Jack Chick invades Iraq

From McClatchy Services:

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The U.S. military confirmed Thursday that a Marine in the Iraqi city of Fallujah was passing out coins with Gospel verses on them to Sunni Muslims, a U.S. military spokesman in Fallujah told McClatchy Thursday.
"It did happen," said Mike Isho, a spokesman for Multi National Forces West. "It's one guy and we're investigating."
The coins angered residents, who said they felt that American forces, whom they consider occupiers, were also acting as Christian missionaries in a predominately Muslim nation.
The Marine, whom Isho didn't identify, was passing out silver coins to residents with Arabic translations of New Testament verses on them. On one side the coin read, "Where will you spend eternity?" and on the other, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16."

This is probably the worst kind of PR for the Christian Faith as most Muslims already see this campaign as a modern Crusade, not to mention it follows on the scandal of a Serviceman using the Koran as target practice.

I'm sure the intentions of the soldier were good, but we're all aware of where those tend to lead. In this instance it's created a diplomatic nightmare and only increases misconceptions and mistrust about our presence.

It does speak to a broader under current within the millitary culture - a culture where a particular form of Evangelicalism has strained relations between soldiers of different faiths and even denominations from proselytizing efforts. I'm reminded of the huge mess at the Air Force Academy a couple of years ago that still simmers to this day. The military is right to take action in the event of impeding on one's freedom of conscious (as in the case of the Academy, where folks were isolated for their different beliefs), or in this instance potentially causing a diplomatic gaffe.

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