West Point’s Worldview; There is a moral aspect to leadership. Even in the evil business of war there is a moral aspect to every life and death decision. Formerly, the United States Army was grounded in a consensus Judeo-Christian culture. It had a moral-ethical basis which could be traced to words written in the Holy Bible. What is the moral-ethical basis of the Army today? What’s taught by the heart of the Army at West Point?
The Cadet Prayer for the United States Military Academy begins with “Oh God, our Father.” Which God is that? It isn’t Allah, Buddha, or any of the Hindu Gods. It’s the God of the Bible of the Jews and Christians. The prayer ends with “in the name of Great Friend and Master of All.” Who is that friend? It’s Lord Jesus Christ. None other.
So, does this Christian prayer written an Christian Army Chaplain excludes Jews, other beliefs, and non-believers? It was specifically written to not mention any denomination, but it clearly is about the Christian God. Yet, the Cadet Prayer establishes a standard for the whole Corps of Cadets – regardless of personal belief. Accept it or exclude yourself from the whole.
The U.S. military Code of Conduct established by Presidential Executive Order in 1955 and amended, ends with Article VI “I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.” While it ascribes God to a personal belief, the Code places great significance in a deity for everyone serving America.
Mandatory chapel ended the year after I graduated from USMA in 1972. West Point recognized three religions back then – Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish. Every cadet had to go to chapel in one of those categories. Seems a bit rigid, but so it was when the Army wasn’t politically correct. Those were the three religions, because those were the three religious faiths that created and maintained the United States of America.
The Army needed leaders grounded in those three religions.
Those were the three religious faiths that shaped the U.S. Army. The religions are based on written words.
The right and wrong spelled out in the Bible is the basis for much of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Consequently, sodomy used to be a crime in the UCMJ. It no longer is. When the Army rejects the tenets of right and wrong found in the three religions, then does it reject the foundational religions’ role in leadership?
Since the United States Military Academy prides itself as a premier school of leadership, what is the moral-ethical basis for that leadership?
Who says what is right and wrong? What is their authority?
If you can’t point to the Bible, then where do you find a foundation, a worldview, for any moral-ethical system of beliefs?
And, what is the moral-ethical basis for the Cadet Honor Code? Who says a Cadet won’t lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do? Why is it wrong and worthy of dismissal? What higher authority demands an absolute allegiance to a rigid, unwavering, honor code? Why should that be a lifelong commitment?
Does military experience provide the lessons learned for leadership?
Armies, including ours, have done terrible things. What standard makes them terrible? What moral-ethical system establishes crimes, war crimes, and crimes against humanity?
If the U.S. Army committed moral wrongs while based on a Judeo-Christian worldview and a culture built from the British branch of Western Civilization, what moral atrocities will it commit when unbound from such belief system?
Will it murder with the indifference to any system of morality that the Socialists, National Socialists, or Communists have since the French Revolution?
Currently, USMA uses a discredited 19th Century social science construct to select candidates for admission based on “race.” Likewise, it establishes a gender quota to keep a floor for women admitted. If political expediency works for admission, what else is negotiable? Honor?
The recent cheating scandal suggests serious flaws in the Honor System.
And, it begs the question if cadets were expected to adhere to an absolute honor code from their first day when I entered in 1968 – regardless of their upbringing or religious background – why is it assumed to be too much for a young person in 2022?
What is the Biblical knowledge and professing religious beliefs of the Corps of Cadets? I’ll bet the majority are ignorant Biblically.
Consider adding a course to the core curriculum. The Moral Ethical Basis of the U.S. Army.
Teach it as history and philosophy. Teach it as leadership. Make teaching the Bible as a central aspect. Know the themes of a sovereign deity, salvation, redemption, and righteousness – to name a few. Know the Bible stories that become cultural references, like the good Samaritan.
I understand the course load of hours per semester have been reduced significantly since I was a cadet. There’s room to add another credit. A credit that will keep on teaching the cadets for the rest of their lives. And serve the Army and the Nation with a better U.S. Army.
The Army needs to obey a moral-ethical system above the whims of men and women. The system the Army was founded on and sustained by was the based on the written word. The Commissioning Oath, the Code of Conduct, the Honor Code and the mottoes – “This We’ll Defend” and “Duty, Honor, Country” are words to live by and die for. The time-proven, written words are labeled Judeo-Christian. And, the ultimate written word that establishes their right from wrong fundamentally is the Holy Bible.
