< symbol in JavaScript code causes an error message

When the < (less than) symbol is used in JavaScript code on an HTML form, it causes the following error message to appear...

The content of elements must consist of well-formed character data or markup.

The less than (<) symbol can even be in a comment, and it still causes the error. For example...

<script type="text/javascript">
$j(function() {
//if( 1 < 2 )
//end
});
</script>

Change the < to > or == and there is no error.

This happens with my test and production servers, both running OpenMRS 1.8.3 and HTML Form Entry 1.9.0.