01:18.71
to Earth, to die
so that we might live.
00:01:18.71\00:01:22.38
That's something
to be thankful for.
00:01:22.38\00:01:24.81
When you come to the Bible,
you don't have to read too
00:01:24.81\00:01:27.28
far to find great
men and women of faith.
00:01:27.28\00:01:30.92
You read about
Abraham, or of Samson,
00:01:30.92\00:01:33.89
somebody like
Daniel, people who, driven by
00:01:33.89\00:01:36.83
the Spirit of God,
did great things for
00:01:36.83\00:01:38.93
the honor of God.
Outside the Bible, we find great
00:01:38.93\00:01:42.86
men and women of faith
also, and today we're going to
00:01:42.86\00:01:47.00
discuss somebody who
had great faith in God:
00:01:47.00\00:01:49.90
such great faith that his
otherwise unremarkable life
00:01:49.90\00:01:54.38
became remarkable
for the glory of God;
00:01:54.38\00:01:57.08
so much so, that
this individual was one of
00:01:57.08\00:02:00.18
the very few to
receive a Congressional Medal
00:02:00.18\00:02:02.62
of Honor. His
name was Desmond Doss,
00:02:02.62\00:02:06.29
and joining me today
to discuss Desmond Doss
00:02:06.29\00:02:08.92
is Pastor Les Spear,
who for several years
00:02:08.92\00:02:11.93
was Desmond
Doss's church pastor.
00:02:11.93\00:02:14.36
Les, thanks for joining
me today on It Is Written.
00:02:14.36\00:02:16.87
It's a pleasure
to have you here.
00:02:16.87\00:02:18.77
LS: It's my pleasure to be here.
JB: Now, you've been in ministry
00:02:18.77\00:02:20.84
pretty much all your
adult life. How long, now?
00:02:20.84\00:02:23.41
LS: Forty-six years. JB:
And you were the pastor of a
00:02:23.41\00:02:25.47
church Desmond attended
for how many of those years?
00:02:25.47\00:02:28.14
LS: About three and a half.
JB: But your association with
00:02:28.14\00:02:30.75
Desmond predates those
and postdates those years.
00:02:30.75\00:02:34.15
LS: Correct. JB: So,
you knew him for about
00:02:34.15\00:02:36.15
how many years?
LS: About 22, 23 years.
00:02:36.15\00:02:39.79
JB: And in those
years, you can get to know a
00:02:39.79\00:02:41.79
person pretty well. LS: Yeah.
00:02:41.79\00:02:43.73
We became personal friends.
Sometimes your church members,
00:02:43.73\00:02:46.93
you get to know very
well. And because of Desmond's
00:02:46.93\00:02:51.43
reputation, because
of his wonderful, quiet,
00:02:51.43\00:02:55.97
humble manner, he's the
kind of man that everyone
00:02:55.97\00:02:58.91
wishes they had as a
father or grandfather.
00:02:58.91\00:03:01.64
And you could sit beside
him and ask him questions.
00:03:01.64\00:03:05.21
He wasn't intimidated;
he wasn't full of himself;
00:03:05.21\00:03:09.12
he was just as open and
transparent as sunlight.
00:03:09.12\00:03:13.56
JB: Now, not that many people
are awarded the Congressional
00:03:13.56\00:03:16.89
Medal of Honor. Maybe
you can explain what it
00:03:16.89\00:03:20.70
was that Desmond did that saw
him receive the Congressional
00:03:20.70\00:03:25.57
Medal of Honor from
President Harry Truman.
00:03:25.57\00:03:28.60
LS: First of all, you
have to understand that the
00:03:28.60\00:03:31.61
background of his boot camp,
Desmond was despised because
00:03:31.61\00:03:35.54
he was a conscientious objector.
00:03:35.54\00:03:38.15
He didn't like that term.
He said, "I'm a conscientious
00:03:38.15\00:03:41.58
cooperator." JB: But
nevertheless, during his
00:03:41.58\00:03:44.62
time in the military where
he served as a combat medic,
00:03:44.62\00:03:47.76
he refused to
carry a gun. LS: Yes.
00:03:47.76\00:03:50.06
JB: Leading many of those
he served with to hate him.
00:03:50.06\00:03:53.36
LS: Yes. So when
it came to warfare,
00:03:53.36\00:03:56.23
however, the ugly duckling
turned out to be a beautiful
00:03:56.23\00:04:00.54
person who would go after
them--the wounded soldiers--
00:04:00.54\00:04:05.17
no matter where they were.
