The Ridiculous Trijicon Scripture Reference (non-)"Controversy"

For, apparently, ever, Trijicon has been putting very small, unobtrusive references to Christian scriptures on their parts. For example, on the ACOG you might find this:

(image from accurateshooter.com)

That arrow points to JN8:12 in a string of other alphanumeric gobbledygook TELLING YOU ABOUT THE PRODUCT. The lettering in question is on a combat optic gunsight, with an illuminated reticle. The verse alluded to is the Gospel according to Saint John, Chapter Eight, Verse Twelve. It says:

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.

This was noticed by somebody the Mainstream Press™ (after Uncle mentioned it) causing somebody who hates Jesus to get all offended*. Click through to Uncle's place and read the (3-page) linked article for yourself. They go on about how unconstitutional it is, and how much money Trijicon makes supplying the military as they fight non-Christians in the Middle East. The tone of the whole article is very sinister. I was going to comment at The Firearm Blog in response to some comments there, but it just got too long. So here's my comment on the matter, as its own blog entry.

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Trijicon embosses a small, unobtrusive reference to a bible verse about light, on illuminated-reticle combat optics. They are the finest optics you can give a soldier. We give them to our soldiers. Ipso facto, we have a State religion equivalent to the Church of England. You are persecuted TO THE DEATH(!!!) for not being a Christian in the US Army, because of this. This is the same thing as riding into a mosque with a crucifix and proclaiming victory over Islam in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen, because these letters are there.

No? It's just a string of numbers and letters with a colon in the middle? A private manufacturer not breaking any law or bothering anyone? Huh, I must have been mistaken.

At The Firearm Blog, SpudGun said:

"I’m not a religious man, but every time I miss a shot, I always say ‘Jesus!’, so I think it’s apt that they’ve put some Bible quotations on the scope. It’s not even a full quote, it’s just some letters and a few numbers which you could interpret in anyway you desire – if you want to give it a religious connotation then that is entirely up to you. Am I surprised there is an uproar? Not really, we live in a world where buildings aren’t allowed to have a 13th floor because it makes idiots afraid. Psst, don’t tell the ABC reporters that ‘In God We Trust’ is written on the money they get for coming up with non-stories."

and Clodboy said:

"As an atheist, I find this to be a pretty ridiculous non-issue – actually, it’s kind of a nice “personal” touch by the manufacturer (but yes, I’d also expect Christians to be fully tolerant if a non-believing manufacturer started his serial numbers with “G0D_D34D”)

On the other hand, I do find it kind of cynical to emblazon a piece of military hardware with quotes from perhaps the biggest peacenik in history – or maybe my bible translation is faulty and Luke 6:29** and Matt 5:39* were actually just talking about the importance of having an ambidextrous cheek piece on your stock ;)"

My comments:
Spudgun: I LOL'd
Clodboy's 1st paragraph: +1
2nd paragraph (and other commenters): You've missed it.

Jesus told his followers without a sword to buy one, when he was about to leave -he knew hard times were coming for them. He flipped the tables over in the court of the temple and used a frikken SCOURGE to drive out the money grubbing merchants. He said he wasn NOT here to bring peace, that he would (by his radical theology) even set family members against each other.

If Trijicon made a 1 meter-long sword they would probably put SWORD1MMAT10:34 on it, in small letters where you would probably not see it.

To say that Christianity and military hardware are incompatible, is highly inaccurate at least. This thing Trijicon is doing is cutesy, and if you miss the obvious reference to LIGHT on an ILLUMINATED reticle you're probably a graduate of government school. To get upset about it is just plain ridonkulous.


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*The proper response to someone who says "I'm Offended!" is "I take offense at your taking offense!" (in a mocking tone if you can pull it off). If they say "Separation of Church and State!" then say back "What religion is being forced on whom, by whom, and prove it to me beyond a reasonable doubt." This is foolishness in the name of freedom OF religion, because those who fear and hate God wish to be free FROM religion, even if it is being practiced only by the individual.

**This is pretty ironic in itself, actually. The Gospels were not written for nations to comply with, but the individual. To expect a nation to avoid retaliatory violence because of a religious tenet, and expect that nation to avoid mixing Religion and State, is a bit odd. This is the sort of thing that happens when you start quoting the Bible out of context.