The Australian Daily Telegraph reports that the Australian Army is considering redesigning a military chaplaincy badge that says “In this sign, conquer.”

In a somewhat inflammatory reporting style [emphasis added]:

The Australian Army is removing the motto “In this sign conquer” from the 102-year-old hat badges of army chaplains because it is offensive to Muslims.

The move comes after an imam approved by the Grand Mufti was appointed to join the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services in June.

Australian Army chaplains have had the motto on their hat badges since 1913.

A Defence spokeswoman last night denied the motto was being changed because it was associated with the Crusades, when Christian armies fought Muslims in the Holy Land during the Middle Ages.

“The motto of the Australian Army Chaplains is being changed to better reflect the diversity of religion throughout the Australian Army,” she said.

Admittedly, the phrase is a little “different” for a modern military chaplaincy corps. Rightly or wrongly, the Army’s timing in deciding to reconsider the language is fueling speculation that it is hypersensitive to Muslims.

One of the outspoken critics of the proposed change is Bernard Gaynor, a Catholic and former intelligence officer who was forced out of the Australian Army last year over his comments on Islam and the Australian Defence Force’s acceptance of homosexuality.

Also at the UK’s Daily Mail.

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