Let me just tell everyone it would be wise to wait for more information to come out on this before condemning the soldier considering the original report is coming from McClatchey:
“They have initiated an investigation into that and there is some evidence of an individual that was doing that,” said Bryan Whitman, a Pentagon spokesman.
The marine has been accused of distributing the coins to Iraqis as they passed through a checkpoint in Falluja, US officials said.
“Where will you spend eternity?” was written on one side of the coins, according to a report from McClatchy News Service.
On the other was a Bible verse written in Arabic referring to Jesus: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16.”
If true, the marine would have violated US military rules that prohibit the promotion of any religion, faith or practice. [Reuters]
For those that don’t know unit commanders and sergeant majors traditionally hand out coins to soldiers as well as civilians for either doing a good job or as a thank you gift. So handing out coins is not unusual but ones with religious quotations on them are unusual. However, McClatchey’s track record is very poor.
I do find this investigation ironic considering the United States has currency promoting religion on it:
Popularity: 3%
10:18 am on May 30th, 2008 1
Granted, but the question is, SHOULD the currency promote religion.
This also brings to mind the hypocracy of having a Chaplain corps. Government sponsored religion, anybody?
10:37 am on May 30th, 2008 2
I was told by Itaewon Engraving people that they get orders all the time from iraq and Afghanistan. I wonder if these coins were made in same engraving people in Itaewon or Songtan.
1:47 pm on May 30th, 2008 3
I think there is a place for spreading the Word.
This is especially important for lonely GIs near military bases and it should be encouraged by leadership.
It doesn’t always work, of course, but I have had pretty good response spreading the word of Allah in the bar districts outside military bases.
If anyone would like to join me in my endeavor to promote the word of Allah, I would be happy to share some of the techniques I use to elicit a positive response.
The following script seems to work very well with the poor and lonely bar girls as I think it touches that empty place in their soul.
“I’ll give you Allah my money if you take Allah my diick.”
6:08 pm on May 30th, 2008 4
Was Blogger caught insinuating Christianity is a crime?
6:55 pm on May 30th, 2008 5
I’m not sure if you are referring to me but no where in the posting was I insinuating Christianity is a crime. I actually found it ironic that a government with God written all over their currency that is given to Iraqis is investigating a Marine with Bible passages written on a coin.
9:33 pm on May 30th, 2008 6
Do you support eliminating the phrase from the dollar bill to avoid irony?
9:39 pm on May 30th, 2008 7
As I understand it, crime may not be the right word but no member of a government agency is allowed to promote a religion in a professional capacity. Soldiers can pray and recommend God all they want when they are off-duty (and out of uniform(?)) but superior officers cannot tell others to pray or perform religious rites.
9:57 pm on May 30th, 2008 8
I have no problem with US currency having God on it. It is just ironic that a government that has God on their currency that is handed as payment to Iraqis every day, could bring a Marine up on charges for doing the same thing.
Like I said before I do not trust McClatchy because this Marine may have been simply handing out coins to Iraqis he knew for doing a good job like is customary in the military. If they guy handed some Iraqis his unit coin with no intent of trying to convert them, then I don’t see him getting in trouble.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a media manufactured scandal.
10:58 pm on May 30th, 2008 9
“In God we trust” once meant trust in a creator God. No longer. It means trust in any “higher power” — be that Jesus, money, Islam, cocaine, porn, humanism, new age, or Satanism. Everyone knows the “In God we trust” on the dollar bill is spiritually meaningless. Even Muslims know it, and remain unoffended as long as the dollar has purchasing power. A muslim would simply interpret it as trust in Allah. A North Korean would see it as trust in Kim Jung Il.
The Bible coins handed out by the Marine, however, promotes a specific spiritual conviction meant to appeal to the search for ultimate meaning. It might offend. We may kill and torture Iraqis, but lets not offend them with references to Jesus.
I, therefore, don’t see any contradiction that creates irony.
How do you see it, GI?
12:56 am on May 31st, 2008 10
Just for curiosity. What will happen to this soldier? Will he be handed over to the Iraquis?
6:46 am on May 31st, 2008 11
I think I’ll write some Bible verses on my ammo since spreading love and money doesn’t seem to be working.