If they were in the line of
00:04:05.17\00:04:07.71
fire, he would go after
them, risking his own life many,
00:04:07.71\00:04:10.41
many, many times,
grab them by the collar and
00:04:10.41\00:04:13.52
drag them out. JB:
Here's how I understand it:
00:04:13.52\00:04:15.82
Desmond said that during that
white-hot, intense battle on the
00:04:15.82\00:04:21.52
Maeda Escarpment in Okinawa,
Japan, he brought to safety,
00:04:21.52\00:04:26.36
under the most difficult
circumstances imaginable,
00:04:26.36\00:04:29.26
fifty wounded men
who otherwise would have
00:04:29.26\00:04:32.73
lost their lives. The
military says it was 100,
00:04:32.73\00:04:36.10
at least, soldiers he
served with, so they split the
00:04:36.10\00:04:38.67
difference. LS: Yes.
00:04:38.67\00:04:40.38
JB: And said Desmond Doss
saved 75 men while under fire,
00:04:40.38\00:04:44.65
literally in the
crosshairs of Japanese marksmen.
00:04:44.65\00:04:49.05
LS: Now, let me tell you
something I asked Desmond
00:04:49.05\00:04:51.65
about one day. I
said, "Desmond, after you
00:04:51.65\00:04:54.26
saved two or three
people and you lowered them down
00:04:54.26\00:04:57.19
with a rope about 40
feet to where the other men
00:04:57.19\00:05:00.16
could get them and
take them to aid station,"
00:05:00.16\00:05:02.43
I said, "did you
continue to crawl
00:05:02.43\00:05:04.43
on the ground?" He said, "No."
00:05:04.43\00:05:06.60
He said, "After a while,
I understood that God was
00:05:06.60\00:05:09.70
protecting me, so I
stood up and carried men on my
00:05:09.70\00:05:12.44
back. I drug
them; I didn't try to
00:05:12.44\00:05:15.11
stay on the ground anymore."
And he, and the other men,
00:05:15.11\00:05:18.58
who were down there,
said that the bullets were
00:05:18.58\00:05:21.08
like bees flying around
him, but they didn't touch him.
00:05:21.08\00:05:25.19
So I said, "Desmond,
is this story about you?"
00:05:25.19\00:05:28.29
He said, "No. This story
is about my God that I serve."
00:05:28.29\00:05:32.36
JB: Describe Desmond Doss
as a person--you've done that a
00:05:32.36\00:05:35.23
little bit--something about his
background and how he grew up
00:05:35.23\00:05:37.40
as a man of faith. This
was a committed Christian.
00:05:37.40\00:05:40.87
LS: He grew up a very poor home.
His mother and father worked,
00:05:40.87\00:05:45.41
both of them,
part-time, without regular jobs,
00:05:45.41\00:05:49.21
during the Depression.
His father was a very bad
00:05:49.21\00:05:52.05
alcoholic, prone to
beating the children.
00:05:52.05\00:05:55.12
The mother was a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian,
00:05:55.12\00:05:58.69
and the Bible and
church was very important.
00:05:58.69\00:06:01.62
Mr. Doss, Thomas
Doss, one day at an auction,
00:06:01.62\00:06:05.86
he bought a little
picture of the Lord's Prayer and
00:06:05.86\00:06:09.50
of the Ten Commandments
for 75 cents, and they
00:06:09.50\00:06:13.34
hung that behind a chair.
And interestingly, Desmond liked
00:06:13.34\00:06:18.44
to stand in that chair and watch
and look at and understand the
00:06:18.44\00:06:23.45
Ten Commandments with
the pictures that were there.
00:06:23.45\00:06:26.65
And his mother said one day,
"Desmond, you're going to wear
00:06:26.65\00:06:30.45
that chair out
looking at that picture."
00:06:30.45\00:06:33.09
She really didn't
mind. But that picture had
00:06:33.09\00:06:36.56
a tremendous
influence on not killing anyone:
00:06:36.56\00:06:41.06
the picture of Cain
killing Abel, and of the
00:06:41.06\00:06:44.10
seventh-day Sabbath,
and those were two big,
00:06:44.10\00:06:47.00
monumental
foundations that shaped his
00:06:47.00\00:06:50.67
character. JB: He chose to be a
00:06:50.67\00:06:53.44
conscientious cooperator.
As you said, he didn't like the
00:06:53.44\00:06:56.81
term
conscientious objector. LS: Yes.
00:06:56.81\00:06:59.51
JB: But he, he
volunteered for the military.
00:06:59.51\00:07:02.65
LS: Absolutely. JB:
Now, when you volunteer for
00:07:02.65\00:07:05.49
the military, you don't get
to dictate the terms under which
00:07:05.49\00:07:09.69
you will serve. LS:
That's true today, but it
00:07:09.69\00:07:13.16
was quite a little bit different
back then, during World War II.
00:07:13.16\00:07:17.37
Today, if a person volunteers,
they go in as a combatant.
00:07:17.37\00:07:24.14
They must carry arms, unless
it's convenient for them to
00:07:24.14\00:07:28.11
not to do so. Then,
there was a law that
00:07:28.11\00:07:31.85
allowed them to not carry a
gun, which he refused to do,
00:07:31.85\00:07:36.82
and still be on the battlefield,
still be saving life instead
00:07:36.82\00:07:43.36
of taking it.
