Newsmax.com?? Never heard of it. Why isn't this posted all over "legitimate" news sources?
I don't care for the man, but I highly doubt he is going to make soldiers burn their Bibles....COME ON MAN. What kind of shit are you trying to stir???
EDIT: BETTER WATCH OUT FELLOW SODAHEADS....THIS GUY LIKES TO CRY TO SODAHEAD AND HAVE PEOPLE 404'D.
Question US
Obamas administration burns soldiers bibles athiests and muslims want soldiers court martialed for praying in jesus' name ! is this ok with you?
Grizz says the jokes on us May 15, 2009 12:14:54
- 33 answers
- Read all 67 comments
- +8 / -1 raves
Newsmax.com
URGENT NEW PETITION for our troops and chaplains. BREAKING NEWS: Pentagon Burns Soldiers Bibles - Military Chaplains Attacked
The Pentagon under the Obama Administration has just acknowledged seizing and burning the privately owned Bibles of American soldiers serving in Afghanistan. The Bibles had been printed in the local Pashto and Dari languages, and sent by private donors to American Christian soldiers and chaplains, for distribution to American troops on overseas military bases during optionally-attended Christian worship services. Had the Bibles not been seized and destroyed, they could have legally been given as gifts during off-duty time to Afghani citizens who welcome our troops in their homes, as an expression of American gratitude for Afghani hospitality, promoting the democratic ideals of freedom of religion and freedom of the press.
But the Muslim controlled Al Jazeera television network obtained video footage of the Bibles, held by American soldiers while listening to a chaplain on the Bagram Air Base (inside the base chapel) whose sermon encouraged outreach and personal evangelism. The American values of freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of Christian speech offended some extremist Muslim groups, and angered a small group of American atheists, who demanded the chaplain be punished for "proselytizing" because he simply repeated Jesus' words to "Go and make disciples of all nations" in church.
IT'S NOT PROSELYTIZING, IT'S EVANGELISM:
The video proves the chaplain properly explained U.S. Central Command's General Order Number One, which prohibits "proselytizing" (forcing religious conversions using military weapons) but fully permits soldiers of any religion to engage in non-threatening "evangelism" (voluntary conversations about their faith) and legally allows giving private gifts, including books, to Afghani citizens during off-duty hours in their unofficial capacity. The Al Jazeera film-maker Brian Hughes also admitted the Bibles could have been useful in helping soldiers learn the Pashto and Dari languages of the Afghan people.
Instead, the privately owned Bibles were confiscated and destroyed. Caving in to pressure from the Muslims and Atheist groups, the U.S. military spokesman Maj. Jennifer Willis told Reuters reporters, "I can now confirm that the Bibles shown on Al Jazeera's clip were, in fact, collected by the chaplains and later destroyed. They were never distributed." When questioned about the authenticity of the Al Jazeera video, U.S. Army Colonel Greg Julian admitted the Al Jazeera reporting was biased against the American Christians: "Most of this is taken out of context ... this is irresponsible and inappropriate journalism."
GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR ENCOURAGED EVANGELISM
After World War II, in order to carry out the democratization of Japan, Five-Star General Of The Army Douglas MacArthur brought Christian leaders to the country to meet with Emperor Hirohito and encouraged mass distribution of Bibles to the population. MacArthur later stated to a visiting American churchman, "We must have ten thousand Christian missionaries and a million Bibles to complete the occupation of this land."
(Source: Rodger R. Venzke, Confidence In Battle - Inspiration In Peace, 1977, p.24-25.)
But today, instead of confronting Muslim and Atheist enemies of religious liberty, President Obama's Four-Star Admiral Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Mike Mullen now appears to defend the destruction of the soldiers' privately owned Bibles, stating during a Pentagon briefing that the military's position is that it will never "push any specific religion." He did not address the possibility that by seizing and burning privately owned Bibles, the Obama Administration is now enforcing state atheism upon our troops.
ATHEISTS JOIN MUSLIM EXTEMISTS AGAINST LIBERTY
Aggressive anti-Christian secularist Mikey Weinstein immediately demanded the chaplain in the video be court-martialed for encouraging voluntary evangelism in church, despite the Pentagon's claim that same chaplain somehow assisted in confiscating the Bibles. I can personally attest, as the former Navy Chaplain who endured court-martial in 2006 for praying "in Jesus name" in uniform outside of Sunday chapel, (but was later vindicated by Congress), that anti-Christian forces are powerfully at work in some parts of the U.S. military.