7:27 am on May 31st, 2008 12
Dr. Yu he will not be handed over to the Iraqis because there is no SOFA agreement signed with the Iraqis and what he did is not a crime in Iraq anyway.
I suspect the only thing that will happen to him is that he will get an ass chewing by his commander for being stupid.
10:02 am on May 31st, 2008 13
So, I suggest the locals hand out coins to the US Military with catchy Koran qoutes on them:
“Believers, take neither Jews nor Christians for your friends.” (Surah 5:51)
“Fight against such as those to whom the Scriptures were given [Jews and Christians]…until they pay tribute out of hand and are utterly subdued.” (Surah 9:27-)
“Muhammad is God’s apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another.” (Surah 48:29)
Perhaps we can see why the soldiers actions could be considered offensive. He is lucky he wasn’t killed by a “True Believer”.
Mr. Lennon was spot on: Imagine No Religion.
6:30 pm on May 31st, 2008 14
That Lennon reference reminds me of Bob Dylan singing about how you “Gotta Serve Somebody.” That “no religion” thing by Lennon is hogwash - he was in the dark. If it’s not God, people will fill themselves with something else, and serve that substitute, whether materialism, self, or what not. People can be pretty nasty, mean and brutish without religion too. Planet Earth sure ain’t no happy bunny land!
8:19 pm on May 31st, 2008 15
Right on, pops!
5:50 am on June 1st, 2008 16
Thanks for your information GI.
Since I have never been in the army I’m not aware of the military rules and traditions.
However, as a Christian, I would like to say that “The great commission” is one of the most important duties stated in the bible, and although most Christians don’t take it seriously, there are some of them that feel compelled to follow it, even taking extreme risks for their life in many aspects.
Non Christian may consider the acts of this soldier stupid and get offended, but as for me, as someone that took part in many Christian missions before, am sadden and concerned about his situation. I hope that he may find a good solution for this “problem”.
Obviously, this is just my personal point of view as a christian.
12:13 pm on June 1st, 2008 17
Dr. Yu
The “Great Commission” is not “obviously” your personal point of view open to dispute. Since when does your enlightened opinion co-opt Christ’s divine point of view? One of the world’s greatest curiousities is the unspoken belief that Christians need to “dialogue” Christ’s words into an accepted consensus. The idealistic belief in the absolute has been washed out of the Christian soul. The salt is gone. I guess it comes from too much “groupthink consensus conditioning” in Church cell groups. But then — that’s just my personal opinion.
2:48 pm on June 1st, 2008 18
Lemmy, I have met a lot of “lemming minded” Korean Khristians. Some Koreans think Christianity as a club to join and network. As a real Christian, I find it offensive.
Proof of this is how only about a third of Koreans in Korea call themself Christian, yet once they ditch Korea for a much better country the USA, suddenly they are all 100% Christians. Hell is full of these charlatans.
6:06 pm on June 1st, 2008 19
Somthing about thieves and temples comes to mind.
4:18 am on June 2nd, 2008 20
Lammy,
Why do you doubt I’m christian? Are you christian?
10:57 pm on June 2nd, 2008 21
Dr Yu,
A Christian cannot approve government conditions that limit freedom to share God’s Word. “We must obey God rather than man,” said Peter two thousand years ago.
Your opinion is irrelevant.
That said, sending mission-crazed Korean children to the badlands of Afghanistan — is despicable.
11:47 pm on June 2nd, 2008 22
“Why do you doubt I’m christian? ”
You seem very evil, angry and bitter, full of hatred and racism. I belive that God’s words have not left much of an impression on you.
Hell if full of false Christians, and I am sure there is a seat waiting for one more Korean dishwasher in Brazil.
1:03 am on June 3rd, 2008 23
“Hell if full of false Christians, and I am sure there is a seat waiting for one more Korean dishwasher in Brazil.”
Hahaha !!!!
I don’t mind going to hell as long as I get far away from monkeys like you
1:05 am on June 3rd, 2008 24
Its agreed then, off you go to hell. I won’t be there, so enjoy. Now get back to your dishwashing.
6:08 am on June 3rd, 2008 25
Lammy,
You seem to be angry because I said I’m Christian. Why? Are you better Christian than me?