Commanders using Religion

I have to write on the current state of War. I feel a compulsion. It is my realization that I just have to be measured. So I will attempt to. 

It is not my intention to here debate the political decisions behind the current conflict with Iran. I am also not here to debate the tactical decision making. There's a simple answer why, I'm still gathering information. I have to do that to develop my own opinion. This is a very dynamic scenario unfolding before our eyes. None of us have the whole picture yet. I hope I am taking the time to deliberate on something smaller in scope, and personally highly impactful in this scenario. Something closer to home. I'm looking at motivations and justifications, and a single one at that.

There is something dangerous about the conflation of government actions with divine sanction. This becomes especially fraught when we conflate a military action with a scriptural mandate. When we combine faith with the state in a way to almost turn it into a military ministry.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) is reporting over 110 grievances and complaints across 40 units at 30 military installations. The most prominent of these reports comes from an NCO alleging that their commander told his command "This was all part of God's divine plan" and referenced the biblical Armageddon in the Book of Revelation. 

This is a lot to unpack. And faithful Christians may be blind to some of the repercussions and connotations that this could bring. The connection of this to the afore mentioned Armageddon alludes to thoughts of Rapture and the Second Coming. As I stated earlier this moved from a governmental or political conflict to an existential or spiritual one. A religiously motivated conflict. 

This historically has been at the very least problematic and has often been disastrous. We can look to the religious fervor behind crusades, jihads, and inquisitions and the like to see how this both degrades the state and the faith. That alignment leads to actions antithetical to the faith and creates a position where the state can't adapt to changes on the ground. I will not go as far as calling the current conflict a crusade or inquisition, but it feels like it is getting dangerously close. 

I want to make it absolutely clear that we live in a pluralistic nation with religious freedom. Our founders realized the conflict that can come from diverse religious and political factions striving for power, domination. They took the time to codify in the Constitution the ability to follow our OWN conscience in worship; and to prevent any test of religious affiliation for government participation, service, or office. This was decided by a plurality of protestants who were well aware of the dangers of state favored or sanctioned religions. 

That seems to be eroding in the Department of Defense. 

It's undeniable that our current leadership (read that as SECDEF) of the military wears his faith on his sleeve (literally if we look at tattoos). That is absolutely his right. He gets to worship as he may. There is a line though. Is his worship and faith becoming elevated or favored? Is his faith being elevated? I'm going to do my best here to express my misgivings without untoward attacks on faith and theology. There is a time or place 

Secretary Hegseth has made a point of prioritizing prayer meetings at the Pentagon.  Less than two weeks ago he invited one his pastoral leaders to lead it. That man is a controversial minister named Doug Wilson. I usually try to avoid talking about one's religious background or actual theology. But speaking to one's belief seems necessary here. This is a religious leader who is an avowed Christian nationalist. Who doesn't want women in authority. Who wants biblical law in the nation. There are questions as to why he was there. What his purpose was and what that means. 

Let's be real. A man who wants a Christian theocracy led a prayer meeting less than two weeks before commanders are telling their troops to not be afraid as their operation "is part of God's plan". That's not coincidental. What does that infer or impart?

First what happens if you are not Christian. That was an obvious concern of at least two of the troops who filed reports. There are many troops who are not Christian, and of the Christian troops there are various denomination with significant differences in theology and their own conflicts. A question arises if they are welcome in the military now. If they have equal opportunities at this juncture. And the answer is I don't know. 

It's also frightening to see a disregard for the principles of plurality and democracy. How are we supposed to exemplify the standards we hold dear if we are not living them?

I hate to see something that can cause such consternation happening at this time. We have troops in conflict. They all deserve access to their faith, and support in their current circumstances. It is my hope that these scenarios are addressed in a timely fashion. But I will not hold out hope currently. 

Whenever such trust is breached. We have to restore it. I don't see that happening now.