'Heretical and Batshit Crazy': Hegseth Rebuked for Bloodthirsty Prayer Asking God to Bless Iran War

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivered a prayer in the name of Jesus Christ during an Evangelical Christian service at the Pentagon on Wednesday in which he called for American soldiers to be blessed with "overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy" and for "every round to find its mark" as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues despite widespread disapproval by a majority of US voters and global condemnation.

Hegseth, who has been under fire for the overtly sectarian monthly prayer services he's been hosting at the Pentagon, told those gathered that the prayer had been previously delivered as the "pre-mission reading" to soldiers before the January military against Venezuela, an attack on the sovereign nation which included the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady, Cilia Flores.

After quoting verses from the Bible's "Book of Psalms," Hegseth offered a prayer intended for US soldiers fighting against Iran in war ordered by President Donald Trump without congressional approval or popular support.

The full prayer, as read by Hegseth:

Almighty God, who trains our hands for war and our fingers for battle, you who stirred the nations from the north against Babylon of old, making her land a desolation where none dwell, behold now the wicked who rise against your justice and the peace of the righteous. Snap the rod of the oppressor, frustrate the wicked plans, and break the teeth of the ungodly. By the blast of your anger, let the evil perish. Let their bulls go down to slaughter for their day has come, the time of their punishment. Pour out your wrath upon those who plot vain things and blow them away like chaff before the wind.

Grant this task force clear and righteous targets for violence. Surround them as a shield, protect the innocent and blameless in their midst. Make their arrows like those of a skilled warrior who returned not empty-handed. Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation. Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy. Preserve their lives, sharpen their resolve, and let justice be executed swiftly and without remorse that evil may be driven back and wicked souls delivered to the eternal damnation prepared for them. For the wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. We ask these things with bold confidence in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ, King over all kings and amen.

"May we pray such prayer for our men and women in harm's way right now," said Hegseth at the conclusion.

Critics of Hegseth, known for his far-right politics, denounced the prayer as just the latest example of his alarming blend of Christian Nationalist rhetoric with violent, pro-war policies at the Pentagon.

Journalist Scott Horton denounced Hegseth's performance as "heretical and batshit crazy Christianist gibberish."

"Looks like we are sliding back to the Old Testament," said Frank Giustra, an investor and philanthropist. "No more love, just the wrath of God. Nuts."

"These guys are a danger to the planet," said author Diana Butler Bass after reading a review of Hegseth's comments at the prayer service. "Jesus weeps."

Earlier this month, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem and a member of the Catholic Church, warned against the use of "psuedo-religious language" being deployed by people like Hegseth to justify their war making.

"The abuse and manipulation of God's name to justify this and any other war is the gravest sin we can commit at this time," Pizzablla said. "War is first and foremost political and has very material interests, like most wars."

Specifically responding to Hegseth's previous invocation of Psalm 144, a passage he repeated on Wednesday, the Cardinal said people of faith should reject any effort to frame the war against Iran in religious terms.

"There are no new crusades," he said. "If God is present in this war, He is among those who are dying, who are suffering, who are in pain, who are oppressed in various ways, throughout the Middle East," he added. "This conflict has religious connotations, but they are manipulations: those who wish to bring religion into it exploit the name of God."