As reported in The Age last week (22/1), the Australian Defence Force has swiftly removed biblical references from soldiers’ gunsights manufactured by US company Trijicon.

The gunsights, which some US Army commanders have dubbed ‘’spiritually transformed firearm[s] of Jesus Christ”, have scripture references stamped next to their serial numbers.

These revelations have once again raised questions over the connection between religion, particularly Christianity, and violence. As a Christian and a church leader I could not be more appalled at the distortion of Christianity these inscriptions represent. It seems timely then to make a solid defence of the non-violence of Christianity. As the great Indian independence leader, Mahatma Gandhi, said: ”Jesus Christ is the most perfect example of non-violence in history,” and paused before adding, ”And the only people who don’t realise this are Christians.”

Of course, there have been times throughout history when people have invoked the name of God or Jesus to justify their violence. However, this should not be confused with genuine Christianity, even when it is sanctioned by high ecclesial authorities.

The Christian church remained faithful to the non-violence of its founder for the first 300 years of its history, as even those in the military who converted refused to bear arms. It was only when Christianity became imposed by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century that Cicero’s ”just war” theory was adapted to justify Constantine’s plundering.

Non-violence itself is often mistaken for passivity. This is a misnomer - one must be actively engaged in the struggle against violence and oppression to be non-violent. Non-violent people not only refuse to threaten, hurt or kill those who oppose them, but they actively engage the other’s humanity, seeking their opponent’s transformation as well as their own and those they defend. This is what the church was intended to be - a non-violent army transforming the world not with a gun, but with active love.

However, non-violent action sometimes raise tensions or causes disruption to the status quo, as Jesus frequently demonstrates. While he overturns the tables in the temple and drives out the sheep and cattle (saving them from being sacrificed), he never hurts anyone. But he is absolutely not passive.

continue reading and looking at the comments over here

Out of interest I went looking for the bible reference and look what I found.. the ACOG4X32JN8:12.

John 8:12 = When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

That’s a nice passage to inspire the soldier to shoot - pity the context leading up to this statement is the whole ‘who will cast the first stone at the woman’, everyone leaves from the oldest to the youngest and Jesus final statement to her John 8:11″Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”