But together, we fought back and won! Over 300,000 Americans, 85% of polled citizens, and 75 Congressmen agreed with me, so the entire Congress rescinded the same anti-Jesus policy the Navy enforced during my court-martial, restoring liberty to other chaplains who pray publicly "in Jesus name." (That victory on Capitol Hill cost my 16-year career and pension, and was not grandfathered back to my case.) Angered by our victory, the enemies of religious liberty won't be satisfied until every Christian is silenced, and every chaplain booted from the military like I was, for the "crime" of worshiping in public.
COURT-MARTIAL THE ARMY CHIEF OF CHAPLAINS?
The favorite new ploy of Mikey Weinstein's anti-Christian group (Military Religious Freedom Foundation) is to frighten troops into silence by "demanding the court-martial" of any soldier or chaplain who talks publicly about his or her faith. For example, incredibly, Weinstein recently demanded the Army court-martial their Chief of Chaplains Major General Douglas Carver, because Chaplain Carver issued a proclamation calling for a day of prayer and fasting for our troops.
The Chief of Chaplains' proclamation called for voluntary prayer by chaplains of all diverse faiths to act "in keeping with your religious traditions," and support our troops who face difficult traumas, pressures and temptations toward suicide. Carver consulted with two senior Jewish chaplains before issuing the proclamation.
But Mikey Weinstein claims that no chaplain can encourage prayer or Bible reading without violating what he pretends is a Constitutional mandate separating church from state. "These inciteful actions are grossly offensive to not only Muslims in Afghanistan and across the world, but to all those who hold faith in the U.S. Constitution," said Weinstein of the troops' Bibles.
Ironically Weinstein's own web-site contains pictures of atheist soldiers, soliciting donations for Weinstein while wearing their full dress uniform, without any legal disclaimer that their anti-Christian views do not represent the views of the U.S. military.
WILL CONGRESS PROTECT CHAPLAINS RIGHTS?
We can report without bias that in June 2009, the U.S. Congress will again consider a bi-partisan bill supporting military chaplains rights, co-sponsored by two North Carolina Congressmen, Mike McIntyre (D-NC) and Walter Jones (R-NC), in the House Armed Services Committee. The pro-chaplain bill, H.R. 268, would simply guarantee military chaplains of all diverse faiths the right to pray publicly according to the dictates of their conscience. You can read the details in my article about that bill, which was published by the Washington Times on 7 May 09, here.
To pass that bill into law, the two North Carolina Congressmen will first need several more co-sponsors, and the blessing of the House Armed Services Committee. Then they'll need some bi-partisan Senators to initiate a Senate version. Will your own Congressman or Senator co-sponsor religious freedom for chaplains? Perhaps you might call your own Congressman at 202-225-3121, to voice your opinion about H.R. 268.
Then please forward this email to your own pastor, and to all your military friends, and download here a church flyer that pastors can copy and distribute.
God Bless you, in Jesus' name,
Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt
P.S. Time is urgent! The House Armed Services Committee could consider chaplains rights as early as this coming week. Please don't wait another minute. Religious liberty, and our troops are too valuable to be silenced by anti-Christian extremists.
Chaplain Klingenschmitt, PO Box 77077, Colorado Springs, CO 80970
Disclaimer: The views of Chaplain Klingenschmitt, who was honorably but involuntarily discharged from the Navy in 2007 after facing court-martial for praying "in Jesus name" in uniform, (but was later vindicated by Congress), are his own personal views.
www.newsmax.com
URGENT NEW PETITION for our troops and chaplains. BREAKING NEWS: Pentagon Burns Soldiers Bibles - Military Chaplains Attacked
The Pentagon under the Obama Administration has just acknowledged seizing and burning the privately owned Bibles of American soldiers serving in Afghanistan. The Bibles had been printed in the local Pashto and Dari languages, and sent by private donors to American Christian soldiers and chaplains, for distribution to American troops on overseas military bases during optionally-attended Christian worship services. Had the Bibles not been seized and destroyed, they could have legally been given as gifts during off-duty time to Afghani citizens who welcome our troops in their homes, as an expression of American gratitude for Afghani hospitality, promoting the democratic ideals of freedom of religion and freedom of the press.
But the Muslim controlled Al Jazeera television network obtained video footage of the Bibles, held by American soldiers while listening to a chaplain on the Bagram Air Base (inside the base chapel) whose sermon encouraged outreach and personal evangelism. The American values of freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of Christian speech offended some extremist Muslim groups, and angered a small group of American atheists, who demanded the chaplain be punished for "proselytizing" because he simply repeated Jesus' words to "Go and make disciples of all nations" in church.
