What you need to know:
• More than 200 service members reported that commanders cited Armageddon when discussing the war with Iran.
• A sergeant said an officer stated that the U.S. president had been “anointed by Jesus” to start a conflict linked to biblical prophecies.
• The case gained attention after criticism from Mikey Weinstein directed at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and at prayer meetings held at the Pentagon.
Officers use biblical rhetoric to classify conflicts as a “divine plan,” soldiers say.
Reports submitted by American service members have sparked a debate within the United States Armed Forces: some commanders are allegedly using biblical references and religious arguments when discussing the war with Iran.
The complaints were sent to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) and describe situations in which soldiers were told that the conflict could be part of a divine plan.
Commander allegedly cited Armageddon
One of the reports came from a sergeant who wrote to the organization on behalf of 15 members of his unit. According to him, the group includes 11 Christians, one Muslim and one Jew, while the religious beliefs of the other two members were not disclosed.
The sergeant said a commander opened an operational meeting by telling soldiers not to fear the war with Iran.
According to the complaint, the officer allegedly stated that “all of this was part of God’s divine plan,” and cited biblical passages related to Armageddon and the return of Jesus Christ.
The report also says the commander claimed that the President of the United States had been “anointed by Jesus” to initiate a conflict that would lead to the events described in biblical prophecies.
The whistleblower added that the commander “had a big smile on his face when he said all this,” something that left some soldiers uncomfortable during the meeting.
More than 200 complaints across military installations
The organization says it has received more than 200 complaints from service members across different branches, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
According to the group, the reports came from more than 50 military installations. Many complainants requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation within the military chain of command.
Controversies at the Pentagon and the role of Pete Hegseth
The debate also involves U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
Reports say Hegseth promotes monthly prayer meetings at the Pentagon, open to military personnel and civilian defense staff.
According to critics, these meetings may have contributed to expanding religious discussions within the military environment.
So far, the Pentagon has not responded directly to the complaints, limiting itself to releasing public statements from the secretary about the military objectives of the operation against Iran.
Criticism from the founder of MRFF
The main critic behind the complaints is Mikey Weinstein, founder of the MRFF, an Air Force veteran and former legal consultant to the White House during the administration of Ronald Reagan.
He says Secretary Pete Hegseth has been reducing historical barriers between church and state within the Pentagon.
According to Weinstein, the current political climate also influences the situation.
“The MAGA supporters destroyed that. Their approved solution is to be heterosexual, white, Christian, and male. And that is bad enough when you find Christian nationalism in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, right? Legislators, police officers, firefighters, sewage workers,” he said.
He also linked the phenomenon to the growth of religious political movements:
“This is tied to the advance of far-right religious and political movements within institutions.”
For Weinstein, mixing religious interpretations with military decisions can affect discipline, morale, and cohesion in an army made up of people from different beliefs.
Biblical reference also appeared in Israel
Religious references have also appeared in political discourse in the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited a passage from the Torah one day after the offensive began.
During a visit to a site hit by an Iranian missile, he stated:
“We read in this week’s Torah portion: ‘Remember what Amalek did to you.’ We remember — and we act.”
In biblical tradition, the Amalekites are described as persistent enemies of the Israelites, associated with a commandment calling for their memory to be erased.
Amid rubble and prophecies: Netanyahu evokes the Torah following Iranian attack.
Read more at: Military.com — bit.ly/biblical-war