You know, it really doesn’t help us make the case internationally that we’re not waging a holy war against Islam when our own military suppliers, without our knowledge, are doing things like adding coded Bible text to the sights affixed to every rifle going to Iraq and Afghanistan in the hards of a U.S. Marine. Here’s a clip from the ABC News report:
…Trijicon confirmed to ABCNews.com that it adds the biblical codes to the sights sold to the U.S. military. Tom Munson, director of sales and marketing for Trijicon, which is based in Wixom, Michigan, said the inscriptions “have always been there” and said there was nothing wrong or illegal with adding them. Munson said the issue was being raised by a group that is “not Christian.” The company has said the practice began under its founder, Glyn Bindon, a devout Christian from South Africa who was killed in a 2003 plane crash…
“It’s wrong, it violates the Constitution, it violates a number of federal laws,” said Michael “Mikey” Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, an advocacy group that seeks to preserve the separation of church and state in the military.
“It allows the Mujahedeen, the Taliban, al Qaeda and the insurrectionists and jihadists to claim they’re being shot by Jesus rifles,” he said.
Weinstein, an attorney and former Air Force officer, said many members of his group who currently serve in the military have complained about the markings on the sights. He also claims they’ve told him that commanders have referred to weapons with the sights as “spiritually transformed firearm[s] of Jesus Christ.”
He said coded biblical inscriptions play into the hands of “those who are calling this a Crusade”…
But, in their defense, if I was a devout Christian arms manufacturer, I might do the same thing. I’m a bit rusty, but wasn’t it right after the “turn the other cheek” part that Jesus told his followers to use their sights (and hollow-point, cop-killer bullets) in order to maximize carnage?
And, yeah, that’s $660 million of American taxpayer money that we’re giving to this company, while we’re preparing to lay-off fire fighters and close neighborhood public schools here in Ypsi…
Good job, America.
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Wait, Mark, do you have a problem with the Nobel Peace Laureate sending soldiers to kill Afghanis and Iraqis, or just with the bible verses? Are you okay with our 60+ years of meddling in the middle east, as long as it’s not done in the name of Christ?
I never thought that war was called for in Iraq. I did, and continue, however, to feel as though we needed to respond physically in Afghanistan. That’s where the attacks on our country originated. That’s what the Taliban was strongest. And that’s where Osama bin Laden was at the time. So, yes, I do believe we’re justified being there. I don’t think, however, that it’s good policy to have our men and women told that this is a holy war. This, in my opinion, should not be positioned as such. I think it’s both unconstitutional and dangerous. I hope that’s clear.
The light of the world and the glory of God comes out of the muzzle flash of a rifle. Oh.
I made a grammatical mistake in my previous post. I apologize. Maybe God killed Glyn Bindon in a plane crash for doing this stupid shit. Oh wait, I sound like Pat Robertson.
Get out of the middle east entirely, sell all the bible-verse laden military small arms to American civilians here at home, everybody’s happy.
Waterstreet would make a great community firing range. It’s already contaminated. We could re- form the Ypsilanti Light Guard. Maybe pay range dues to the city.
Just putting that out there again.
Back before wire coat hangers went out of fashion for plastic hangers, back before wire coat hanger manufacturing went to the Chinese, back in its heyday in the ’60s and ’70s in the U.S., one hanger manufacturer in Portland, Oregon, would etch “666” into the underside of the hook section of the hanger.
So because of the Bible, some people want to lay down these arms and walk away from them?
The Lord does work in mysterious ways…
Some are saying that it’s the company’s right to print whatever they want on the sights. Makes me wonder if they’d care if a company decided to start inscribing, “We love sucking hard cock” on military toothbrushes.
I bet a lot of drill sergeants would like that just fine.
Drill Baby Drill!
“…one hanger manufacturer in Portland, Oregon, would etch “666″ into the underside of the hook section of the hanger.”
Proof? Link? Ref? anything? or just another urban myth. Back it up or shut it up.
God Killed Glyn Bindon
– i like that
I just went to Google and searched “hangers inscribed with 666”. It took me back here. Seriously. This is getting weird.
Don’t do it again Curt. The universe may implode.
OK, I did a little digging and I found confirmation that wire hangers were engraved with the mark of the beast.
Sorry… That wasn’t the right link… I meant to post this one.
I found an image of the verse.
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2010/01/20/alg_rifle_bible_verse.jpg
If someone hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have noticed.
Tree goatse? Really? Is this really what the world has come to?
I wonder if 666 hangers, get better reception?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQhlmJTMzw
I agree with Glyn Bindon. When are we, as Christians, going to start standing up to the Muslims. If you don’t want our weapons – so be it. Fight your own battles.
I’d put the bible codes on the bullets so it would leave an impression on the enemy, so to speak.
Sandy, I’m an American and I could give two shits about Jesus Christ. Exactly, what “we” are you talking about?
Since I was around 5 years old I’ve had an entity running a continuum where they would yell at me from cars at a distance and ululate that they hated Swedes and would shout out these Religious Quotes on how I was their tabernacle sacrifice , when they said something it was the tongue , how every quantum they created meant something , how history never changed and etc….. Are you sure are entire Black Operational Government isn’t based on some kind of religious extremism. Maybe English Socialism ? Bin Laden might be coming in a close second.
You lost me at “an entity running a continuum.” Please try again.
Wait, you name isn’t Geir, is it?
Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, you are a dirtbag. You are causing trouble for no apparent reason. Iraqi’s, as a whole, cannot read English. Second, approx 90% of the Afghan nation cannot read their own language (Farsi.) As with millions of other rotation soldiers, I’ve been there. The interpreters even bought me a Christian necklace. The religion stuff doesn’t offend anybody, except people with nothing better to do. Our equipment gets so banged up, that inscriptions would be gone within a month anyway. I wouldn’t expect anybody from the ‘chair force’ to appreciate that anyway. You are obviously Jewish. Super, religious tolerance is in every religion. Go file a federal court document as to why you have no life. I’m working on my J.D., and you sir, just as bad as an ‘ambulance chaser.’ WAAAAAMOBILE COMING THROUGH!!!
You had me at “You are obviously Jewish” Mr. Tyler Perry.
From Think Progress today:
RADICAL RIGHT — MICHIGAN COMPANY WILL STOP PUTTING BIBLICAL REFERENCES ON GUNS: A Michigan arms company said yesterday that it would immediately stop putting references to New Testament Scriptures on rifle sights it sells the military. Last week, the blog Accurate Shooter reported that the company, Trijicon, had “discretely placed references to Bible passages” on the high-powered rifle sights it manufactured. Trijicon “has a $660 million multi-year contract to provide up to 800,000 sights to the Marine Corps.” The military strictly bans the proselytizing of any religion in Iraq and Afghanistan. Air Force Maj. John Redfield, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, initially defended Trijicon, saying, “This situation is not unlike the situation with US currency. Are we going to stop using money because the bills have ‘In God We Trust’ on them? As long as the sights meet the combat needs of troops, they’ll continue to be used.” But Centcom commander Gen. David Petraeus took a different position on Wednesday, saying that “this is of serious concern to me and the other commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan because it can indeed create a perception that is absolutely contrary to what it is that we have sought to do.” David Chater, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in the Afghanistan, said the scopes could become a “a rallying cry for the Taliban. It gives them a propaganda tool.” Scopes with biblical references were also sold to the Australian, New Zealand and British militaries. Trijicon has now said that it will end the practice and “offered to provide modification kits to the Pentagon to enable their removal on existing optics.”