IT'S NOT PROSELYTIZING, IT'S EVANGELISM:
The video proves the chaplain properly explained U.S. Central Command's General Order Number One, which prohibits "proselytizing" (forcing religious conversions using military weapons) but fully permits soldiers of any religion to engage in non-threatening "evangelism" (voluntary conversations about their faith) and legally allows giving private gifts, including books, to Afghani citizens during off-duty hours in their unofficial capacity. The Al Jazeera film-maker Brian Hughes also admitted the Bibles could have been useful in helping soldiers learn the Pashto and Dari languages of the Afghan people.
Instead, the privately owned Bibles were confiscated and destroyed. Caving in to pressure from the Muslims and Atheist groups, the U.S. military spokesman Maj. Jennifer Willis told Reuters reporters, "I can now confirm that the Bibles shown on Al Jazeera's clip were, in fact, collected by the chaplains and later destroyed. They were never distributed." When questioned about the authenticity of the Al Jazeera video, U.S. Army Colonel Greg Julian admitted the Al Jazeera reporting was biased against the American Christians: "Most of this is taken out of context ... this is irresponsible and inappropriate journalism."
GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR ENCOURAGED EVANGELISM
After World War II, in order to carry out the democratization of Japan, Five-Star General Of The Army Douglas MacArthur brought Christian leaders to the country to meet with Emperor Hirohito and encouraged mass distribution of Bibles to the population. MacArthur later stated to a visiting American churchman, "We must have ten thousand Christian missionaries and a million Bibles to complete the occupation of this land."
(Source: Rodger R. Venzke, Confidence In Battle - Inspiration In Peace, 1977, p.24-25.)
But today, instead of confronting Muslim and Atheist enemies of religious liberty, President Obama's Four-Star Admiral Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Mike Mullen now appears to defend the destruction of the soldiers' privately owned Bibles, stating during a Pentagon briefing that the military's position is that it will never "push any specific religion." He did not address the possibility that by seizing and burning privately owned Bibles, the Obama Administration is now enforcing state atheism upon our troops.
ATHEISTS JOIN MUSLIM EXTEMISTS AGAINST LIBERTY
Aggressive anti-Christian secularist Mikey Weinstein immediately demanded the chaplain in the video be court-martialed for encouraging voluntary evangelism in church, despite the Pentagon's claim that same chaplain somehow assisted in confiscating the Bibles. I can personally attest, as the former Navy Chaplain who endured court-martial in 2006 for praying "in Jesus name" in uniform outside of Sunday chapel, (but was later vindicated by Congress), that anti-Christian forces are powerfully at work in some parts of the U.S. military.
But together, we fought back and won! Over 300,000 Americans, 85% of polled citizens, and 75 Congressmen agreed with me, so the entire Congress rescinded the same anti-Jesus policy the Navy enforced during my court-martial, restoring liberty to other chaplains who pray publicly "in Jesus name." (That victory on Capitol Hill cost my 16-year career and pension, and was not grandfathered back to my case.) Angered by our victory, the enemies of religious liberty won't be satisfied until every Christian is silenced, and every chaplain booted from the military like I was, for the "crime" of worshiping in public.
COURT-MARTIAL THE ARMY CHIEF OF CHAPLAINS?
The favorite new ploy of Mikey Weinstein's anti-Christian group (Military Religious Freedom Foundation) is to frighten troops into silence by "demanding the court-martial" of any soldier or chaplain who talks publicly about his or her faith. For example, incredibly, Weinstein recently demanded the Army court-martial their Chief of Chaplains Major General Douglas Carver, because Chaplain Carver issued a proclamation calling for a day of prayer and fasting for our troops.
The Chief of Chaplains' proclamation called for voluntary prayer by chaplains of all diverse faiths to act "in keeping with your religious traditions," and support our troops who face difficult traumas, pressures and temptations toward suicide. Carver consulted with two senior Jewish chaplains before issuing the proclamation.
But Mikey Weinstein claims that no chaplain can encourage prayer or Bible reading without violating what he pretends is a Constitutional mandate separating church from state. "These inciteful actions are grossly offensive to not only Muslims in Afghanistan and across the world, but to all those who hold faith in the U.S. Constitution," said Weinstein of the troops' Bibles.
