Maj. Kristian Dunne, a spokesman for the New Zealand defense force, one of the foreign militaries currently using the sights, stated, "We were unaware of it and we're unhappy that the manufacturer didn't give us any indication that these were on there. We deem them to be inappropriate."
Another purchaser of Trijicon products, for use in Afghanistan, is the British military. The revelation that there were Bible verses on its country's weapons prompted the following statement from the Church of England, as reported by the The Guardian:
"It would be unfortunate if this practice by an arms manufacturer undermined the military effort in areas of the world where our forces are trying to bring long-term stability. People of all faiths and none are being killed and injured in these conflicts, on all sides, and any suggestion that this is being done in the name of the Bible would be deeply worrying to many Christians. The meaning of the Bible is to be found in reflective reading and prayer, not in sloganising and soundbites."
The Otago Dominion Post published this account:
Biblical citations on weapon sights used by Kiwi troops in Afghanistan are "inappropriate" and will be removed, the Defence Force says.
The Defence Force was first made aware of the codes on its weapons when contacted yesterday. There has been global criticism of the citations on the Trijicon Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight, also used by the United States and British military.
Defence Force spokesman Major Kristian Dunne said that like other countries, New Zealand had been caught unaware. "It's put us in an uncomfortable situation. We can see how they would cause offence. We are unhappy they didn't make us aware of it."
The Defence Force would talk to the US-based manufacturer and supplier to ensure future orders did not have the inscriptions. It would remove the letters from existing gunsights. "They didn't violate any policy but we consider them inappropriate. Everyone has freedoms of religious belief and our soldiers are from multiple religions."
The Defence Force had about 260 of the sights, which were first bought in 2004. Personnel would continue using them, he said.
"The sights were chosen because they are the best of their kind. It enables our guys to fire weapons very accurately during night and daytime."
Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said the biblical codes were undesirable and could be easily misconstrued. The Government had not been aware of them.•
The inscriptions are subtle and appear in raised lettering at the end of the stock number. Trijicon's rifle sights use tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, to create light and help shooters hit what they're aiming for.
Markings on the Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight, which is standard issue to US 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," the King James version reads.
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