He didn't, he said,
00:07:43.36\00:07:45.76
"I'm willing to salute my flag.
I'm willing to go in uniform.
00:07:45.76\00:07:48.56
I believe in my
country. I'm very patriotic."
00:07:48.56\00:07:51.27
And he was one of the
most patriotic people I've ever
00:07:51.27\00:07:53.37
seen or met. But
he would not kill;
00:07:53.37\00:07:58.34
he would not take life.
JB: A man who would not take
00:07:58.34\00:08:00.81
life, who would not carry
a weapon, but was awarded the
00:08:00.81\00:08:04.11
Congressional Medal of Honor:
a remarkable man, a servant
00:08:04.11\00:08:08.12
of his country,
and a man of faith.
00:08:08.12\00:08:10.32
More of the Desmond
Doss story in just a moment.
00:08:10.32\00:08:13.39
[Music] When you read the Bible,
00:08:14.42\00:08:20.30
you read about many
great heroes of the Bible:
00:08:20.30\00:08:23.13
people otherwise ordinary
who, moved by the Spirit
00:08:23.13\00:08:26.50
of God, did great
things for the glory of God.
00:08:26.50\00:08:30.24
Outside of the Bible,
we meet heroes as well,
00:08:30.24\00:08:33.61
and Desmond Doss,
though he would never
00:08:33.61\00:08:35.98
refer to himself as
such, was undoubtedly a
00:08:35.98\00:08:39.18
modern-day hero. A
Congressional Medal of Honor
00:08:39.18\00:08:42.28
recipient who went into battle
with nothing more than a medical
00:08:42.28\00:08:46.42
kit, a prayer on his
lips, and a very small Bible
00:08:46.42\00:08:50.29
just like this one.
This was Desmond Doss's
00:08:50.29\00:08:54.83
strength. I would
like to share with you a
00:08:54.83\00:08:57.57
little book called,
"The Faith of Desmond Doss,"
00:08:57.57\00:09:01.20
which will share with you what
it was that made Desmond Doss
00:09:01.20\00:09:04.21
a great man of faith, and
how you, too, can have that
00:09:04.21\00:09:08.11
kind of faith in God. To
receive "The Faith of Desmond
00:09:08.11\00:09:12.31
Doss," please call,
right now, 1 (800) 253-3000.
00:09:12.31\00:09:17.59
That's 1 (800) 253-3000.
If, when you call, the line is
00:09:17.59\00:09:22.59
busy, please do call again.
You can call 24 hours a day.
00:09:22.59\00:09:27.40
If you'd like to
write, please write to:
00:09:27.40\00:09:29.63
It Is Written, P.O. Box
6, Chattanooga, Tennessee,
00:09:29.63\00:09:32.87
37401, and we will
send you a free copy,
00:09:32.87\00:09:36.47
if your address is
within North America.
00:09:36.47\00:09:39.54
Or go to our website for a free
download, www.ItIsWritten.com.
00:09:39.54\00:09:45.61
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:09:47.05\00:09:48.98
I'm John
Bradshaw. My guest today is
00:09:48.98\00:09:51.19
Pastor Les Spear,
who for several years was
00:09:51.19\00:09:53.82
the pastor of Congressional
Medal of Honor recipient
00:09:53.82\00:09:56.42
Desmond Doss, and for
many years was his close and
00:09:56.42\00:10:00.36
trusted friend.
Desmond Doss is the central
00:10:00.36\00:10:03.30
figure in the
movie "Hacksaw Ridge,"
00:10:03.30\00:10:06.00
which focuses on one of
the most intense military
00:10:06.00\00:10:08.90
engagements in
this country's history.
00:10:08.90\00:10:12.11
Les, since the end of the
Civil War, less than 2,000
00:10:12.11\00:10:16.68
individuals have
received the Medal of Honor.
00:10:16.68\00:10:19.95
In order to receive that
award, you have had to have done
00:10:19.95\00:10:24.02
something outstanding.
And typically, in order to do
00:10:24.02\00:10:27.69
something outstanding, you
had to be someone outstanding.
00:10:27.69\00:10:31.16
Now, what sort of person
was Desmond Doss, the man?
00:10:31.16\00:10:34.36
LS: Some people will be
acquainted with the Myers-
00:10:34.36\00:10:37.53
Briggs Personality Profile.
Desmond was an INFJ, and if you
00:10:37.53\00:10:45.77
Google that, it comes
out that it's Mr. Integrity.
00:10:45.77\00:10:51.68
He would not
violate his conscience.
00:10:51.68\00:10:53.85
I don't know of a single
incident where he violated
00:10:53.85\00:10:56.45
his conscience in
his whole lifetime.
00:10:56.45\00:10:58.92
He was so rigid to do what
he felt was right, regardless
00:10:58.92\00:11:03.59
of the
consequences. JB: Which led him,
00:11:03.59\00:11:05.76
while in the
military, to make the decision
00:11:05.76\00:11:07.60
that he wouldn't carry a gun.
