Extended footage of US soldiers' bible group in Afghanistan - US army rejects 'conversion' claims

[Turborama]

Run time: 07:19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbJ63Y4R0dA   Posted on YouTube: May 05, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: May 06, 2009 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 1304

 
Extended footage shot by Brian Hughes, a US documentary maker and former member of the US military who spent several days in Bagram near Kabul.

The material, which appears to show the Christian soldiers apparently discussing the conversion of Afghans, was obtained by Al Jazeera's Bays, who has covered Afghanistan extensively.

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US army rejects 'conversion' claims

The highest ranking military officer in the United States says it's not the military's position to ever push any specific form of religion, in response to an exclusive Al Jazeera report that showed a group of US soldiers in Afghanistan in possession of Bibles translated into local languages.

The troops discussed giving the Bibles to Afghans as gifts - despite military directives banning soldiers from spreading religion, as Al Jazeera's James Bays reports.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVei7gSEmTA

(This is an update of the previous report that now includes the army's response to the story and a brief interview with an advocate for the separation of church and state)

[Mari333]

1. this is wrong on so many levels

actions speak louder then words, for one. you cannot occupy a country and blow up its people and then preach about the prince of peace..
also, this puts the other troops in a dangerous position when afghanis think they are there on a crusade, these evangelical troops are endangering everyone who has boots on the ground.
Hopefully this will be nipped in the bud asap

[secondwind]

2. I , for one, am against my tax dollars used for printing Bibles that are being used

in this fashion!

[Swede Atlanta]

3. They just don't get it.........

Even as a Christian I don't see how these wingnuts can operate under the impression that showing respect for the Afghan culture and people, treating them with dignity and deference, showing kindness and compassion is sharing the Word of God. I would agree that these are the manifestations of someone who has a deep and abiding faith be they Christian, Muslim or Jew. All of these faiths call their believers to act in this manner.

I would suggest that these should be seen first and foremost as manifestations of how America treats other nations. This isn't a question of how we behave based on our faith but rather these soldiers are there as representatives of this nation, not their individual faiths.

[CEDAWrocks]

4. I'm so disappointed...

As a proud member stationed overseas (and also a proud Dem -- there are few in the military), I am very disappointed in this. I completely understand the importance of Chaplains in a deployed environment, but soldiers are specifically instructed not to proselytize... especially in a Muslim country. On behalf of soldiers like myself, I express my embarrassment and utter disappointment.

[peacetalksforall]

5. This is despicable, sick, wrong, atrocious. I'm sorry, but there is ONLY ONE

way that is Christian and with love - and that is to honor the culture and religion of the people who were there before you. To invade a country and then try to convert them while in the military? THIS HAS TO STOP. WE ARE NOT PAYING FOR PROSELITIZERS OF ONE RELIGION. THEY ARE RIGHTS ABUSERS. We have learned about the way the military goes about recruiting - in your face - in defiance of parents - lies, broken promises, exaggerations - and now this?

The military in this country is the worst example of humanity between people bombing the hell out of innocent people, torturing innocent people, and now converting innocent people - taking advantage of their military presence - to CONVERT? HELL NO!

[tomm2thumbs]

6. if they were talking about a 'coming out' book, this would be court martial material

'i'm not telling you not to do it - you should do it, just be smart about it'

don't ask, don't tell should be used for religion in the military - if it is so 'fair' and all. I like how he says 'they think about us as bible thumping, finger-pointing' and he starts finger-pointing as he says it - hahahahah - I wonder where those 'stereotypes' come from?

[stray cat]

9. and DU would probably be outraged about any complaints

[Hulk]

7. If the army rejects it...then it needs to be investigates OUTSIDE of the US ARMY!!

All of these ass holes need to be court martialed and held accountable up and down the chain of command.

I don't give a rat's ass about who paid for these bibles...but the mere fact that they are being distributed by ANY US personnel is enough to make me spit fire!!

If this is going to go on...then get our asses out of Afghanistan NOW!! Right f*cking NOW!!

[JDPriestly]

8. I'm not extremely knowledgeable about the Muslim religion,

but I have the impression that, except in extremist sects, they are not offended by the Bible. Am I wrong? I think the advice that was given was OK. Religion is a basic part of the Afghan culture. The way these men were advised to proceed develops understanding that many Americans are also religious. After all, there actually are similarities in some of the values of various religions. I don't see that this is wrong. Don't you think that Muslims would try to present their religion in the best light to these servicemen if they could? That would not make them more or less Muslim?

I don't think the U.S. government should be printing Bibles, but it would not need to because there are lots of private organizations and churches that print and distribute Bibles.

I can't imagine that it is offensive for a serviceman to give a Bible as a gift. The Bible is interesting reading and has many good stories, beautiful poetry. What's wrong with it?

[Enrique]

10. to the ordinary Afghan there, probably no offense taken

Muslim probably has nothing to do with it, the ordinary person just looks at it as a gift.

To the theocrats there, of course they don't want our soldiers to be proselytizing, to the responsible Afghan leaders, of course they want to protect their people from being proselytized by an occupying army.

And our military leaders know that this gets in the way of our mission there and don't want this being done, that's why they specifically prohibit it.

[Seldona]

11. A holy book in one hand, a gun in the other?

Sure. That will go over just great.

Did the one soldier attempting to speak during the 4:00 mark say something like, "What if people say, you know, that Jesus is wrong? I know that is terrorist?" I have listened to it a few times and it sure sounds that way. Right afterward the head guy starts talking about prophesying, but doing it "smart?"

If that is the case, that is outrageous in the extreme. Can anyone verify that comment? I have tinnitus, and the audio isn't the best, but that sounds FUBAR.