Film maker, Mel Gibson, marvels at Desmond Doss' strong Christian faith. In talking of how Doss was able to go to war unarmed, Gibson declared that it was because he relied strongly on God. He remarked, "It's undeniable what the essence of Desmond Doss was. He was a man of great courage and strong conviction and strong faith… that was really his core value, and to operate from a place of love…" That faith is rooted and grounded in Desmond Doss' lifelong commitment as a Seventh-day Adventist.
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Doss Receives Medal of Honor from President Truman
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Desmond had been raised with a fervent belief in the Bible. When it came to the Ten Commandments, he applied them personally. During childhood his father had purchased a large framed picture at an auction. It portrayed the Ten Commandments with colorful illustrations. Next to the words, "Thou shalt not kill" was a drawing of Cain holding a club and standing over the body of his dead brother Abel. Little Desmond would look at that picture and ask, "Why did Cain kill Abel? How in the world could a brother do such a thing?" In Desmond's mind, God said, "If you love me, you won't kill." With that picture firmly embedded in his mind, he determined that he would never take life.
However, there was another commandment that Desmond took just as seriously as the sixth. It was the fourth commandment. His religious upbringing included weekly church attendance, on the seventh day. The Army was exasperated to discover that he had yet another personal requirement. He asked for a weekly pass so he could attend church every Saturday. He made the right choice.