Marine On Trial For Evangelism

An organization is taking up a battle in favor of a U.S. Marine who was sent home from an assignment in Iraq because he handed out coins with a Christian message to Muslims in Iraq.

The organization is Christian Freedom International whose president, Jim Jacobson, says the Marine distributed coins with the words of John 3:16 on one side. The other side asked, in Arabic, the question: "Where will you spend eternity?" The soldier is now on home turf awaiting further word on possible punishment. Read the rest here from OneNewsNow.

"The fact is that this incident in Fallujah did not involve harassment or coercion of any kind by the soldier," Jacobson explains. "It did not seek to disrespect Islam as a religion, and it did not cause harm to anyone who received the coins — and it certainly doesn't warrant the harsh punishment being carried out against this U.S. Marine by his own government," he contends.

Local leaders demanded the harshest possible punishment, but Jacobsen believes it is unfair for a Marine to surrender constitutional rights while fighting for the freedom of Iraqis. He asks others to support the Marine.

"If [you] want to go to our web site at ChristianFreedom.org, you can read about this incident, find out about it, and then send a letter to your senators and your representatives in Washington and speak out on behalf of this U.S. Marine who is being punished for practicing the Christian faith," Jacobson explains.

He believes members of the American military should have the freedom to express their faith, and that the U.S. government ought to back them up.