U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret 'Jesus' Bible Codes

[PRC]

From ABCNews.com: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/us-military-weapons-inscribed-secret-jesus-bible-codes/story?id=9575794&page=1

U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret 'Jesus' Bible Codes

Pentagon Supplier for Rifle Sights Says It Has 'Always' Added New Testament References

By JOSEPH RHEE, TAHMAN BRADLEY and BRIAN ROSS
Jan. 18, 2010

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 firearms 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."

Siege, do you have one of these on your sights?

[Martinus]

Americans. 

[Slargos]

Why does there have to be a storm every time those fuckers find a glass of water? 

[Ed Anger]

+5 weapons against heathens.

[Malthus]

Heh, it's not surprising that no-one at the company has reflected on the incongruity of NT messages on military sniper rifle sights.

"Turn the other cheek or die" 

[Slargos]

Heh, it's not surprising that no-one at the company has reflected on the incongruity of NT messages on military sniper rifle sights.

"Turn the other cheek or die" 

Why is it not surprising? Do you know something about this company that the rest of us don't? 

On the contrary, I find it both curious and surprising in this day and age.

Imbuing weapons with holy symbolism doesn't strike me as very modern outside, I suppose, the Israeli/jewish mindset. 

[Malthus]

Why is it not surprising? Do you know something about this company that the rest of us don't? 

That fundies are stupid? That is no surprise, at least not to me. 

On the contrary, I find it both curious and surprising in this day and age.

US style fundies are in short supply in Sweden ...

Imbuing weapons with holy symbolism doesn't strike me as very modern outside, I suppose, the Israeli/jewish mindset. 

My +1 Axe of Yahweh doesn't count. 

[The Brain]

I like how the Pentagon thought it was a great idea to have the inscriptions.

Though since POTUS said it was a crusade I guess they thought what the hell.

[The Minsky Moment]

Heh, it's not surprising that no-one at the company has reflected on the incongruity of NT messages on military sniper rifle sights.

Really they ought to be using OT citations.
smiting amelekites and the like.

[Slargos]

That fundies are stupid? That is no surprise, at least not to me. 

What indication, other than this article, do you have that says this company is run by fundies?

If you have some prior knowledge of their conduct, I can accept that this should come as no surprise to you, but otherwise you're just grand standing.

[Valmy]

Heh, it's not surprising that no-one at the company has reflected on the incongruity of NT messages on military sniper rifle sights.

Really they ought to be using OT citations.
smiting amelekites and the like.

But you, Hashem, are a kevlar vest for me.  You bestow high powered sniper rifles and blow off my enemies heads.

[C.C.R.]

So, Jebus inscriptions aside, how good are the actual sights?

[Malthus]

Heh, it's not surprising that no-one at the company has reflected on the incongruity of NT messages on military sniper rifle sights.

Really they ought to be using OT citations.
smiting amelekites and the like.

This would be a great inscription for a nuke:

Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;

And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;

With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;

I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.

And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.

Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.

And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 51 (King James Version)

[Queequeg]

Muslims have gone in to battle quotations from the Koran and Sunnah since Mecca.

MR. PRESIDENT, WE MUST NOT ALLOW A HOLY QUOTATION GAP!

[Malthus]

That fundies are stupid? That is no surprise, at least not to me. 

What indication, other than this article, do you have that says this company is run by fundies?

If you have some prior knowledge of their conduct, I can accept that this should come as no surprise to you, but otherwise you're just grand standing.

Res ipsa loquitur.