Pope Leo Issues Stark Warning Against Using Religion to Justify Violence
Pope Leo has delivered a powerful caution against employing religion to rationalise violent actions, in what observers interpret as another thinly-veiled criticism of the ongoing conflict with Iran. The American-born leader of the Catholic Church emphasised that humanity's future is at grave risk without a shift in political accountability and adherence to international norms.
'God's Name Must Not Be Profaned'
Speaking on Tuesday, the pontiff declared, "Without a change of direction in the assumption of political responsibility, and without respect for institutions and international agreements, humanity's destiny risks being tragically compromised." He added forcefully, "God does not want this. His holy Name must not be profaned by the desire for domination, arrogance, or discrimination. Above all, it must never be invoked to justify death-dealing choices and actions."
These remarks arrive as senior Trump administration figures, notably Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, persistently reference Christianity within the context of the Iran war, which has plunged extensive regions of the Middle East into turmoil.
Hegseth's Controversial Religious Invocations
In early March, Hegseth asserted that God aligns with the United States against Iran, a nation with a predominantly Muslim population of approximately 90 million. During a Pentagon prayer service later that month, he fervently prayed, "Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation," and requested that "wicked souls be delivered to the eternal damnation prepared for them."
Last week, at a war briefing, Hegseth launched a scathing biblical critique at journalists, likening the press corps to the Pharisees, a group depicted as adversaries of Jesus in the New Testament. This rhetoric has drawn condemnation from military and constitutional experts, who decry it as an unprecedented erosion of the separation between church and state. Even some Trump allies have expressed reservations.
Steve Bannon, a right-wing media personality, commented on his podcast, "My observation or recommendation: I don't think I would start that with some references to the New Testament. My two cents: We ought to tone that down and focus, when we got the Pentagon, let's have a military briefing." A Pentagon spokesperson previously defended Hegseth, stating he "is a proud Christian" and that his comments are not unusual.
Escalating Tensions Between Vatican and White House
The pope's latest admonition seems to prolong a protracted dispute between the Vatican and the White House regarding the Iran war. President Donald Trump recently unleashed a 334-word tirade against Pope Leo, labelling him "terrible for Foreign Policy" and falsely claiming, "I don't want a Pope who thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon." The Pope has never endorsed Iran's right to possess nuclear weapons.
Subsequently, Trump posted an AI-generated image portraying himself as Jesus, which was later removed. Vice President JD Vance cautioned the pope to "be careful" when discussing theology, arguing that some wars are justified.
Pope Leo, however, remains undeterred. He told reporters last week, "I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do, what the Church is here to do. I don't want to get into a debate with [Trump]."
Last month, on social media platform X, the pontiff wrote that God "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them." He also described Trump's prior threat to obliterate "an entire civilisation" in Iran as "truly unacceptable."
Multiple polls indicate that a majority of Americans oppose the Iran war, highlighting domestic dissent alongside the international religious and diplomatic tensions.
