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.
Personally, I have ‘Ia! Ia! Shub-Niggurath!’ inscribed on my underpants.
I understand they will be required to remove the cross hairs too.
If the codes are secret, how can they convert anyone? Does this mean that by removing all references to God in government, the feds are proselytizing for atheists?
RBG
This story is pretty questionable.
There are a touch over 200k Marines. Does each one get 3 “high-powered rifle sights.” Assume that is true. Should each sight cost $825?
Are they sniper scopes(the only way $825 would be reasonable)?
Totally seat of the pants, I estimate less than 5k Marine snipers.
Still, if Jesus appears anywhere on the equipment it has to be remade. And that had better not be on the government’s dollar.
I sense at least one decimal place error.
If I had seen these on a gun part the reference would have meant jack to me. By and large it still does. You have to have an English Bible to look this stuff up. I’m sure it wouldn’t work in most languages.
The Afghans have their own fonts and they don’t have Bibles. For a local to have a Bible might get them killed. Therefore no communication is occurring.
We are buying parts from all over the planet. That some religious references might be found on some of them is hardly surprising and I wouldn’t care to guess what religions either. As long as they work who cares? Only the PC nut cases.
#2 – chris – Totally seat of the pants, I estimate less than 5k Marine snipers.
So? These are ACOGs.
I guess the “high-powered rifle sights” is in error. That’s okay. Then $825(considering the size of the order) is foolish.
3 per Marine is also foolish. Equipment gets reused all the time.
Just the news that helps Muslim religious extremists recruit more. What is it with these Jesus freaks? Is everything a fucking crusade?
Are you kidding? Jesus is a Muslim prophet. If there is anything that Muslim extremists might hate and want to kill more than a Christian, it would be an atheist.
RBG
Well, I know what I would be doing with a file there…
As an Atheist, it would offend me.
#1–BRG==you make it just too easy.
I understand they will be required to remove the cross hairs too. /// Actually, pretty funny. Well Done. More like this please.
If the codes are secret, how can they convert anyone? /// They aren’t secret. They are stamped in metal for all to see.
Does this mean that by removing all references to God in government, the feds are proselytizing for atheists? /// Typical bible thumper non-think. Yes, the weather forecast is pro-Atheist because it doesn’t mention god.
#3–do-ill===trumpeting your ignorance again? Always???
“If I had seen these on a gun part the reference would have meant jack to me. By and large it still does. You have to have an English Bible to look this stuff up. /// Ha, ha. Yea–when you are ingnorant to begin with and refuse to look anything up, ignorant you will remain. To be sure, too many people are like you, but fortunately, in most circumstance, real human beings are not so comfortable in their ignorance. The sad part is all the Muslim JiHaddi Fundies ARE====JUST LIKE YOU.
Knock, knock?
ABC headline:
U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret ‘Jesus’ Bible Codes
Now go look up “codes” bobbo.
Then you ask for “more like this” and it’s just wasted.
RBG
#8–N74JW==taking a file to government property would be a violation of law.
The thing with religious types, in all their manifestations, is to ignore them. Over time, ignored enough, they might figure out just how irrelevant they are. Let them pray for “whatever” while we get on with actually bringing the future to us.
Course, some issues need to be confronted==as with the thumpers wanting government to control private life issues, but the gun serial number issue should be handled by the gov checking the specs in the contract. Did it call for random Christian Religious references? Time to take a file to Trijicon not to the rifle.
Jag==have you already figured out what Trijicon stands for? == “Try Jesus In Contempt” until I hear otherwise.
#11–GRB==you aren’t making any sense. Standard Bible References aren’t really “a code” at all. Its a REFERENCE.
But I requested your continued subtle funny understated commentary like removing the crosshairs from the scope. Crosshairs again not being “a code” but a rather subtle reference to the Christian Cross==or did I have you wrong?
Step up your game. You will post less often, and less at length, but you will be worth reading.
I am glad I got an EOtech for my AR.
I’ll pass on your note about codes to DU & ABC.
And the Muslims for whom Qu’ran Surah 8:12 reads
“Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): “I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instil terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them.””
RBG
God must have hated him.
#13 – bobbo – Standard Bible References aren’t really “a code” at all. Its a REFERENCE.
That’s correct.
#5 – chris – 3 per Marine is also foolish. Equipment gets reused all the time.
It says “up to 800,000 sights“.
Why, Jesus keeps my rifle steady while I destroy the devils’ spawn.
Onward Christian soldiers
Those wacky Michigaranians.
… subliminal recruitment…
Join the Marine Corps and see the sights!
Instead of Bible references, they could have used something more secular but still inspirational like um… “Aim high”
This story is so weird and perverse, it’s hard to know what to say. For starters, Jesus commanded us to LOVE our enemy. So to put a bible verse on a killing tool is sick.
I just finished reading “the distant executioner” in Vanity Fair … highly recommended: http://tinyurl.com/y9lbz7n
One of the interesting aspects of the article is how the “old” strategy of using snipers is actually more useful in Afghanistan than the high tech killing weapons that fat-cat defense contractors have been pushing on America for decades.
But, of course, being a sniper can really screw a person up. Just read the article … it’s hard to summarize.
I’d have preferred “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn” inscribed myself. But that’s me.
[Freak! 😀 – h.]
Id prefer kill a sand negro in large print…
Being a non-Christian, I’m not 100% happy about this, but Trijicon’s products are 100%, and if I’m betting my life on one, fine. I’m more concerned about functionality than paint…. (Or stamps.)
Having bHo risk our soldiers lives while dithering about troop commitments (and publishing all kinds of should-be-confidential information) is rather more important. But it’s not PC to criticize….
Coz jesus supported the military establishment, didn’t he.
Seriously, how did the federal government overlook this for so long? It takes YEARS to go through the Government vetting process!
Someone was asleep at the switch.
Give them codes on scopes, next they’ll be putting In God We Trust on money.
RBG