Combat rifle sights bearing Bible references do not violate U.S. military rules that forbid proselytizing in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon said today, responding to an ABC News report about the Michigan contractor.

The ban was drafted to try to counter claims by Muslims that the United States was engaged in a "crusade" against Islam.

"This situation is not unlike the situation with U.S. currency," a U.S. Central Command spokesman, Air Force Maj. John Redfield, told the Associated Press. "Are we going to stop using money because the bills have 'In God We Trust' on them? As long as the sights meet the combat needs of troops, they'll continue to be used."

A U.S. Marine Corps spokesman said in an e-mailed statement to AP that "we are aware of the issue and are concerned with how this may be perceived" and that Marine officials would meet with the manufacturer, Trijicon of Wixom, Mich., to discuss future purchases. Last year, the Corps bought $66 million of the company's products, including the Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG), which uses radioactive tritium, a form of hydrogen, to illuminate the scope.

The scripture references were begun more than 20 years ago by Trijicon's founder, Glyn Bindon, a devout Christian from South Africa who died in a 2003 plane crash in Alabama.

"We don't publicize this," Tom Munson, Trijicon's director of sales and marketing, told AP. "It's not something we make a big deal out of. But when asked, we say, 'Yes, it's there.' "

Here's what ABC reported:

One of the citations on the gun sights, 2COR4:6, is an apparent reference to Second Corinthians 4:6 of the New Testament, which reads: "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Other references include citations from the books of Revelation, Matthew and John dealing with Jesus as "the light of the world." John 8:12, referred to on the gun sights as JN8:12, reads, "Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

The Detroit Free Press, a sister paper of USA TODAY, carries a statement the company released through Levick Strategic Communications. In it, the company said that "as part of our faith and our belief in service to our country, Trijicon has put scripture references on our products for more than two decades."

"Our effort is simple and straightforward: to help our servicemen and women win the war on terror and come home safe to their families. ... As long as we have men and women in danger, we will continue to do everything we can to provide them with both state-of- the-art technology and the never-ending support and prayers of a grateful nation."

The Free Press also highlights a video in which the reviewer calls the bible inscription "one of the really cool things that I like about this sight."

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation says the Taliban and other enemies could use the inscriptions as a propaganda tools.

"I don't have to wonder for a nanosecond how the American public would react if citations from the Koran were being inscribed onto these U.S. armed forces gun sights instead of New Testament citations," said Mikey Weinstein, head of the foundation, which opposes religious favoritism in the military. He said he had received complaints from active-duty and retired servicemembers about the Bible references.

(Posted by Michael Winter)