Hegseth Borrows Violent Prayer from ‘Pulp Fiction’ to Bless Iran War at April Pentagon Worship Service

Key Points:

• Pete Hegseth, who calls himself “secretary of war,” led a Pentagon worship service praying for “great vengeance and furious anger” against Iran, echoing a violent prayer inspired by Ezekiel 25:17 and the film Pulp Fiction.
• Hegseth argued that the religious messages from the service should influence U.S. military and policy decisions, including those related to the war with Iran, while invoking Christian scripture and Southern Baptist sermons to sanctify military actions.
• The prayer and service have drawn significant criticism from religious leaders such as Pope Leo XIV and Archbishop Reinhard Marx, who condemned the use of Christian theology to justify war and violence.
• Nine U.S. Democratic representatives filed impeachment articles against Hegseth on charges including war crimes and abuse of power, signaling increasing political scrutiny, though the articles do not mention the worship services.
• Legal experts and advocacy groups argue that Hegseth’s worship services on government property potentially violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause by promoting a specific religion, raising concerns about the separation of church and state.