A U.S. Marine in Iraq has been removed from duty amid complaints that he was handing out coins with Bible verses at an American checkpoint, the military said Thursday.

A military spokesman said Iraqis in Falluja complained that the Marine was giving the coins, which were printed in Arabic, to people at an entry control point in Falluja.

U.S. military regulations prohibit religious proselytizing.

“This has our full attention,” said Col. James L. Welsh, chief of staff of Multi-National Force, West. “We deeply value our relationship with the local citizens and share their concerns over this serious incident.”

At least one of the coins is stamped with the words “Where will you spend eternity?” according to a report published Thursday by McClatchy Newspapers.

The other side of the coin reportedly contains a verse from John 3:16 that reads, “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.”

Several Falluja residents said they were given the coins over a two-day period and complained that U.S. troops, whom they consider foreign occupiers, were acting as Christian missionaries.

“Regulations prohibit members of the coalition force from proselytizing any religion, faith or practices,” said Col. Bill Buckner, a coalition spokesman. “Our troops are trained on those guidelines before they deploy.”

A military statement said “appropriate action” will be taken if the reports are substantiated.

The reports stoked religious concerns in Iraq just weeks after Iraqi police discovered that a U.S. soldier had used the Quran, Islam’s holy book, for target practice.  (Source)

It would appear that one way or another the war in Iraq is destined to become a holy war.  First Bush suggested that his incursion into Iraq was a result of consultations with his god.  Now our soldiers are disrespecting the religion of the land they occupy as well as pushing their own.  By injecting religion into this conflict these soldiers are making a bad situation worse.

I don’t generally object to disrespecting religions.  But in a war zone expressions of religious belief can lead to greater conflict or muddy the motivations for the fighting.  If we as Americans allow Bush or a couple of none-too-bright soldiers to turn the conflict in the Middle East into a religious war, we are heading down a path that history teaches us never ends well for anyone.

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