Staff ReportsA voluntary prayer service led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon has set off a firestorm among secular activists and certain media outlets, but for millions of Americans, it’s a welcome return to the nation’s roots. While critics are quick to cry “separation of church and state,” they conveniently forget that faith was never meant to be banished from the public square. The Founding Fathers themselves routinely invoked divine guidance in government and even held church services in the Capitol. The Pentagon prayer service is not a mandate, but a meaningful opportunity for those who wish to gather in faith—a tradition as American as the Constitution itself.
The outrage from some quarters is as predictable as it is misplaced. The First Amendment was designed to protect religious liberty, not to muzzle it. The idea that voluntary prayer somehow threatens our democracy is a distortion of both history and intent. What’s truly at stake here is whether Americans are still free to express their faith openly, or whether public displays of Christianity will be shamed into silence while every other ideology receives a platform. The double standard is glaring: government buildings are frequently draped in the trappings of secular causes, yet a simple prayer service draws condemnation.
Let’s not forget, either, that the current climate in Washington is one where every cause, no matter how political or polarizing, seems to get its moment in the sun. From pride parades to climate protests, the government has become a stage for every conceivable movement except, it seems, for those rooted in traditional faith. If we are truly a nation that values diversity and inclusion, then that must extend to Christians and people of faith as well. The Pentagon prayer service was voluntary, peaceful, and deeply meaningful to those who attended. That should be celebrated, not vilified.
The real issue here is a cultural one: a growing hostility to the Judeo-Christian values that have shaped our nation’s moral compass. Critics of the prayer service are not just objecting to a single event—they’re signaling discomfort with the very idea that faith still matters in American life. But the truth is, millions of Americans still look to God for guidance, especially in times of uncertainty. Our leaders should be able to do the same without fear of backlash or ridicule.
As this debate continues, it’s crucial to remember what makes America exceptional: the freedom to believe, to speak, and to gather—whether in a church, a public square, or even the halls of the Pentagon. Those freedoms are not threatened by a voluntary prayer service; they are strengthened by it. If we want to preserve the spirit of liberty and unity that defines this country, we must defend the right of all Americans to express their faith proudly and publicly. That’s not just tradition—it’s the very foundation of our republic.
