Heroism, faith and forgiveness

The remarkable, unlikely story of a conscientious objector

The Conscientious Objector (2004)

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Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. The story of Desmond Doss, a United Staes Army medic in World War II who refused to carry a gun or take life but became the first conscientious objector to receive the Congressional Medal of Honour, seems like it could be a fabrication. It’s so remarkable, so unlikely.

Doss chose to serve in the army (he preferred describing himself as a “conscientious cooperator”) despite facing ridicule and exclusion for his religious principles and practices. He then became a hero, demonstrating incredible bravery in saving the lives of 75 men in the battle for Hacksaw Ridge—regarded as one of the bloodiest of the war—on the Pacific island of Okinawa.

The Conscientious Objector tells the Doss story predominantly in his own words. He is an astonishingly humble man who, even in old age at the time of filming, holds true to the Bible’s principles and the Seventh-day Adventist faith that sustained him throughout his military service. The message of the documentary is clear: Doss dedicates his life to service—for others and for the God he believes in so strongly.

A moving sequence occurs when Doss and the soldiers with whom he served return to Okinawa, visiting the very ridge where Doss had demonstrated heroism, faith and forgiveness. Seeing the soldiers’ admiration and respect for Doss is inspiring.

It’s hard not to be moved by The Conscientious Objector.