Sens. Lee and Curtis question new Pentagon designation for Latter-day Saints
Source: Deseret News
Politics * Faith
Sens. Lee and Curtis question new Pentagon designation for Latter-day Saints
Curtis said he would ask the Pentagon for a correction after the subhead Christian was left off of the designation for the church
Published: June 6, 2026, 11:43 a.m. MDT
Updated: June 6, 2026, 11:51 a.m. MDT

The Church Administration Building, foreground, and the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City are shown on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Tad Walch, Deseret News
By Suzanne Bates
Suzanne is the assistant managing editor over politics and the West. She covers state and national politics.
Utahs two U.S. senators are questioning a new Pentagon policy that leaves Christian off the designation for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Department of War recently announced the reduction in the number of religious affiliation categories for service members from over 200 down to 31. Categories that were removed from the list include atheist and humanist, and Wicca.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is included as a religious category on the updated list. But the faith was not included in the list of faiths labeled Christian.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, put up a screenshot of the list on X and asked Can anyone tell me why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was left out of the list of Christian churches?
{snip}
Read more: https://www.deseret.com/politics/2026/06/06/lee-and-curtis-question-new-pentagon-religious-affiliation-for-latter-day-saints-mormons/
Hat tip, Joe.My.God.
https://www.joemygod.com/2026/06/mormon-senators-rage-that-new-pentagon-list-of-approved-religions-doesnt-list-lds-as-christian/
2naSalit
(104,166 posts)repugs in disarray!
czarjak
(13,715 posts)Good luck with T-H-A-T. History says it ALL.
Lithos
(26,659 posts)For many "evangelical" faiths - LDS is a cult, not a religious choice.
DBoon
(25,208 posts)Last edited Sat Jun 6, 2026, 07:02 PM - Edit history (1)
ON EDIT: Neither do Jehovah's Witnesses, though the DoD includes them as a Protestant religion.
SheltieLover
(82,098 posts)questionseverything
(12,069 posts)Buddyzbuddy
(2,952 posts)look out for thee but not me. You hypocritical aholes. Very Christian of you.
tanyev
(49,806 posts)Since The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints teaches that The Book of Mormon is a divine revelation from God and every other denomination of Christianity does not accept it as such, then they see the LDS as a completely different religion.
Much like Christianity began as a sect of Judaism, but when its adherents accepted the books of the New Testament as divine revelations from God, then it became a separate entity from Judaism.
If it really bothers you Senator Lee, then you should become a strong advocate for continuing the separation of church and state.
🤨
NeoTrajan
(81 posts)They start degrading each other ...
It's my way or the highway
TexasBushwhacker
(21,322 posts)Plenty of evangelical Christians consider Mormons and Catholics to be cults, but not themselves.
very predictible
lostincalifornia
(5,620 posts)fujiyamasan
(2,108 posts)Fuck him
twodogsbarking
(19,545 posts)pat_k
(14,184 posts)oberle
(443 posts)pat_k
(14,184 posts)Jacson6
(2,261 posts)Never talk about politics or religion. You will just make someone mad!
Miguelito Loveless
(5,970 posts)There are over 45,000.
SergeStorms
(20,922 posts)jmowreader
(53,464 posts)...as the very long official name of that religion.
TBH I'm surprised "Catholic" was part of the list of Christian faiths. There are LOTS of hardcore Protestants who don't believe Catholicism is Christian.
The funniest part is one of the faiths listed under "Christian" is Jehovah's Witnesses. It is a Christian faith, but it shouldn't be on this list because if you are a Jehovah's Witness and you join the Army they kick you out of their faith.
Hindu, Islam and Judaism all have several branches. On a different message board someone pointed out the Defense Department is actively working to recruit more Messianistic Judaism chaplains. Messianistic Judaism teaches that the Messiah has already returned to Earth and his name is Jesus Christ. In other words, it's a Christian faith designed to pull Jews into Christianity.
I suspect the real reason for this change was to de-recognize Norse faiths. Before Platoon Leader Hegseth infested the Defense Department with his venom, you could sign up as one of several Pagan faiths. Now you can't.
MorbidButterflyTat
(4,869 posts)Skittles
(173,345 posts)The Department of War, deciding which religions cut the mustard.
Mike Niendorff
(3,671 posts)There is no "Department of War".
This is Trump-brand NewSpeak.
No American should be bowing to it.
MDN
flashman13
(2,598 posts)Jack Valentino
(5,287 posts)now you're surprised that Trump's White House and most Republicans
don't consider you to be "Christians".....
Might be some fall-off in midterm votes for Republicans in Utah this fall....
SouthBayDem
(33,404 posts)fujiyamasan
(2,108 posts)Fuck him. Seriously one evil ass hole. No sympathy here. Dont care about his fucking cult not getting his Christian designation boo hoo
AZ8theist
(7,706 posts)You fucking fascist assholes have NO PROBLEM letting the bigotry and racism by Trump just slide by ...........
UNTIL!!
It affects your stupid cult!!
KISS MY HEATHEN UNBELIEVING BLASPHEMOUS ASS you fucking hypocritical SCUMBAGS.