Jesus Rifles

[Hannah]

Sometimes we just don't do ourselves any favors.

[Cindy]

 I've heard of shooting yourself in the foot, but really!!

I hate to say it, but only in America (I hope).

Nothing like a religous war to make sure there are no winners, just losers.

Israel,
Northern Ireland,
Indonesia,

MPO

Cindy

[tekla]

Nothing like a religous war to make sure there are no winners, just losers.

The arms companies seem to do a bang up business.

[Cindy]

The arms companies seem to do a bang up business.

That's a point, this may be a classic value added product. Sell scopes with readings from the Koran, the little red book, the Torah, and any other motivational saying and you have a better market. The list is virtually limitless. "Stand up and sight better, You cannot die"

The National Guard could have "They're only looters" and other sayings that I will not go into.

Yuk

Cindy

[rejennyrated]

Sorry - I know this is a little OT but when did my old friend Martin Bashir start working as news anchor for ABC? I must have missed that. When I knew him he was a young BBC journo working on Panorama!

Disturbing report though. I'm sure it will be used by extremists to justify their warped ideas of some sort of religious Jihad!

[MaggieB]

Actually, there has been considerable effort made to evangelize our armed forces. There was a scandal at the Air Force Academy about this effort. Apparently, it has been going on for years. Also, the head of the paramilitary group Blackwater is a devout Christian and it was his people that drove through the streets of Baghdad shooting people at random for fun. There are probably more of his troops in combat than our own military. So perhaps, it is a religious war and we are just catching on.

Maggie

[tekla]

For the record I reject the use of all the 'newspeak' terms for the people who work for Blackwater, and also reject calling them 'troops' because they are not a standard military force under the control of a nation. (who BTW recently changed their name to something even vaguer Xe).  There is a classic, old school name for their employees, who are soldiers for pay, it's mercenary.

[Janet_Girl]

It is just now coming to your attention about a religious war in the Middle Eastern area?

10 Day War - Religious.
9/11 - Religious.  Sorry but it was.
Afghanistan - Religious
Iraq - Religious
Iran - Religious

Most all wars are religious.  These items need not be part of the American arsenal.  If they are on them, grind them off.  And a business that is based on a religious principle need not by granted a military contract.

[MaggieB]

It is just now coming to your attention about a religious war in the Middle Eastern area?

10 Day War - Religious.
9/11 - Religious.  Sorry but it was.
Afghanistan - Religious
Iraq - Religious
Iran - Religious

Most all wars are religious.  These items need not be part of the American arsenal.  If they are on them, grind them off.  And a business that is based on a religious principle need not by granted a military contract.

I believe that the notion represented here is that it is religious on OUR view too not just from our enemy's view. The idea that we have begun a crusade style campaign against Islam is what is being considered. I think in a de facto sense, it is.

BTW, I recently learned that my estranged son is now a recon vehicle commander in either Iraq or Afghanistan. I haven't been in contact with him since he was 14. My ex made sure of that. So while I am very much against war, I do have a personal stake in bringing the troops home.

Maggie

[Janet_Girl]

I believe that the notion represented here is that it is religious on OUR view too not just from our enemy's view. The idea that we have begun a crusade style campaign against Islam is what is being considered. I think in a de facto sense, it is.

BTW, I recently learned that my estranged son is now a recon vehicle commander in either Iraq or Afghanistan. I haven't been in contact with him since he was 14. My ex made sure of that. So while I am very much against war, I do have a personal stake in bringing the troops home.

Maggie

Amem Sister. Amen  And soon.

[V M]

There's always someone doing something stupid 

[Allamakee]

Most all wars are religious.  These items need not be part of the American arsenal.  If they are on them, grind them off.

I agree that the Biblical reference should be removed and no further scopes accepted for delivery which has such "code" on them.  Such an endorsement of Christianity is unconstitutional.  It is also, as you and others pointed out, an unnecessary incitement of a religious conflict.... which is something the US military has been taking pains to avoid during the past seven years.

But I have to disagree with you that most wars are about religion.  Granted quite a few involve religion, to some degree, but quite a few don't:
Bosnia
Vietnam
Korea
WWII
WWI
Spanish-American War
US Civil War
War of 1812

BTW, Rejennyrated, Martin Bashir's Wikipedia article says that ABC invited him to work for them after his 2003 Michael Jackson interviews.... you remember, the interviews which got him voted #5 of the list of 100 Worst Britons.  I think he was glad to escape to the US.   

[Hannah]

Wars are not fought over religion, wars are fought over resources. The people in charge make it about religion to get us motivated. With bible-thumping falling into disfavor, the new religion is blind patriotism but it's the same concept. Seriously people wake up. If you have ever seen the American war machine in action, you would understand that you have to have some hardcore motivation to step out against it with no more than an ak-47 and a hand grenade; it will turn you into hamburger before you can shriek. How could they get those crazy young kids to fight us so hard when they don't want to die any more anyone else?

Resources are what we have fought over since the dawn of time, and we have just gotten better at justifying it. How is the middle east conflict over religion? That's a lie that the public has bought into since the beginning. Pre-Zionism it was a pretty nice, quiet place. Zionist Israel is basically the bee in the bonnet over there, and we support them as a strong military ally in an area rich with, you guessed it, resources. Just about everything post ww2 and it's accompanyng military-industrial complex has been about money, even Bosnia.

There's always someone doing something stupid 

Can you believe how incredibly stupid (or brilliant depending on your point of view) that is though, it's like Bin Laden came up with the plan himself.

[tekla]

Bosnia had a very high religious component to it.

And I like the Bible Quote sights, after all, who would Jesus shoot?

[Janet_Girl]

WWII, inside Germany, was very much religious in nature.  The Nazi, who had alliances with the Vatican, was doing ethnic cleansing against the Jews.  Italy was under the hand of Mussolini, which the Vatican did not oppose.

The Civil War was based on states rights, with the underlying belief that it was "Our God-given right to give a better life to black man"   Excuse me, but they had a good life in their own country.

I will agree that wars are fought over resources, but there is always that religious undertone of our god said it is ours.

[Allamakee]

Its late, but its good news:

No More Jesus Rifles
ABC News
By LUIS MARTINEZ, JOSEPH RHEE and MARK SCHONE
January 21, 2010

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/jesus-rifles/story?id=9618791

Trijicon, the gunsight maker that has imprinted Bible verse numbers on its scopes, has announced that it will no longer imprint the verses on the sides of scopes intended for the U.S. military, and will also provide clients with the kits to remove the Bible verse numbers from existing scopes.

[V M]

YaaaaaaaY!!!

I bet even Jesus is glad

[Janet_Girl]

Fear of losing a lucrative military contract can work wonders.  But I am glad to see that they are sending out kits to remove the references.

[Cindy]

But the damage is done.

How could the USA army allow this to happen?

Propganda motivates more people than anything. The 'terrorists' (and sadly I'm becoming unsure who the terrorists are) can motivate people to be suicide bombers. That level of commitment to a cause is awesome. Sick, yes, but think about it, would you?. Professional soldiers are fighting people who are willing to wear explosives, walk into a place and suicide. Horrible for the innocent people maimed and killed. But they have been motivated to do so. Now we give them 'holy' scripture in weapons to make them more motivated.

Stupid stupid stupid.

And so sad because troops and civilians are being killed because of the dumb bum idiots who make the scopes.

Sorry for the rant.

Cindy


On a completely separate topic. Virginia, my friend, you are looking totally gorgeous. Congratulations Honey

[tekla]

The Air Force is much, much worse, with most senior officers being Evangelical Christians.  You pretty much need to be one to advance in rank.