00:11:07.60\00:11:09.13
He would be a
conscientious cooperator.
00:11:09.13\00:11:11.50
You mentioned before that he
was despised for that, at least
00:11:11.50\00:11:14.30
for a while. That turned around.
00:11:14.30\00:11:16.37
What kind of pressure did
he experience in the military
00:11:16.37\00:11:19.54
for his decision?
LS: He was beat up.
00:11:19.54\00:11:22.78
He would, was not allowed
to have passes home, even to
00:11:22.78\00:11:26.92
get married, earlier. The
men would make fun of him.
00:11:26.92\00:11:30.09
They would ridicule him.
They despised him, because he
00:11:30.09\00:11:34.02
wouldn't be like them and
carry a gun and kill the enemy.
00:11:34.02\00:11:38.13
JB: As a spiritual man,
you observed him up close.
00:11:38.13\00:11:40.96
What was his
spiritual experience like?
00:11:40.96\00:11:43.03
LS: He was a person who
was not full of himself.
00:11:43.03\00:11:45.97
He was very humble,
very kind, very patient.
00:11:45.97\00:11:50.24
He was willing to
listen. Another soldier met him,
00:11:50.24\00:11:55.24
and the soldier said,
"Desmond treated me like
00:11:55.24\00:11:59.95
I was the recipient
of the Medal of Honor."
00:11:59.95\00:12:04.05
And he said, "When Desmond goes
to the Medal of Honor convention
00:12:04.05\00:12:08.19
every other year, the other
recipients line up to see him."
00:12:08.19\00:12:13.40
Now, isn't that amazing? So
it's not a story necessarily
00:12:13.40\00:12:16.97
about Desmond.
It's a story about the
00:12:16.97\00:12:19.80
miracle-working
power of Desmond's God.
00:12:19.80\00:12:23.37
JB: Up on Hacksaw Ridge, or
more appropriately referred to,
00:12:23.37\00:12:26.74
up on the Maeda Escarpment
at Okinawa, he was literally
00:12:26.74\00:12:30.28
in the crosshairs
of Japanese weapons and
00:12:30.28\00:12:34.02
guns. Bullets
were flying past him,
00:12:34.02\00:12:36.15
yet he distinguished
himself with immense bravery and
00:12:36.15\00:12:41.09
absolute heroism,
leading him to receive the
00:12:41.09\00:12:44.39
Congressional Medal of Honor.
00:12:44.39\00:12:46.03
Now, you have
that medal here today.
00:12:46.03\00:12:47.86
Might we see that? LS: Yes.
00:12:47.86\00:12:49.80
This is the
Congressional Medal of Honor.
00:12:49.80\00:12:51.80
There are very few people
who wear this, believe me.
00:12:51.80\00:12:54.44
I think there's only about
150 who are still alive at this
00:12:54.44\00:12:58.21
time. JB: In addition to the
00:12:58.21\00:13:00.04
Congressional Medal of
Honor, he was awarded with
00:13:00.04\00:13:02.08
other awards. What were they?
00:13:02.08\00:13:04.35
LS: He received two Bronze
Stars, the Oak Leaf Cluster
00:13:04.35\00:13:07.95
for valor. He
received three Purple Hearts,
00:13:07.95\00:13:12.09
and was wounded most severely
the last time, after the
00:13:12.09\00:13:16.49
Maeda Escarpment.
The Japanese had built
00:13:16.49\00:13:19.73
tunnels in this mountain,
and they had pillboxes,
00:13:19.73\00:13:24.20
they had machine gun
nests set up, designed
00:13:24.20\00:13:26.94
not to be on the
offensive but on the defensive.
00:13:26.94\00:13:31.31
So, my history books say
that between 2,200 and 2,300
00:13:31.31\00:13:36.88
American lives were
trying to take this mountain
00:13:36.88\00:13:40.32
range. It wasn't
so big--about 400 feet
00:13:40.32\00:13:43.49
high--but they had designed
it so that when they got there,
00:13:43.49\00:13:47.69
many soldiers would die.
At one place, there was a
00:13:47.69\00:13:51.46
little creek.
Human blood was almost
00:13:51.46\00:13:54.46
knee deep. So, here
you have Desmond going
00:13:54.46\00:13:58.60
up there, on the second famous
day, and as he goes up there,
00:13:58.60\00:14:04.54
the Japanese are shooting
at him, and he is going and
00:14:04.54\00:14:10.95
rescuing men. But
instead of crawling on the
00:14:10.95\00:14:14.38
ground, after realizing
that God is protecting him,
00:14:14.38\00:14:18.05
he doesn't worry
about the bullets at all.
00:14:18.05\00:14:20.06
And he just goes and gets people
and puts them on his back.
00:14:20.06\00:14:23.32
He sometimes will help
them walk, if they are capable
00:14:23.32\00:14:26.36
of walking at all,
carries them to the side and
00:14:26.36\00:14:29.13
lowers them over, 40
feet down where the other men
00:14:29.13\00:14:32.13
can get them and
take them to military aid.