The United States Military Academy at West Point and the United States Army need to know the Bible
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I agree whole heartedly. The current regime and the one previous to Trump have thoroughly done away with any semblance of honor or decency in the armed forces. With the approval of deviant sexual behavior and all that it entails (homosexuality and transgenderism), what behavior is now off limits to military personnel? None. That is why the recent cheating scandal was brushed under the rug, the recent fentanyl poisoning by cadets in FL was swept out to sea and why the recent dog mask sexual fetish scandal in Hawaii will not be dealt with. With so much permissiveness, who’s to say these activities should not be permitted? The Corp Has. The Army Has. We are so screwed as a nation.
If there is no moral standard for the Army, then what happens in training and on the battlefield? I agree, that we are screwed until men and women of honor un-screw it.
If the election goes rightly in 2024, I want to be appointed Grand Inquistor of the U.S. Army in 2025.
Thanks.
So let it be written. So let it be done. Consider yourself hereby duly appointed. 😂
If only. Seriously, I’d come of out retirement to lead or advise a thorough Inquistion. Then, put down some institutional concrete to make the reforms last.
😀
If there is no moral standard in the Army (and other branches) will turn their weapons on citizens at the direction of a corrupt power hungry, civilian government?
Yes.
Do you really think so, James? I can see that in the FBI and the other alphabet agencies, because of how they employee and act as if that is the correct recruiting tool. Those agencies have been corrupted beyond repair, and have leadership that is rotten to the core with ideology driven by criminals, the left that is.
But, isn’t it different with the military, with the exception of the outside influence from the civilian political leadership? I think the drive that is taking down the military is from the corrupt leftist policies that many who vote for, and don’t even realize it, are allowed in public office. At least that is where the Obama “Taking the country down a notch or two”, and the Biden, just doing whatever he is told, is forcing on the military. And allowing for the sycophant general officer political baboons who are there to do whatever they are told by the civilian authority, only to last through retirement, and/or get a super pay job by doing the political favors for the wrong ideology.
It’s usually either the military or the civilian populace that is leading the culture. I think it starts on the civilian side. And, since the military always seems to be a great way to experiment with social issues, it is on the backs of those who elect those politicians who only seek to destroy what is good.
The military can only do what the civilian authority allows or orders. That’s one more reason why it is so important to elect people who set good policies and properly fund the military.
But, I have always been on the outside looking in, and I see where we have let this happen to you, who only have to put up with it. Given a just and righteous civilian leadership, most of the problems of the military would not be happening.
All that said, I am the worst one to be talking about how he or she treats an illegal order. I would hope there would be more in the military who would reflect back on the oath they took before they ever fired on a civilian, as it is not something that is allowed, as far as I know.
Maybe the military is too far gone. I sincerely hope not.
“Weapons” at the FBI and “Justice” Department have already been turned on innocent citizens at the behest of a corrupt Barack Hussein and Brandon administrations. It will continue until they are stopped.
True.
I graduated a decade-ish after you did and I felt we had lost some of that edge already.
Having served for a decade, left and returned a decade later, what I found was an entirely different army… which became even worse when obomba took over. Leaders cowered to anyone with a grievance or an axe to grind; fear of being accused of racism dominated all decision-making thought processes of leaders . People with no business serving in uniform became the de facto political officers- capable of influencing leaders’ decisions based on their emotional state of mind.
It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times.
Given the chance, I’d like to hear more particulars. The claim to fame for our class – 1972 – was being part of the team that rebuilt the Army from the armed mob coming out of Vietnam. We did racial “rap groups” crap for about a year and then stopped. They never did any good. Just pissed people off. Started training the troops as hard as we could – even with no money. Kick their butt on PT and make them meet ever higher standards of personal appearance, accountability, etc. All the while our higher ups institutionalized the NCOES to rebuild the NCO corps – largely killed off in Vietnam. In the 80s when we got training money, we went hog wild working our asses off. It paid off in Desert Storm and the long decade of deployments after.
I can’t imagine a leader of any rank cowering to anyone. Not kidding. As a 2LT, we didn’t take crap from anyone – including enlisted Vietnam Vets who thought they knew it all, but only had a small skill set. The sargeants in Airborne and Ranger didn’t intimidate any classmate that I know. But, we had a gut-wrenching Beast and Plebe Year. Last class to officially brace, etc. The goal then was to run you out, not keep you. The attempted suicides in our first summer alone tell a story. Different Army. With 300 kids our age getting killed every week in Vietnam, the Army didn’t care if West Point shook us to our core.