<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A spokesperson has hit out over reports on </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/pete-hegseth-pulp-fiction-bible-verse-pentagon-sermon-usa-politics-news/1ffd64d4-628f-49ec-be6f-51e32c83bfea" rel="" target="" title="Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth quoting a fake Bible verse from the movie Pulp Fiction"><span>Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth quoting a fake Bible verse from the movie </span><em><span>Pulp Fiction</span></em></a><span> during a sermon at a Pentagon religious service.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Speaking at a worship service, Hegseth read a prayer given to him by the "lead mission planner" of the rescue mission for two Air Force crew who were shot down over Iran.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The path of the downed aviator is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men," Hegseth prayed.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-jessica-tarlov-least-attractive-reporter-fox-the-five-usa-news/caa7a980-abb3-4c7f-a907-844a967b6ecc"><strong><span>Trump calls presenter 'least attractive', demands she be taken off TV</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Blessed is he who, in the name of camaraderie and duty, shepherd the lost through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to capture and destroy my brother. And you will know my call sign is Sandy 1 when I lay my vengeance upon thee, and amen."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the prayer was "obviously inspired by dialogue in </span><em><span>Pulp Fiction</span></em><span>".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/pete-hegseth-pulp-fiction-bible-verse-pentagon-sermon-quotes-sean-parnell-usa-news/f79332dc-503b-4e37-98e1-77eb42c1adb5" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"However, both the CSAR prayer and the dialogue in </span><em><span>Pulp Fiction</span></em><span> were reflections of the verse Ezekiel 25:17, as Secretary Hegseth clearly said in his remarks at the prayer service," Parnell said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Anyone saying the Secretary misquoted Ezekiel 25:17 is peddling fake news and ignorant of reality."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The first few lines of the prayer were written by </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/entertainment/tarantino-goes-aussie-in-spaghetti-western/656f844c-cf2b-4296-b07b-b87cb56977fd"><span>Quentin Tarantino</span></a><span> and Roger Avary in the popular '90s film.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-joe-kent-wife-died-hired-national-counterterrorism-centre-usa-news/d1e2182e-8f9c-413e-8954-a26be6e4105c"><strong><span>Trump said he appointed counterterrorism official because his wife died</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the movie, the character played by </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/entertainment/samuel-l-jackson-tries-to-force-reporter-to-say-n-word/fe5fd46a-18f1-450b-8eac-7f562c74536f"><span>Samuel L Jackson</span></a><span> falsely claims they are from the Bible passage Ezekiel 25:17.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jackson's character utters the verse before gunning down a small-time criminal who owed his gangster boss money.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Hegseth's prayer changed "the LORD" in the Bible so it was instead about the unit involved in the rescue.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Trump administration is under scrutiny for a series of acts this week that have been </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-pope-leo-xiv-war-weak-and-terrible-trumps-remarkable-criticism-of-pope-marks-stark-turnaround/e93825bf-07bb-4a89-90d9-3f5344cab937" rel="" target="" title="viewed by many Christians as blasphemous or heretical"><span>viewed by many Christians as blasphemous or heretical</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On Monday </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> posted an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ. He later deleted it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He has also made the extraordinary rare move of attacking the pope after he called for peace in the Middle East.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And Vice President JD Vance criticised </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-pope-leo-xiv-war-weak-and-terrible-trumps-remarkable-criticism-of-pope-marks-stark-turnaround/e93825bf-07bb-4a89-90d9-3f5344cab937" rel="" target="" title="Pope Leo XIV"><span>Pope Leo XIV</span></a><span> for his comments.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In the same way that it's important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it's very, very important for the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology," Vance said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If you're going to opine on matters of theology, you've got to be careful, you've got to make sure it's anchored in the truth."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/jd-vance-pope-leo-xiv-donald-trump-careful-theology-warning-iran-war-middle-east-updates/6a640168-dc5f-4ae7-9c68-9e918ad8d2a8"><strong><span>JD Vance criticises Pope Leo for not 'being careful speaking about theology'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Today the Archbishop of Canterbury, the most senior member of clergy in the Anglican church, issued a statement in support of the Catholic pontiff.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I stand with my brother in Christ, his holiness Pope Leo XIV, in his courageous call for a kingdom of peace," Archbishop Sarah Mullally said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"As innocent people are killed and displaced, families torn apart and futures destroyed, the human cost of war is incalculable."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-25th-amendment-not-fit-to-serve-team-of-experts-jamie-raskin-usa-politics-news/08cb968c-0c16-492d-9137-df77ccf7b17d"><strong><span>Proposed team of experts to decide if Trump is fit for office</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>