00:14:32.13\00:14:34.60
Just trusting in the
Lord. And I asked him,
00:14:34.60\00:14:37.61
"What were you thinking?"
He said, "I was praying,
00:14:37.61\00:14:40.61
'God help me get
one more before I die.'
00:14:40.61\00:14:43.81
'Help me get one more.'
'Help me get one more.'"
00:14:43.81\00:14:46.95
JB: Big, strong
man, was he? LS: No.
00:14:46.95\00:14:49.48
He was probably 130
pounds, at this time.
00:14:49.48\00:14:52.65
JB: A hundred and thirty pounds,
yet he singlehandedly rescued
00:14:52.65\00:14:56.32
and then lowered to safety
at least 75 men, while bullets
00:14:56.32\00:15:01.90
were flying past. LS:
One of the other men in the
00:15:01.90\00:15:05.37
unit said that the bullets
up there were like a bunch of
00:15:05.37\00:15:08.00
bees flying around him.
JB: What sort of long-term
00:15:08.00\00:15:12.27
effects did Desmond Doss suffer
after having served in the
00:15:12.27\00:15:15.41
military? LS:
Something that we have in
00:15:15.41\00:15:18.21
our vocabulary today is
Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome.
00:15:18.21\00:15:22.82
Desmond suffered that
for probably 10 or 12 years.
00:15:22.82\00:15:27.42
He called it "the demons."
He would think of people that
00:15:27.42\00:15:31.73
were, he considered them his
men, and he would see them die.
00:15:31.73\00:15:35.16
He would try to save them, and
they would die or be blown up.
00:15:35.16\00:15:40.70
JB: This was
going on in his mind?
00:15:40.70\00:15:42.40
LS: Yes. And so,
for years this, all this
00:15:42.40\00:15:45.11
trauma is going on in
his mind. Today, we deal with
00:15:45.11\00:15:48.31
psychologists and psychiatrists
and so forth, to help our
00:15:48.31\00:15:52.18
soldiers in these situations.
Desmond had none of that.
00:15:52.18\00:15:55.65
Plus, after he got well from
the injuries of his body and his
00:15:55.65\00:16:00.39
left leg that was blown up
with a hand grenade, he has TB
00:16:00.39\00:16:06.56
for five and a half
years, and he couldn't even be
00:16:06.56\00:16:10.10
with his wife but
for a few minutes a day.
00:16:10.10\00:16:13.20
And he couldn't be with his son
for fear that his son would get
00:16:13.20\00:16:16.71
TB. This was a terrible
00:16:16.71\00:16:19.07
psychological imprisonment,
almost, during his life for
00:16:19.07\00:16:25.18
years, probably 10 to 12 years
he suffered these emotional
00:16:25.18\00:16:30.29
problems. JB: And
then there was his
00:16:30.29\00:16:32.49
hearing. LS: Yes.
00:16:32.49\00:16:34.22
When they treated him
for his problems physically--
00:16:34.22\00:16:39.79
antibiotics were
new, in World War II--
00:16:39.79\00:16:42.56
the doctors didn't
know how much to give.
00:16:42.56\00:16:45.33
And so they gave him way too
much, and he would have ringing
00:16:45.33\00:16:49.00
in his ears for years.
And finally, sometime after
00:16:49.00\00:16:53.01
World War II, he became totally
deaf for 12 years, until they
00:16:53.01\00:16:59.45
have a new miracle surgery
called 'cochlear implant.'
00:16:59.45\00:17:03.55
After he got the cochlear
implant, it was possible
00:17:03.55\00:17:06.12
to communicate with him.
He said, "But everybody talks
00:17:06.12\00:17:09.16
like Donald Duck." Ha ha ha.
00:17:09.16\00:17:11.36
I found that if I lowered
my voice, I could speak slowly,
00:17:11.36\00:17:16.13
and if I faced him, he
could read my lips and we could
00:17:16.13\00:17:19.47
carry on a good conversation.
00:17:19.47\00:17:21.64
JB: Did you ever know him to
consider or to suggest that the
00:17:21.64\00:17:24.94
price he paid for serving
his country was too high?
00:17:24.94\00:17:28.78
LS: Never. He
said, "I received the
00:17:28.78\00:17:31.18
Congressional in honor of
the men who died, because they
00:17:31.18\00:17:35.35
gave a much greater
sacrifice than mine."
00:17:35.35\00:17:38.32
JB: Quite a remarkable
man, and now the subject of a
00:17:38.32\00:17:42.26
major motion picture
entitled "Hacksaw Ridge."
00:17:42.26\00:17:44.63
There's already been
documentaries, books,
00:17:44.63\00:17:47.40
and many other productions
in honor or in respect of
00:17:47.40\00:17:53.00
a man who gave so much
for the country that he loved,
00:17:53.00\00:17:57.91
motivated always
by honor for God.
