1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

As a Christian and an American, I am horrified by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s interference in the religious lives of our service members. The Pentagon has eliminated approximately 180 religious affiliation designations, reducing them to just 31. Now service members are being told they must choose a religious designation from the government’s shortened list, and if they do not make that choice, the government will automatically choose a replacement classification for them and change their records without their consent. Let that sink in. The United States government is telling Americans who serve their country that if they do not select an approved religious classification, the government will assign one to them. Absolutely not. The government has no business deciding anyone’s religious identity. Hegseth has also established an Office of Religious Affairs reporting directly to him, with responsibilities involving assessments of spiritual fitness and readiness. Why? We already have a Chaplain Corps. Who decides what constitutes spiritual fitness? Will atheists and members of minority religions be considered less fit? Will their military careers suffer? At a time when our military is engaged in serious operations abroad, why is the Secretary of Defense prioritizing government oversight of religion? As a Christian, I am horrified. Government interference in religious belief threatens every religion, including my own. Faith dictated from on high is not genuine faith. It is coercion. Our service members swear to defend the Constitution, not Pete Hegseth’s interpretation of Christianity. I demand that Congress immediately investigate these policies, stop the involuntary reassignment of religious affiliations, scrutinize the authority and funding of this new office, and protect every service member from religious discrimination. The First Amendment protects freedom of religion. It does not give the government the authority to choose someone’s religion for them.