Throughout American history our nation’s military leaders have sought the counsel of Almighty God.
The painter Lambert Sachs memorialized George Washington on bended knee at Valley Forge. General George S. Patton wrote what became known as the Third Army Prayer asking God for fair weather so they could crush the oppression and wickedness of the enemy.
And President Franklin Roosevelt sent letters to soldiers encouraging them to read the Bible as a source of strength and encouragement. I wrote about many of those stories in my new book, “Star-Spangled Blessings.” Click here to read.
So, when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led a Christian worship service at the Pentagon he was simply following in the footsteps of many American leaders.
Hegseth led Pentagon staffers in a prayer to King Jesus and invited his pastor to deliver an encouraging message. Watch the prayer below and click here to follow my YouTube Channel.
“King Jesus, we come humbly before you, seeking your face, seeking your grace, in humble obedience to your law and to your word. We come as sinners saved only by that grace, seeking your providence in our lives and in our nation. Lord God, we ask for the wisdom to see what is right and in each and every day, in each and every circumstance, the courage to do what is right in obedience to your will. It is in the name of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ, that we pray. And all God’s people say amen.”
As you might imagine, the secretary’s prayer triggered every atheist, Democrat and cable news anchor in the nation.
The New York Times described the service “as the service is “part of an increasing infusion of overt Christian evangelization in official government events during Mr. Trump’s second term.”
Steve Benen, a producer for The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC, penned an essay titled, “Why Pete Hegseth leading a Christian prayer service at the Pentagon is so problematic.”
“For those concerned about the administration and the emergence of Christian nationalism, this was a step in an unsettling direction,” he wrote.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based gang of anti-Christian atheist activists, said the worship service was against the law. They said Hegseth is sending a message that Christianity is the Pentagon’s preferred faith.
“By holding an official Christian prayer meeting, the department ‘sends a message to nonadherents that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community, and an accompanying message to adherents that they are insiders, favored members of the political community,’” writes FFRF attorney Chris Line. “In a tightly knit and hierarchical institution like the military, such exclusion can have serious effects on morale, cohesion and trust.”
What’s wrong having Christianity as the preferred faith at the Pentagon? When soldiers are on the frontlines taking enemy fire – they pray to Jesus – not a Wisconsin atheist.