00:17:57.91\00:18:02.98
We'll be back with
more in just a moment.
00:18:02.98\00:18:05.38
[Music] "Every
Word" is a one-minute,
00:18:06.11\00:18:07.98
Bible-based daily
devotional presented by
00:18:07.98\00:18:10.32
Pastor John Bradshaw,
and designed especially for
00:18:10.32\00:18:12.62
busy people like you.
Look for "Every Word" on
00:18:12.62\00:18:15.92
selected networks or
watch it online every day on our
00:18:15.92\00:18:18.83
website, ItIsWritten.com.
00:18:18.83\00:18:22.26
[upbeat piano music]
Paul and Silas were doing
00:18:23.10\00:18:31.31
God's business in Philippi.
They were hounded for days
00:18:31.31\00:18:34.31
by a demon-possessed woman,
so they do the right thing,
00:18:34.31\00:18:37.61
the God thing, and they
cast the demon out of her.
00:18:37.61\00:18:40.82
But as a result, they ended
up in prison, their backs having
00:18:40.82\00:18:43.02
been brutally opened up by a
Roman whip and their feet put
00:18:43.02\00:18:45.95
fast in stocks.
And yet the testimony
00:18:45.95\00:18:48.92
of God's Word is that
in their darkest hour,
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.63
their faith in God was strong.
00:18:51.63\00:18:53.93
Acts 16:25 says, "And
at midnight, Paul and Silas
00:18:53.93\00:18:57.50
prayed and sang praises
unto God, and the prisoners
00:18:57.50\00:19:00.67
heard them."
Instead of complaining that
00:19:00.67\00:19:03.10
God had abandoned
them, they prayed and sang.
00:19:03.10\00:19:05.91
The other prisoners were
touched, God worked miracles,
00:19:05.91\00:19:08.31
and the jailkeeper was
saved. When you're in a tough
00:19:08.31\00:19:11.41
situation, instead
of complaining, pray
00:19:11.41\00:19:13.82
and praise God.
That's when miracles happen.
00:19:13.82\00:19:17.35
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:19:17.35\00:19:19.45
Let's live today by every word.
00:19:19.45\00:19:22.16
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:19:23.56\00:19:25.76
Today, we're
discussing Desmond Doss,
00:19:25.76\00:19:28.33
Congressional Medal of Honor
recipient, whose experience
00:19:28.33\00:19:31.33
is portrayed in the
movie "Hacksaw Ridge."
00:19:31.33\00:19:35.60
Pastor Les Spear, his
pastor for several years,
00:19:35.60\00:19:37.54
his friend for many years,
we spoke a few moments ago
00:19:37.54\00:19:40.74
about how Desmond Doss was
hated, absolutely despised,
00:19:40.74\00:19:44.55
because he chose
to be a noncombatant.
00:19:44.55\00:19:48.05
He said he was a
conscientious cooperator,
00:19:48.05\00:19:50.82
but, in spite of that
decision, later on was
00:19:50.82\00:19:53.86
awarded the
Congressional Medal of Honor.
00:19:53.86\00:19:55.66
So, something happened to
turn around in the minds of many
00:19:55.66\00:19:58.79
people this concept of a
man who was perhaps a coward,
00:19:58.79\00:20:02.50
couldn't be relied on,
to, in the minds of his own
00:20:02.50\00:20:05.50
peers, he really
became a hero, in their minds.
00:20:05.50\00:20:09.10
Explain that
transition that took place.
00:20:09.10\00:20:12.34
LS: In basic
training, one of the men said,
00:20:12.34\00:20:14.64
"In battle, I will kill you."
00:20:14.64\00:20:16.64
When it came to the battle time,
later, that particular man who
00:20:16.64\00:20:20.95
had threatened him in basic
training was running the other
00:20:20.95\00:20:24.55
way, away from the
enemy, when Desmond was going
00:20:24.55\00:20:28.02
into battle to save his men.
00:20:28.02\00:20:30.63
And Desmond was not afraid
to risk his life again and
00:20:30.63\00:20:34.93
again and again,
where, if anyone was wounded
00:20:34.93\00:20:37.43
and they cried for a
medic, he was on his way,
00:20:37.43\00:20:41.00
in spite of the
harm and the foolishness.
00:20:41.00\00:20:44.51
One time, the commander said,
"Desmond, wait a little while."
00:20:44.51\00:20:48.04
And Desmond said, "He may
not be alive in a little while,"
00:20:48.04\00:20:52.65
and he crawled on out to
get that man and drag him
00:20:52.65\00:20:55.75
back. JB: Earlier, there was a
00:20:55.75\00:20:57.95
complete lack of respect
for Desmond and his faith.
00:20:57.95\00:21:01.56
Later on, there was an immense
amount of respect for his
00:21:01.56\00:21:06.16
faith in God.
Describe that for me.
