Oh dear .....

[Born_again]

YouTube: Janauary 18, 2010 on MSNBC with Rachel Maddow

Related story:

Coded references to New Testament Bible passages about Jesus Christ are inscribed on high-powered rifle sights provided to the United States military by a Michigan company, an ABC News investigation has found.
The sights are used by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the training of Iraqi and Afghan soldiers. The maker of the sights, Trijicon, has a $660 million multi-year contract to provide up to 800,000 sights to the Marine Corps, and additional contracts to provide sights to the U.S. Army.

U.S. military rules specifically prohibit the proselytizing of any religion in Iraq or Afghanistan and were drawn up in order to prevent criticism that the U.S. was embarked on a religious "Crusade" in its war against al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents.

It completely staggers me as to how far segments of society are prepared to stoop. Every time I read stuff like this I feel part of my nature, ... my faith in humanity, ...... die.

[Nebula]

Unbelievable.

[JLives]

Wow! The company admits it, says it is on purpose then goes on to say those who are against it are "not Christian". Hello crusade!

[grumpydigger]

It looks like to me, a little subliminal advertising by the religious right. Who actually want a religious war..........and are making great profits by supplying the goods to do so...

A lot of the evil in this world, on both sides rely on religion in order to continue the conflicts.

[hellomynameis]

I just watched the news clip about this on Youtube... I am sure it will go over well in Afghanistan, with all the muslims training on weapons with a "bible" sight attached, never mind the general populace.

[Glacier]

I saw this one yesterday.

It is a plot to convert the Afghans by this simple 5 step program:

1) Build schools so the Afghans learn to read.
2) Eventually, you get them to learn to read and write English as well.
3) Put the U.S. solders in harms way so they get captured and their guns confiscated.
4) Plant Bibles on these solders, so that the Taliban confiscates these as well.
5) Encourage the increased production and use mind altering drugs so they will eventually get some crazy notion to read the writing on the scopes.

[Tumult]

There is a film/documentary called "Constantine's Sword" in which some of the infiltration of christian evangelicism into the US air force is (un?)covered.... it's pretty blatant...and disturbing...

[grammafreddy]

Dumb question ....

What if the people don't read the bible and have no connection in any way to actually understand what those subliminal message letters and numbers mean? I mean, if they don't know anything about the bible, why would they associate those inscriptions to them? A lot of them probably don't even read western lettering.

[grammafreddy]

Another thought ...

Maybe the contractor put these inscriptions on the rifles for the US guys - to inspire and comfort and give them their daily religious fix?? Kinda like a blast of Joy in God's Word out in the trenches ......... a piece of the bible in every killing stick???

[Nebula]

I don't think it's about those in Muslim countries reading the lettering. It's more about God's warriors going into battle. That sort of thing.

[Nebula]

Another thought ...

Maybe the contractor put these inscriptions on the rifles for the US guys - to inspire and comfort and give them their daily religious fix?? Kinda like a blast of Joy in God's Word out in the trenches ......... a piece of the bible in every killing stick???

Precisely.

[Born_again]

Thanks for the heads up on Constantine's Sword, Tumult. Sounds interesting:
"CONSTANTINE'S SWORD, by Oscar-nominated documentarian Oren Jacoby, is an astonishing exploration of the dark side of Christianity, following acclaimed author and former priest James Carroll on a journey of remembrance and reckoning."

[Phoenix Within]

I don't think it's about those in Muslim countries reading the lettering. It's more about God's warriors going into battle. That sort of thing.

No different that if they had writings from the Qui'ran on their rifles. We may not understand the words, but we know the symbolism. Hard to say it's not a "Holy War" when you got a bunch of religious zealots (and I'm not talking about the Muslims!) doing crap like this.

Funny... everyone killing each other in "the name of God" when that's the last thing he wants.

[grammafreddy]

I don't think it's about those in Muslim countries reading the lettering. It's more about God's warriors going into battle. That sort of thing.

No different that if they had writings from the Qui'ran on their rifles. We may not understand the words, but we know the symbolism. Hard to say it's not a "Holy War" when you got a bunch of religious zealots (and I'm not talking about the Muslims!) doing crap like this.

Funny... everyone killing each other in "the name of God" when that's the last thing he wants.

We do???????? It's just a bunch of scribbles to me.

And when was there ever a time in history when people weren't killing each other in the name of god?? Or Allah, or Buddha, or the Prophet or whatever .....

[Phoenix Within]

We do???????? It's just a bunch of scribbles to me.

Hence the symbolism part.

And when was there ever a time in history when people weren't killing each other in the name of god?? Or Allah, or Buddha, or the Prophet or whatever .....

Last Thursday between 7:15 and 7:16 pm. Hey you asked...

Actually I don't think Buddhists have ever killed anyone (that I can think of). Aren't they pacifists?