Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Matthew 26:52

There are all kinds of reasons why it is a good idea to separate church and state. We are governed by the words of men rather than the Word of God. The level to which these two entities have become intertwined over the centuries can be debated endlessly, beginning with that whole "In God We Trust" that keeps showing up every time we try and spend any money. But for now, that is the rule. That would seem to be the price of freedom: No one can tell you how to worship, but then again, you can't tell them either.
Still, there's plenty of God floating around, from those pesky dollar bills to the bottom of your In 'n' Out burger cup. Just our way of keeping our religious foot in the door. Much in the same way that a Michigan defense contractor has been stamping references to Bible verses on the sights of combat rifles used in Iraq and Afghanistan. What better way to promote the time honored tradition of Christians killing Muslims? Unfortunately, the government has a rule about proselytizing by our troops. Trijicon Incorporated claims they've never made a secret about their hidden messages, it's just that not very many people think to ask.
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." I don't claim to be a biblical scholar, but I have read the book, and I don't think that this "light" that they keep referring to equates with a muzzle flash.
U.S. Central Command insists that the sights don't violate the ban on proselytizing since the sights aren't being distributed beyond the U.S. troops who are using them. No word about how the Jewish, Atheist, and Muslim soldiers who use those sights to kill others feel about this, however. The Central Command was also quick to point out the connection between the sights and U.S. currency. "Are we going to stop using money because many of our bills say 'In God We Trust' on them?" Considering the United States government is spending millions of those bills on the products on Trijicon's products, it might be a discussion worth continuing. And last time I checked, using a dollar bill properly could get you a Sausage McMuffin, but using a Trijicon Reflex sight properly will get you a clean head shot.

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