Pete Hegseth’s comments about the U.S. military being infected by “secular humanism” have been bothering me all day.

He complained that the U.S. military has been weakened by “political correctness and secular humanism.” He has also criticized military programs that he says are “pushing secular humanism ” rather than faith.

I am not entirely convinced he understands what secular humanism actually means.

At its core, secular humanism is the belief that human beings have inherent worth, that reason matters, that ethics do not require religious conformity, and that people of different faiths, or no faith at all, can live together under the same laws.

The U.S. military serves Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, atheists, agnostics, and everyone in between.

To this Canadian that sounds like a strength, not a weakness.

If the choice is between a military that respects pluralism and one that expects ideological or religious conformity, I will take pluralism every time.

Better a humanist than an intolerant authoritarian. 🇨🇦