Lying for Islam and holy rifles

Greetings.

Jewish date:  7 Shevaṭ 5770 (Parashath Bo’).

Today’s holiday:  Feast of Vincent (Roman Catholicism).

Worthy causes of the day:  “MoveOn.org Political Action: Time for Bold Leadership: Pass Real Health Care Reform”, “MoveOn.org Political Action: It's time to fight for working families”, “Finish Reform Right - Full Letter”, “DemocracyForAmerica.com » Democrats Must Lead to Win in 2010”, “American Heart Association - Reinventing Healthcare”, “Take Action: No legitimacy for Bashir | Save Darfur”, “Tell Congress: Don't learn the wrong lesson from losing Kennedy's seat! | Progressive Change Campaign Committee”, and “Take Action: TrueMajority.org:  We Need Liberal Lions ”.

Topic 1:  “How Taqiyya Alters Islam's Rules of War / Defeating Jihadist Terrorism”:  This article deals with the Islamic practice of taqiyya, religiously sanctioned lying.  Islam permits lying in order for Muslims to escape persecution.  But lying has a much more insidious use:  waging war against, subduing, and converting unbelievers.  Plenty of citations, both to primary sources and to how taqiyya is practiced, are given.

Topic 2:  “Michigan defense contractor has God in its sights”.  Thus is it written:

Combat rifle sights used by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan carry references to Bible

Image of someone you would never expect to have anything to do with guns via Wikipedia

verses, stoking concerns about whether the inscriptions break a government rule that bars proselytizing by American troops.

Why references to John 8:12 and 2 Corinthians 4:6 were engraved on military weapons is not stated in this article or any other article I have read on this issue.  If it is supposed to curry favor with Jesus, it seems hardly likely that inscribing verse references (at least alone) would do the trick, especially since Jesus, as depicted in the Gospels, despite being argumentative, was a pacifist.  (He could have easily escaped crucifixion, but allowed himself to be captured and declined to defend himself.  He preached that others do the same, and thus was the Christian concept of martyrdom born.)  Compare a thief praying not to be caught:  what deity hating theft would aid him/her?  What is clear is that is not an attempt at proselytizing.  The verse references are in tiny letters and have been put on guns by the manufacturer for 30 years; apparently only now has anyone noticed or, at any rate, complained.  The company responsible for the verse references has agreed to end the practice.

Topic 3:  For today’s religious humor, submitted by Harold:  “Why I love being an orthodox Jew”.  (What?  You were expecting another LOLcat?)  WARNING:  Some research may be required for the uninitiated to understand certain parts of this article.

Peace and Shabbath shalom.

Aaron