Bob CollinsIn the movie, Saving Private Ryan, the company sniper — Private Daniel Jackson — recites Biblical passages as he blew away Nazis. He searches for equal parts strength and forgiveness.
Now, it turns out that the company that manufacturers gunsights for U.S. and British soldiers has inscribed Biblical citations on them.
The Defense Department denies it knew of the markings, but some soldiers interviewed said they knew of — and were confused by — the 2COR4:6″ and “JN8:12” inscriptions.
Second Corinthians is Paul’s letter, which says:
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
And John 8: 12 says:
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Neither is the quote you want being tossed around when you’re trying to convince people that you’re waging a war against terrorism, not religion.
The gunsight maker, Trijicon told ABC News said the inscriptions “have always been there” and said there was nothing wrong or illegal with adding them. Company spokesman Tom Munson said the issue was being raised by a group that is “not Christian.”
For the record, Pvt. Jackson does not cite either of these passages in the movie. Instead, he goes with Psalm 144:
Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me.