Ironically Weinstein's own web-site contains pictures of atheist soldiers, soliciting donations for Weinstein while wearing their full dress uniform, without any legal disclaimer that their anti-Christian views do not represent the views of the U.S. military.
WILL CONGRESS PROTECT CHAPLAINS RIGHTS?
We can report without bias that in June 2009, the U.S. Congress will again consider a bi-partisan bill supporting military chaplains rights, co-sponsored by two North Carolina Congressmen, Mike McIntyre (D-NC) and Walter Jones (R-NC), in the House Armed Services Committee. The pro-chaplain bill, H.R. 268, would simply guarantee military chaplains of all diverse faiths the right to pray publicly according to the dictates of their conscience. You can read the details in my article about that bill, which was published by the Washington Times on 7 May 09, here.
To pass that bill into law, the two North Carolina Congressmen will first need several more co-sponsors, and the blessing of the House Armed Services Committee. Then they'll need some bi-partisan Senators to initiate a Senate version. Will your own Congressman or Senator co-sponsor religious freedom for chaplains? Perhaps you might call your own Congressman at 202-225-3121, to voice your opinion about H.R. 268.
Then please forward this email to your own pastor, and to all your military friends, and download here a church flyer that pastors can copy and distribute.
God Bless you, in Jesus' name,
Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt
P.S. Time is urgent! The House Armed Services Committee could consider chaplains rights as early as this coming week. Please don't wait another minute. Religious liberty, and our troops are too valuable to be silenced by anti-Christian extremists.
Chaplain Klingenschmitt, PO Box 77077, Colorado Springs, CO 80970
Disclaimer: The views of Chaplain Klingenschmitt, who was honorably but involuntarily discharged from the Navy in 2007 after facing court-martial for praying "in Jesus name" in uniform, (but was later vindicated by Congress), are his own personal views.
www.newsmax.com
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Top Comment
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None of the above
View thread
this is disgusting obama is an ungodly creature who allowed this to happen,after all,HE is the CIC
Oh it pissed me OOOOOOFFFF!
None of the above
None of the above
Koran is the english version of Quran.
this is disgusting obama is an ungodly creature who allowed this to happen,after all,HE is the CIC
None of the above
It has been in effect for a long, long time and is therefore nothing new.
On one level I wish the rule didn't exist. And sure, in our country we cherish freedom of religion and freedom of the press
But these countries don't have those same freedoms, and proselytizing there is a minefield we don't want our troops to walk through. It is actually against current local law in many of those countries, where simply giving a Christian bible as a gift would break the local law. Sad but true. Although the Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David, and the Gospel of Jesus are on the Muslim list of holy books, current Muslim doctrine is those books have been corrupted by Christians and Jews to the point where they are not fully reliable. For them the Quran is God's most recent and final work - it supercedes all others.
Bottom line -- our troops have a strict prohibition against proselytizing, local dialect Bibles in their possession could only be used to break that prohibition, so the Bibles had to go. Too bad they weren't sent back or shredded instead of burning. Our troops can help win the locals hearts and minds through other friendly ways, and our troops and their supporters need to understand that completely.
Its a rule from Pentagon, to protect soldiers from harm, and I respect it.
Undecided
Happy
None of the above
This video was taken a year ago, during the Bush administration. For fact checking, try:
http://www.sodahead.com/blog/...
None of the above
I think it's ironic that atheist side with Muslims. One doesn't believe in God , but has no problem siding with a religion that encourages killing 'infidels'. Go figure....
this is disgusting obama is an ungodly creature who allowed this to happen,after all,HE is the CIC
None of the above
U.S. Central Command’s General Order Number 1 forbids troops on active duty — including all those based in Iraq and Afghanistan — from trying to convert people to another religion.
First of all, IF the Bibles were in English it wouldn't have happened. And, really, HOW many soldiers could have read these Bibles? Rhetorical question.
This is a mob mentality set up poll. Try using some integrity to construct a productive poll. It's embarrassingly deconstructive. It benefits NO one in a Christian way. I am assuming the poster is Christian? Then if so use some Godly wisdom, walk your talk.
this is disgusting obama is an ungodly creature who allowed this to happen,after all,HE is the CIC
It's ok to saw off OUR heads! THEY can do ANYthing they want, but when we try to defend ourselves we are being offensive to them. BULL SHIT! Waterboard the bastards! Then hang them, wrap them in pigskins and bury them according to OUR customs. All you hand- wringing, head-in-the-sand, lie-down-and-surrender liberal Useful Fools are so self-righteous, and you are ALL so full of shit!! Wake up and pay attention to what's going on around you! Start THINKING for YOURSELVES for a change instead of parroting what your puppet-masters tell you!!!
