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20 May 2009 The US army in Afghanistan has burned
bibles printed in local languages, a US colonel in
Afghanistan has said, amid concerns they could have
been used to try to convert Afghans.
"My understanding is that the [military] leadership
confiscated these bibles so that they could not be
distributed around Afghanistan, Colonel Greg Julian
told Al Jazeera on Wednesday.
"It was their best judgement at the time, that the
best way to deal with it, was to destroy them and I
understand that they were burnt."
Al Jazeera broadcast footage earlier this month
showing troops apparently discussing how best to
convert Afghans to their faith.
'Hunt them down'
Some of the soldiers who appeared in the video have
been reprimanded, US government and military officials
told Al Jazeera correspondent 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.
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 hunt them down," he said.
"Get the hound of heaven after them, so we get them
into the kingdom. That's what we do, that's our
business."
'Out of context'
Questioned about the footage earlier in the month,
Julian 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 proselytize to
Afghans."
The military said a soldier at Bagram received the
Bibles and did not realise he was not allowed to hand
them out.
"It's not a preference but, under the circumstances,
the leadership made the best decision that they could
to ensure that they weren't distrubted among the
Afghan population.
"So, unfortunately, this is the route that we went,"
he said.
Regulations by the US military's central command
expressly forbid "proselytizing of any religion, faith
or practice".
But in the footage chaplains appear to understand
their actions were in breach of regulations
"Do we know what it means to proselytize?" Captain
Emmit Furner, a military chaplain, said to the
gathering.
"It is General Order Number One," an unidentified
soldier replied. "You can't proselytize, but you can
give gifts", another said. -- Al Jazeera and agencies
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