00:21:06.16\00:21:08.80
LS: When they tried to
get up the Maeda Escarpment--
00:21:08.80\00:21:12.23
Hacksaw Ridge, as
it's called by the men--
00:21:12.23\00:21:15.90
they were, climbed
that ladder seven times, and
00:21:15.90\00:21:19.61
they were
kicked off seven times.
00:21:19.61\00:21:22.54
One of the times,
Desmond said to the commander,
00:21:22.54\00:21:26.25
"Sir, shouldn't we have
prayer before we go up?"
00:21:26.25\00:21:29.15
His intent was that
every man should pray,
00:21:29.15\00:21:32.02
"Forgive me of my
sins," and make peace with God.
00:21:32.02\00:21:35.06
So the commander called
the men together and says,
00:21:35.06\00:21:38.66
"Desmond wants to pray for
us." Well, that wasn't Desmond's
00:21:38.66\00:21:41.63
thought, but that's
what he did, and he prayed
00:21:41.63\00:21:43.60
a very simple prayer.
"Lord, give our commander
00:21:43.60\00:21:47.00
good instructions.
Help us to follow safety
00:21:47.00\00:21:50.11
procedures, that we
will all be able to return
00:21:50.11\00:21:52.81
safely and alive." That
day, everyone in their unit
00:21:52.81\00:21:59.31
came back alive.
Not a single one.
00:21:59.31\00:22:02.35
JB: A very rare occurrence.
LS: When the other group that
00:22:02.35\00:22:06.12
was beside them
were just mowed down.
00:22:06.12\00:22:08.49
They were on a neighboring
part of the escarpment.
00:22:08.49\00:22:11.53
They were slaughtered,
almost. JB: A remarkable story.
00:22:11.53\00:22:14.60
LS: Absolutely. JB:
What sort of legacy do you
00:22:14.60\00:22:16.53
think he left behind?
LS: I happen to be the,
00:22:16.53\00:22:19.47
not only a personal
friend of his but also his
00:22:19.47\00:22:21.37
trust officer. Desmond
understood the principal
00:22:21.37\00:22:24.41
from Scripture that
we are just stewards.
00:22:24.41\00:22:27.64
We're not owners of anything.
And so Desmond wanted everything
00:22:27.64\00:22:31.91
that he had, except for a
few personal items, to build up
00:22:31.91\00:22:35.62
God's kingdom. And
so he left not only his
00:22:35.62\00:22:38.69
money, but also his
time, his commitment.
00:22:38.69\00:22:42.59
He was eager to do everything
he could to build up the work of
00:22:42.59\00:22:47.23
Jesus Christ. JB: I
understand he invested
00:22:47.23\00:22:49.46
with his own time and
energy in young people.
00:22:49.46\00:22:53.57
LS: Absolutely. JB:
Tell me a little bit about
00:22:53.57\00:22:55.40
his work with young people.
LS: Well, he loved to go to
00:22:55.40\00:22:57.77
high school, to private schools,
to churches, synagogues,
00:22:57.77\00:23:02.84
wherever he could find
people, but especially he wanted
00:23:02.84\00:23:06.05
to spend time with young people.
00:23:06.05\00:23:07.98
And he would tell them that
if they would trust in God, God
00:23:07.98\00:23:11.12
would direct their
paths. And Desmond said,
00:23:11.12\00:23:14.96
"That's true with me,
and it'll be true with you,
00:23:14.96\00:23:17.26
if you commit your
life to Jesus Christ."
00:23:17.26\00:23:19.66
JB: How did young
people respond to this fellow?
00:23:19.66\00:23:21.30
Let's keep in mind, he
was a frail, older, deaf man.
00:23:21.30\00:23:24.77
LS: Yes. JB: And,
and he could interact
00:23:24.77\00:23:26.70
with high school kids?
LS: Oh, it was amazing.
00:23:26.70\00:23:29.70
One time, there was a group of
perhaps 225 people, and almost
00:23:29.70\00:23:34.54
all of them were young
people. They sat there, almost
00:23:34.54\00:23:37.78
mesmerized. They
were just awestruck.
00:23:37.78\00:23:42.45
I was amazed.
These were 10-, 12-, 13-,
00:23:42.45\00:23:45.19
14-year-olds, and they were just
(ah), with their mouths hanging
00:23:45.19\00:23:49.96
open, listening to the story of
God's protection and providence
00:23:49.96\00:23:55.26
for him. JB: It really is a
00:23:55.26\00:23:57.33
remarkable story. It's
a story of, of protection,
00:23:57.33\00:24:01.04
as you say, providence,
and faith and trust in God.
00:24:01.04\00:24:06.11
Now, Desmond Doss today rests
in a cemetery not very far from
00:24:06.11\00:24:10.21
where we are sitting right
now, and he's a man who was
00:24:10.21\00:24:13.42
a significant part of your life.
00:24:13.42\00:24:15.55
Just briefly, what kind
of impact did Desmond Doss,
00:24:15.55\00:24:19.22
the man, have on you?
