US Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret 'Jesus' Bible Code

[dismal]

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/us-milita ... id=9575794

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

One of the citations on the gun sights, 2COR4:6, is an apparent reference to Second Corinthians 4:6 of the New Testament, which reads: "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."

Other references include citations from the books of Revelation, Matthew and John dealing with Jesus as "the light of the world." John 8:12, referred to on the gun sights as JN8:12, reads, "Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

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 violates the Constitution'
The company's vision is described on its Web site: "Guided by our values, we endeavor to have our products used wherever precision aiming solutions are required to protect individual freedom."

"We believe that America is great when its people are good," says the Web site. "This goodness has been based on Biblical standards throughout our history, and we will strive to follow those morals."

Spokespeople for the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps both said their services were unaware of the biblical markings. They said officials were discussing what steps, if any, to take in the wake of the ABCNews.com report. It is not known how many Trijicon sights are currently in use by the U.S. military.

The biblical references appear in the same type font and size as the model numbers on the company's Advanced Combat Optical Guides, called the ACOG.

A photo on a Department of Defense Web site shows Iraqi soldiers being trained by U.S. troops with a rifle equipped with the bible-coded sights.

"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.

'Firearms of Jesus Christ'
"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."

According to a government contracting watchdog group, fedspending.org, Trijicon had more than $100 million in government contracts in fiscal year 2008. The Michigan company won a $33 million Pentagon contract in July, 2009 for a new machine gun optic, according to Defense Industry Daily. The company's earnings from the U.S. military jumped significantly after 2005, when it won a $660 million long-term contract to supply the Marine Corps with sights.

"This is probably the best example of violation of the separation of church and state in this country," said Weinstein. "It's literally pushing fundamentalist Christianity at the point of a gun against the people that we're fighting. We're emboldening an enemy."

[mrokern]

Interesting. Looks like I'll have to start buying more Trijicon gear.

-Mark

[goldtopper]

Mikey Weinstein sounds like he's just pissed because it's New Testament.

[hammAR]

"It allows the Mujahedeen, the Taliban, al Qaeda and the insurrectionists and jihadists to claim they're being shot by Jesus rifles," he said.

That may be safer for the sheet-tets than if they said USMC.................then the only claim is by family.................

[countrymama]

Interesting. Looks like I'll have to start buying more Trijicon gear.

-Mark

+1

[White Horseradish]

I have to wonder, are Musims offendd by cross-draw holsters?

Man, this could start a trend. Bushnell will release a HOLYsight. Magpul will start offering a line of magazine parts so that your rifle could have a follower of your chosen religion. What next?

[JoeH]

I'm surprised that he didn't complain about the crosshairs.

[DeanC]

What about the bullets dipped in pig fat?

[Wadero]

'Firearms of Jesus Christ'
"It allows the Mujahedeen, the Taliban, al Qaeda and the insurrectionists and jihadists to claim they're being shot by Jesus rifles," he said.

If it's a good shot they won't be able to claim anything.....

[45usp45]

Interesting. Looks like I'll have to start buying more Trijicon gear.

-Mark

Indeed.

[phoenix8936]

quote]

If it's a good shot they won't be able to claim anything.....

+1

[David]

It's funny that he thinks it's the "best" example of violation of church and state in this country. Really? The very worst that has ever happened? Wow. If that's the best that "Mikey" can come up with, then I'd say that we are as separate as can be.

I also like how the article calls the sights "high powered rifle sights." It sounds so much better to call them "high-powered," doesn't it? As if an ACOG or an M4 could be considered "high-powered."

The MSM sucks.

[Ironbear]

I also like how the article calls the sights "high powered rifle sights." It sounds so much better to call them "high-powered," doesn't it? As if an ACOG or an M4 could be considered "high-powered."

Maybe he means "Higher Power" rifle sights!

[DeanC]

These inscriptions, the BBC helpfully informs us, are "coded references to Biblical passages.

CODED REFERENCES!

[1911fan]

Maybe its because of my background, but I have a hard time referring to standard bible nomenclature as being "secret codes of jesus". I mean, how many people do not know that John 3:16 is not a bible verse. even non church goers in my world have an idea what it means.