Controversial Prayer at Pentagon
Army Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing backlash for a prayer he recited during an event at the Pentagon, which mirrors a fictional Bible verse from the film “Pulp Fiction.”
While addressing the audience about the successful combat search and rescue operation for a downed pilot in Iran, Hegseth invited everyone to join him in prayer. He mentioned the mission’s lead planner and remarked on the significance of the prayer used during their operations.
“Those who seek to seize and destroy my brother, I will strike you down with fierce vengeance and fierce anger,” he recited, adjusting the wording slightly from the original source.
“This prayer was said by Sandy 1 before each CSAR mission, to every Sandy, every A-10 crew, but especially during this specific CSAR mission, which was conducted in real time. They refer to it as CSAR 25:17, which I think echoes Ezekiel 25:17,” Hegseth explained.
What did he pray? Well, it closely resembles a line from “Pulp Fiction,” which quotes a fictitious scripture.
“The path of the fallen aviator is paved on all sides by the iniquity of the selfish and the tyranny of the wicked,” he went on. “Blessed is the man who, in the name of friendship and duty, guides the lost through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of the lost. And I will strike down upon you with fierce vengeance and furious fury those who seek to seize and destroy my brother. And when I take my revenge on you, you will know that my call sign is Sandy 1.”
This particular quote is widely recognized by fans of Quentin Tarantino’s work. Interestingly, Tarantino himself took inspiration from a variety of sources, including martial arts films from the 1970s.
A video of Hegseth’s prayer quickly went viral, accumulating over 16 million views in just a few hours.
Critics questioned whether Hegseth was mistakenly referencing a made-up scripture as if it were genuine, but the video doesn’t provide a clear answer.
Keith Olbermann, a known critic of Trump, commented, “Hegseth is furious because America caught him pretending to quote the Bible when he was actually citing a Tarantino script.”
In response to the backlash, Hegseth addressed his critics in a media briefing, stating, “Despite the historic and important successes of this effort and our military achievements, we can’t ignore the constant stream of negativity from the press.”
“Sometimes, it’s tough to see which side some people are really on, and that’s quite unpatriotic,” he added, likening some media coverage to the Pharisees who opposed Jesus Christ.