LS: In any church, there are
00:24:19.22\00:24:23.46
stresses, sometimes squabblings,
sometimes jealousies, and
00:24:23.46\00:24:30.30
Desmond was a person who
frequently had his picture
00:24:30.30\00:24:33.84
in the newspaper, in
the parades around town,
00:24:33.84\00:24:37.94
and there were some
problems in the church
00:24:37.94\00:24:42.44
and in the social
structure of the community.
00:24:42.44\00:24:45.95
And Desmond struggled with that,
but he was not going to let that
00:24:45.95\00:24:50.69
influence him not to go to
church, not to be faithful,
00:24:50.69\00:24:54.86
not--he was always determined,
"No matter what others do, I
00:24:54.86\00:24:59.13
will be faithful to God."
JB: And it's that faith that's
00:24:59.13\00:25:02.93
so beautifully portrayed
in the film "Hacksaw Ridge,"
00:25:02.93\00:25:06.57
in the documentary "The
Conscientious Objector,"
00:25:06.57\00:25:08.80
in books and so much
that's been written and produced
00:25:08.80\00:25:12.51
about this man.
Pastor Les Spear, thanks for
00:25:12.51\00:25:15.08
joining me today. LS:
It's been my pleasure.
00:25:15.08\00:25:17.01
Thank you. JB:
Well, let's pray together
00:25:17.01\00:25:18.71
before we go. Let's pray.
00:25:18.71\00:25:20.58
[Music] Our Father in heaven,
we are thankful for the way
00:25:20.58\00:25:22.72
You've placed Your hand on
lives, which then reveal to
00:25:22.72\00:25:27.22
so many Your
goodness, Your glory,
00:25:27.22\00:25:30.53
Your providence and Your power.
00:25:30.53\00:25:32.79
As we consider the life
and the legacy of Desmond Doss,
00:25:32.79\00:25:36.10
we are mindful that Your
impact on a life can make
00:25:36.10\00:25:40.70
any life profound,
any life influential,
00:25:40.70\00:25:45.57
any life tell for your glory.
As we come to You with our
00:25:45.57\00:25:48.41
struggles and weaknesses,
I pray that Your touch,
00:25:48.41\00:25:51.71
Your blessing would see
Your will done, and though
00:25:51.71\00:25:55.82
the great majority of
us will never be known like
00:25:55.82\00:25:59.12
Desmond Doss was known,
I pray that in our sphere,
00:25:59.12\00:26:01.82
our lives would give evidence
that we have been touched and
00:26:01.82\00:26:04.96
blessed by the God of Heaven.
00:26:04.96\00:26:07.23
Thank You, that You are
the God of great things.
00:26:07.23\00:26:09.46
In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
00:26:09.46\00:26:12.33
[Music]
00:26:12.33\00:26:24.35
JB: I would like to share
with you a little book called
00:26:28.65\00:26:30.99
"The Faith of Desmond
Doss," which will share with you
00:26:30.99\00:26:34.89
what it was that made
Desmond Doss a great man
00:26:34.89\00:26:37.56
of faith, and how you too,
can have that kind of faith
00:26:37.56\00:26:42.36
in God. To receive
"The Faith of Desmond
00:26:42.36\00:26:45.17
Doss," please call,
right now, 1 (800) 253-3000.
00:26:45.17\00:26:50.51
If, when you call, the line
is busy, please do call again.
00:26:50.51\00:26:54.74
You can call 24 hours a
day. If you'd like to write,
00:26:54.74\00:26:58.18
please write to: It
Is Written, P.O. Box 6,
00:26:58.18\00:27:01.48
Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37401,
and we will send you a free copy
00:27:01.48\00:27:06.19
if your address is
within North America.
00:27:06.19\00:27:09.42
Or go to our
website for a free download,
00:27:09.42\00:27:11.76
www.ItIsWritten.com.
And please remember that
00:27:11.76\00:27:16.83
It Is Written is a
faith-based ministry.
00:27:16.83\00:27:19.63
We are enabled to share the
gospel of Jesus Christ globally
00:27:19.63\00:27:23.17
because of the support
of people just like you.
00:27:23.17\00:27:25.67
To support It Is Written,
please do call (800) 253-3000,
00:27:25.67\00:27:30.45
or you can write to the address
on your screen, or visit us at
00:27:30.45\00:27:34.18
ItIsWritten.com.
Again, to receive
00:27:34.18\00:27:38.35
"The Faith of Desmond
Doss," 1 (800) 253-3000.
00:27:38.35\00:27:45.06
Thank you so much
for joining me today.
00:27:46.43\00:27:48.00
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:48.00\00:27:50.00
Until then
remember, it is written:
00:27:50.00\00:27:53.10
Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word
00:27:53.10\00:27:57.47
that proceeds
from the mouth of God.
00:27:57.47\00:28:01.44
[Music]
00:28:01.44\00:28:20.86