I'm sure this is what Jesus wanted...

[R13]

WASHINGTON ? Army officials said Tuesday they will investigate whether a Michigan defense contractor violated federal procurement rules by stamping references to Bible verses on combat rifle sights used by American forces to kill enemy fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Marine Corps, another major customer of the telescoping sights that allow troops to pinpoint targets day or night, says service acquisition officials plan to meet with the contractor, Trijicon of Wixom, Mich., to discuss future purchases of the company's gear.

The references have stoked concerns by a watch dog group about whether the inscriptions break a government rule that bars proselytizing by American troops. But military officials said the citations don't violate the ban and they won't stop using the tens of thousands of telescoping sights that have already been bought.

Trijicon said it has been longstanding company practice to put the Scripture citations on the equipment. Tom Munson, Trijicon's director of sales and marketing, said the company has never received any complaints until now.

"We don't publicize this," Munson said in a recent interview. "It's not something we make a big deal out of. But when asked, we say, 'Yes, it's there.'"

The inscriptions are subtle and appear in raised lettering at the end of the stock number. Trijicon's rifle sights use tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, to create light and help shooters hit what they're aiming for.

Markings on the Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight, which is standard issue to U.S. special operations forces, include "JN8:12," a reference to John 8:12: "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, 'I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life,'" according to the King James version of the Bible.

The Trijicon Reflex sight is stamped with 2COR4:6, a reference to part of the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," the King James version reads.

Photos posted on a Defense Department Web site show Iraqi forces training with rifles equipped with the inscribed sights.

The Defense Department is a major customer of Trijicon's. In 2009 alone, the Marine Corps signed deals worth $66 million for the company's products. Trijicon's scopes and optical devices for guns range in cost from a few hundred dollars to $13,000, according to the company's Web site.

Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, says the Trijicon sights could give the Taliban and other enemy forces a propaganda tool: that American troops are Christian crusaders invading Muslim countries.

"I don't have to wonder for a nanosecond how the American public would react if citations from the Quran were being inscribed onto these U.S. armed forces gun sights instead of New Testament citations," Weinstein said. The foundation is a nonprofit organization opposed to religious favoritism within the military.

Weinstein said he has received complaints about the Scripture citations from active-duty and retired members of the military. He said he couldn't identify them because they fear retaliation.

A spokesman for U.S. Central Command, which manages military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, said the sights don't violate the ban on proselytizing because there's no effort to distribute the equipment beyond the U.S. troops who use them.

"This situation is not unlike the situation with U.S. currency," said the spokesman, Air Force Maj. John Redfield. "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."

Capt. Geraldine Carey, a Marine Corps spokeswoman, said Tuesday in an e-mailed statement that "we are aware of the issue and are concerned with how this may be perceived." Carey said Marine Corps acquisition officials plan to meet with Trijicon to discuss future buys of the company's sights. The statement did not say what the nature of those discussions would be.

Gary Tallman, an Army spokesman, said the service was not aware of the markings. But Army acquisition experts will determine if Trijicon violated any procurement regulations, he said.

Munson, Trijicon's sales director, said the practice of putting Bible references on the sites began nearly 30 years ago by Trijicon's founder, Glyn Bindon, who was killed in a plane crash in 2003. His son Stephen, Trijicon's president, has continued the practice.

Michigan defense contractor has God in its sights - Yahoo! News

[Milk3]

No big deal? It's the companies right to do what they what.
Remember freedom of religion? Everybody wants to be able to believe what they want... unless it's Christians... then they're forcing it on people and they're wrong and horrible!
The Bible said it would come to this for Christians tho. We'll be persecuted for our believes. Oh well bring it on

[R13]

You're right, it is. But don't put it on guns that are issued to everyone in the military, Christians aren't the only ones that enlist. It's incredibly stupid, lets give them more tools to recruit with. We're not in a holy war against them, but thats what they recruit on and with this it definitely looks like it.


And I love how Christians pretend they're the victim, that THEY are the ones always being persecuted, it's laughable. Try living as something other than a Christian, then you'd see how ridiculous you sound. It's been the opposite of your little theory since Christianity was invented, but yeah they're the victim?

Ravings of a maniac, that's what the "Revelations" are, just another example of how that's true with your gem you just posted...because Christians are hardly the victim. About zero in the Bible has come true or has even happened(i.e. the flood and all that). Wouldn't take the word of it too seriously.

[Monkeyhead]

LOL still trying to win that losing battle. I lived on both sides of that fence, made fun of others and thought that the "church people" were full of it and just looked down on others. Then I finally pulled my head out my rear and noticed it was just me being insecure and ignorant.

[R13]

One thing you fail to realize is, I started out a Christian and was one for most of my life. I was very involved in church, youth and know the Bible pretty well...been there, done that and it's now that my head is out of the sand.

[Monkeyhead]

Was it because you could not have it the way you wanted? I remember several arguments back in the day. You can call it having our head in the sand if you want, but that sand let plenty of people live a little longer.

[R13]

Huh? I'm not a child, there's nothing that "happened". It's just after reading the Bible, reading on other religions and taking a look at things...then questioning, like everyone should do, then I found that religion is BS.

[Monkeyhead]

You maybe some of us also question things and came out of it with something different than you. Maybe just maybe we are not wrong like you think.

[R13]

That'd be perfectly okay with me, as long as it is thoroughly questioned. But from my experience with pretty much ever religious person I've ever met.

[1inStripes]

The deal behind any religion is that looking at it, it comes down to faith. None of us were alive when the Bible was written or any other major religions written material, and the actions that lead it to be written. We cannot definitely say that any of it is real or bull. That goes for agnostics as well. I personally do have faith that there is a living God. It is up to every individual to make their own decisions regarding it.