A Season For Every Activity

This is comparatively old news, and the news cycle has already moved on. So what.

According to the BBC, a Marine has been relieved of duty because he may have distributed coins to residents of Fallujah that asked "Where will you spend eternity?" on one side, and carried a Bible verse (John 3:16, in case you wanted to know) on the other side.

I heard this and I thought, "What a f***ing idiot!"

First, let me state that I am a Christian. I go to a Reformed Presbyterian church, and I understand that Jesus charged Christians to go out and tell other people the Good News.

But this overzealous Marine should not have been passing out the coins. Worse, he was apparently doing this on government time (while standing watch at a checkpoint).

If you look at AQ's propaganda (as well as the many other IFGs'- IFG meaning Islamic Fundamentalist Group), it would have you believe that the U.S. is only in Iraq and Afghanistan so that they can convert the good Muslims of those places into Christians. This gives them something actual to point to. "First it's coins- soon you'll be required to go to church, and Korans will be forbidden, and no one will be able to be Muslim." I tell you, AQ's propaganda director must have leapt for joy at something to use against us.

My advice to Christians deploying to the Middle East: Hold the proselytization. Be respectful of the religion of Iraqis and Afghanis. Remember King Solomon's advice in Ecclesiastes 3:1: "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." If you really, really want to spread the word, don't spread it on the taxpayers' quid. If you feel that God is calling you to minister to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, please leave the military before you start working on that job. Again, I understand where you're coming from. But the people of Iraq and Afghanistan might not see it the same way as other Christians do. In short, heed this wise saying: "God gave you brains, now use them," and know when to proselytize and when not to.