In his September 30 ‘State of the Force’ speech before 600 E-6s and O-3s, staff sergeants, and captains at Quantico, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth formally announced the “establishment” of a new Office of Religious Affairs (ORA) for the military chaplaincy. Reading…
Theobro pastor Joel Webbon calls for public execution of Mike Huckabee
Texas pastor Joel Webbon, known for his outspoken antisemitism and criticism of Israel, in a social media post this weekend called for the public execution of Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
Catholic and Methodist leaders condemn livestreamed firing squad
Roman Catholic and United Methodist leaders have joined the condemnation of Pete Hegseth’s planned livestreamed execution of Nidal Malik Hasan. Any Catholics assigned to the firing squad are “obliged” to request to be excused from this action, which is “contrary…
What kind of people are we becoming?
The following comments were given by the author on Saturday, Oct. 10, at a Dallas rally against the death penalty. I speak today as a Christian, mindful of the ancient conviction expressed in Genesis that every human being is…
Robert Jeffress should not be trusted with a Bible
Major freeways in North Dallas are adorned with billboards proclaiming that First Baptist Church of Dallas is “built on the Bible.” If that’s so, why does the church’s pastor not seem to understand what the Bible teaches? Fresh off his…
The state doesn’t need my eyes
On what must have been a dark day in the first century, leaders of the Roman Empire began loading exotic animals into crates. Lions, leopards and crocodiles were led down ancient routes. Via Salaria, the “Salt Road,” and Via Latina…
Pete Hegseth’s gospel of violence
The last widely recognized public execution in the United States took place on Aug. 14, 1936, in Owensboro, Ky. Rainey Bethea, a 22-year-old Black man, was hanged before an estimated crowd of 20,000 people. Bethea had been accused of raping…
Justice does not require spectators
Nearly 20 years ago, I opposed the execution of Saddam Hussein. Not because I believed Hussein was innocent. His regime was responsible for brutality, repression, torture and death on a staggering scale. I opposed his execution because I could not…
Go ahead and livestream that firing squad execution!
I’m glad Pete Hegseth wants to livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Malik Hasan. Not because I support the death penalty; I don’t. And not because I think firing squads are humane; they’re not. And not because I think…
‘I’m Standing With Isaiah’: Warnock Blasts Hegseth for ‘Twisting the Scripture’
Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia criticized Pete Hegseth for misusing Isaiah 6:8 in speeches and offered a rebuttal about the actual teachings of the prophet. Hegseth’s conscription of the verse for military recruitment has also sparked rebukes from…
What’s this all about, Pete?
America may be entering one of the strangest intersections of warfare, technology, politics, masculinity and religion in modern history. On Sept. 30, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon will establish an Office of Religious Affairs reporting directly to him….
Hegseth plans Pentagon Office of Religious Affairs
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth plans to create an Office of Religious Affairs within the Pentagon that will “strengthen the moral, ethical and spiritual readiness of our warfighters.” Hegseth announced the new office Sept. 30 in a speech laden…