This is the greatest country that ever existed. We have liberated more people and we SUPPORT more people than the rest of the world combined!! And we are being subverted, distorted, dumbed down, and ridiculed by our own people. We don't need enemies abroad; we have too many here in our own country!!!
None of the above
Proselytizing - is using force to convert. Evangelism is conversation. I don't think our soldiers used a weapon.
The reason we are there has a lot to do with radical Islamic doctrine. If a soldiers faith is reckoned at least as important as someone else, on their own time - it seems to me they have a right to open discussion that may foster a tolerance that isn't presently there. I'm not talking conversion, I'm talking honest dialog.
They have many ideas about America and Christians in general, fed zealously by Al-Jazeera and radical extremists. The press coming out of our own country disdains Christians calling them bigots and right wing zealots. Out of Saudi just last week - the courts upheld that a man may beat his wife if she spends too much on a credit card.
There was no force, no rifles pointed at people, nothing but dialog. Perhaps they should have been cautioned about giving bibles to the indigent population - but to confiscate and destroy them?
I'm agnostic. I don't have a hidden agenda for any Christianity group. Or non-religious group for that matter. It pissed me off major when the Pope took a beating on the African condom issue. And I'm tired of trying to educate people that because you are a conservative you don't have to have a huge dose of religion. Respect is all I ask for - from all sides.
I just get ...'
The reason we are there has a lot to do with radical Islamic doctrine. If a soldiers faith is reckoned at least as important as someone else, on their own time - it seems to me they have a right to open discussion that may foster a tolerance that isn't presently there. I'm not talking conversion, I'm talking honest dialog.
They have many ideas about America and Christians in general, fed zealously by Al-Jazeera and radical extremists. The press coming out of our own country disdains Christians calling them bigots and right wing zealots. Out of Saudi just last week - the courts upheld that a man may beat his wife if she spends too much on a credit card.
There was no force, no rifles pointed at people, nothing but dialog. Perhaps they should have been cautioned about giving bibles to the indigent population - but to confiscate and destroy them?
I'm agnostic. I don't have a hidden agenda for any Christianity group. Or non-religious group for that matter. It pissed me off major when the Pope took a beating on the African condom issue. And I'm tired of trying to educate people that because you are a conservative you don't have to have a huge dose of religion. Respect is all I ask for - from all sides.
I just get tired of religion taking a beating. It's not fair. Not to the believers and not to the unbelievers. Just my opinion.
Enjoy, my friend.
But proselytized is different than just talking. It's night and day.
Enjoy your day, my friend.
oh its ok,theres no God anyway
this is disgusting obama is an ungodly creature who allowed this to happen,after all,HE is the CIC
None of the above
NewsMax is a republican national committee paid blog site and is very untruthful.
There is no fact in this fiction.
I like you wolf foto! Sarah Pali has allowed the shooting of almost 2000 wolves by now...its barbaric!!!
Undecided
this is disgusting obama is an ungodly creature who allowed this to happen,after all,HE is the CIC
None of the above
This poll is such total bullsh**!
None of the above
this is disgusting obama is an ungodly creature who allowed this to happen,after all,HE is the CIC
this is disgusting obama is an ungodly creature who allowed this to happen,after all,HE is the CIC
US Afghan Bibles 'confiscated'
Bagram air base has a thriving evangelical
Christian community
The US military has confiscated Bibles that Christian US soldiers in Afghanistan had apparently intended to give to local Muslims, a military spokesman has said.
Al Jazeera broadcast footage on Monday that showed troops apparently preparing to convert Afghans to their faith.
Some of the soldiers who appeared in the video have also been reprimanded, US government and military officials told Al Jazeera's James Bays.
The video, shot about a year ago, appeared to show military chaplains stationed in the US air base at Bagram discussing how to distribute copies of the Bible printed in the country's main Pashto and Dari languages.
Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest ranking officer in the US military, told Al Jazeera he was not aware of the details of the footage but that the US army was not involved in promoting religion.
"From the United States' military's perspective, it is not our position to push any specific kind of religion," he said at a Pentagon briefing in Washington on Monday.
IN VIDEO
US troops urged to 'witness for Jesus' in Afghanistan
More videos ...
