Is God Our Secretary of Defense?
I'm all for politicians and national leaders using their religious values to inform their priorities. No reason why a religous person can't perform the duties of high office. And I'm all for religious people petitioning the government on matters their faith tells them is important, as happened earlier this week when a cross-section of religious leaders asked that something be done about the Darfur crisis.
But just because our national humanitarian interest and our religious interest sometimes aligns--like in Darfur--doesn't mean that our elected leaders, and especially our military leaders, should confuse the two. Their job is to represent our national interest while defending the Constitution. So I get nervous when I hear things like this:
The top US general defended the leadership of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, saying it is inspired by God.Secretary Rumsfeld was not confirmed for his abilities to seek and follow the will of God in carrying out his official duties. In fact, I doubt his talents in the area of divine inspiration were even mentioned in his Senate hearings. He should absolutely lead and fulfill his duties in a way that honors his values, whether or not those values are religiously informed. But if there is some question about his leadership, "God told him to" is a troubling justification, asserting the unquestionable hand of God when Americans need and want accountability and answers here on Earth.
God moves in mysterious ways. Secretaries of Defense should not.