In one recorded sermon, Lieutenant-Colonel Gary Hensley,..."""""''"""""'''""'"""""'"'""""'"""""""'""""'
US Afghan Bibles 'confiscated'
Bagram air base has a thriving evangelical
Christian community
The US military has confiscated Bibles that Christian US soldiers in Afghanistan had apparently intended to give to local Muslims, a military spokesman has said.
Al Jazeera broadcast footage on Monday that showed troops apparently preparing to convert Afghans to their faith.
Some of the soldiers who appeared in the video have also been reprimanded, US government and military officials told Al Jazeera's James Bays.
The video, shot about a year ago, appeared to show military chaplains stationed in the US air base at Bagram discussing how to distribute copies of the Bible printed in the country's main Pashto and Dari languages.
Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest ranking officer in the US military, told Al Jazeera he was not aware of the details of the footage but that the US army was not involved in promoting religion.
"From the United States' military's perspective, it is not our position to push any specific kind of religion," he said at a Pentagon briefing in Washington on Monday.
IN VIDEO
US troops urged to 'witness for Jesus' in Afghanistan
More videos ...
In one recorded sermon, Lieutenant-Colonel Gary Hensley, the chief of the US military chaplains in Afghanistan, tells soldiers that, as followers of Jesus Christ, they all have a responsibility "to be witnesses for him".
"The special forces guys - they hunt men basically. We do the same things as Christians, we hunt people for Jesus. We do, we hunt them down," he says.
"Get the hound of heaven after them, so we get them into the kingdom. That's what we do, that's our business."
Questioned about the footage, Greg Julian, a US colonel in Afghanistan, told Al Jazeera: "Most of this is taken out of context ... this is irresponsible and inappropriate journalism.
"This footage was taken a year ago ... the Bibles were taken into custody and not distributed.
"There is no effort to go out and proselytise to Afghans."
'Very damaging'
Under the US military code of conduct, armed forces on active duty are prohibited from trying to convert a person's faith.
Ahmed Shah Ahmedzai, a former Afghan prime minister, told Al Jazeera from Kabul on Monday: "This is a complete deviation from what they [the US military] are supposed to be doing.
"I don't think even the US constitution would allow what they are doing ... it is completely against all regulations.
"This is very damaging for diplomatic relations between the two counties ... everyone knows people are very conservative here, very faithful to Islam. They will never accept any other religion.
"Someone who leaves Islam is sentenced very severely - the death penalty [is imposed].
"There must be a serious investigation now that it has come out into the public and [into the] press," he said.
Sayed Aalam Uddin Asser of the Islamic Front for Peace and Understanding in Kabul told Al Jazeera: "It's a national security issue ... our constitution says nothing can take place in Afghanistan against Islam.
"If people come and propagate other religions which have no followers in Afghanistan [then] it creates problems for the people, for peace, for stability.
Local language Bibles
The footage shot by Brian Hughes, a documentary maker and former member of the US military who spent several days in Bagram near Kabul, was obtained by Al Jazeera's Bays, who has covered Afghanistan extensively.
It is not clear if the local language Bibles
were distributed to Afghans
In other footage captured at Bagram, Sergeant Jon Watt, a soldier set to become a military chaplain, said during a Bible study class: "I also want to praise God because my church collected some money to get bibles for Afghanistan. They came and sent the money out."
It is not clear whether the Bibles were distributed to Afghans, but Hughes said that none of the people he recorded in a series of sermons and Bible study classes appeared to able to speak Pashto or Dari.
Hughes said: "The only reason they would have these documents there was to distribute them to the Afghan people and I knew it was wrong, and I knew that filming it … documenting it would be important."
Guidelines
Regulations by the US military's Central Command expressly forbid "proselytising of any religion, faith or practice".
But in another piece of footage, the chaplains appear to understand their actions were in breach of a regulation known as General Order Number One.
"Do we know what it means to proselytise?" Captain Emmit Furner, a military chaplain, says to the gathering.
"It is General Order Number One," an unidentified soldier replies.
But Watt says "you can't proselytise, but you can give gifts".
The footage also suggests US soldiers gave out Bibles in Iraq.
In an address at Bagram, Watt is recorded as saying: "I bought a carpet and then I gave the guy a Bible after I conducted my business.
"... the expressions that I got from the people in Iraq [were] just phenomenal, they were hungry for the word."
The video has surfaced as Barack Obama, the US president, prepares to host Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan's president, at a summit on Tuesday and Wednesday focusing on how to tackle the al-Qaeda and Taliban along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Unbelievable.
Undecided
However, I tend to think that the story is bullshit.