In a sixty-one page report that he prepared as a monograph for a thesis at the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) and United States General Command and General Staff located at Leavenworth, Kansas, Major Brian L. Stuckert in no uncertain terms has declared that those who believe in “Dispensational Millennialism” (DM), i.e., the literal return of Jesus Christ to this earth to reign on His throne for 1,000 years, to be the enemies of America and totally unsuitable to serve in a leadership capacity in the U.S. military.
In fact he even goes further than that with his preposterous ideas. He clearly says that those with these kinds of religious beliefs, spawned by a literal interpretation of the scriptures, are an actual danger to world peace, and will in fact, if allowed to influence “public policy” via the military, bring America to total defeat in the world arena.
This report, prepared in 2008, was approved by several high ranking officers including Dr. Tim Challans, PhD., Monograph Director. Challans is a professor at SAMS, a West Point graduate, and the author of Awakening Warrior: Revolution in the Ethics of Warfare. In this book, he not only castigates America for dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but also undermines the ethics of our military by writing that army chaplains “should get out of the ethics business in the military.”
John McTernan a former Treasury agent from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who was one of the first to reveal this report, gives the following analysis of Stuckert’s superior officers who approved this venomous study:
“The review of both Professor Challans’ interview and book revealed treasonous views about America and an anti-Christian bias. Strategic Implications of American Millennialism fits directly with the thinking of Professor Challans. Major Stuckert’s thesis was signed off by Robert F. Baumann, Ph.D. and Robert Taylor and Stefan J Banach, both Colonels at the School of Advanced Military Studies. I spoke with Colonel Banach, Director of SAMS, who defended this thesis based on free speech grounds. From my conversation with the colonel, I obtained the distinct impression he was in agreement with its contents.”
McTernan also said that Banach refused to tell him how this report was used and who it was sent to within the military. He also said that everyone seemed to sense an urgency for military planners and strategists to know what was in this report.
With few exceptions, it is obvious that Stuckert has done his homework and knows what millennialists believe, although he is certainly in error when he says that DM’s teach two different salvation plans for Christians and Jews, which is ridiculous. We have never veered from those words of the Lord Jesus “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” for Jews and Gentiles alike. But he is right on target with his lead off definitions of Dispensational Millennialism.
Dispensational Pre-Millennialism Defined
“Millennialism is a belief system that believes that the world is going to be purified through a dramatic sweeping change” Pg. iii.
DP is based on a battle between good and evil in the book of Revelation” Pg. 1.
“DP contends that in the very near future Jesus Christ will ‘rapture’ or remove his church from the Earth” Pg. 1.
“A period of intense tribulations and battles will follow culminating with a cataclysmic defeat of Satan. Jesus would then establish an earthly kingdom for 1,000 years – the millennium.” Pg. 2.
“A pre-mil theology sees Christ returning to conquer Satan and establish a 1000 year kingdom on earth. The world is getting progressively worse. Social events are interpreted through this viewpoint that is predisposed toward and anticipating God’s intervention in world events” Pg. 16.
Although this is a bare bones outline of the doctrine of DM it is accurate as far as it goes, and is certainly biblical if one takes a literal and futuristic view of the scriptures; the book of Revelation certainly does teach that Christ will triumph over Satan and evil. There are also many scriptures that teach the rapture of the true church such as 1 Thess. 4:13-18 and I Cor. 15:51-57. The principle scriptures that teach the return of Christ in triumph, the battle of Armageddon, victory over Satan and His thousand year reign on earth is found at Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-6.
However, for the most part, the rest of Major Stuckert’s diatribe is obviously laying the ground work for one of the most diabolical schemes for the persecution and elimination of a segment of God’s people on planet earth since Haman planned the systematic destruction of the Jews in the days of Esther under Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) of Persia around 500 BC. The story is told in the Bible throughout the book of Esther.
When one reads this report, there is only one conclusion that becomes crystal clear. Apocalyptic Christians who believe in the literal interpretation of scripture, the literal promises of God to Israel and the church, and who believe that the final solution to the problems of this world is the destruction of Gentile world rule by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords whose name is Jesus the Christ, who will appear in Glory with His Saints and Holy angels to destroy the armies of the world who have gathered to destroy the nation of Israel under the banner of the Anti-Christ at the “battle of Armageddon” and then judge the leaders of those nations in the Valley of Jezreel, and then set up his capitol in Jerusalem and rule the nations with a rod of iron, should be purged from all leadership positions in the military.
At this point we should heed the admonition of Chuck Baldwin in his excellent article on this SAMS report in the April 17 Freedom’s Phoenix “We Christians need to recognize that, as far as the Stuckerts of this world are concerned, because we believe the Bible and we believe in the literal return of Christ, we are considered an enemy … there is a growing sense among many governmental and military leaders in America that Bible-believing Christians are an enemy that must be marginalized, warned about, watched, and even controlled. And it does not matter … to these Machiavellians whether one is a post-millennialist or a pre-millennialist. If we believe the Bible and believe that Jesus is coming again, they consider us ‘dangerous.’ And we Christians better wake up to this stark reality, stop fighting each other, and focus on working together to preserve our liberties!”
Obviously when you see the anti-Christian tide turning against believers in the principles of the lowly Nazarene all over the world and especially right here in so called “Christian” America I shudder to think what my grand-children will face in the future.
Why Millennialism Matters
John McTernan continues with his outstanding insights on this report on his website at www.proclaimdefendthefaith.org
“The impact of American millennial religious ideas on U.S. Government policy will add to strategic hubris, compel increasingly reckless international action, and continue to over-commit the military in ways the Nation cannot afford. Military leaders, planners and strategists require greater awareness and understanding of American millennial thought. Millennialism has always been a feature of the American culture and has shaped not only the objectives of U.S. government policy, but also the way in which we interpret the words and actions of other actors on the international stage” Page 1, paragraph 1.
Major Stuckert continues to frame how dangerous pre-millennial thinking is for the military. He actually makes the statement that enemies could use millennialism to demoralize or terrorize the American people:
Effect of Dispensational Millennialism on Military Leaders Pg. 2
Military leaders cannot remain ignorant of the effects of DP.
These factors can be a problem for any leader to achieve US policy objectives…
First - Our adversaries may analyze Millennial thought and it may afford policy advantages in their decision making.
Second – Understanding American Millennial thinking may afford an advantage to our adversaries with the means to manipulate American policy and subsequent action.
Third – The enemy may exploit American Millennialism to disrupt fragile coalitions.
Fourth – Adversaries may exploit American Millennialism to demoralize or terrorize joint forces and the American people.
“By recognizing these potential vulnerabilities military leaders may take action now to mitigate the effects.”
Analysis by John McTernan
“Based on the fourth point, this report must have been rushed to the military leaders in the Pentagon because of the possibility the American army could be demoralized! Notice action must be taken NOW to mitigate the effects of millennialism! This is directly threatening to me and all believers. It appears the major is attempting to pit the military against a substantial section of the American civilian population.
Major Stuckert then claims that millennial beliefs will lead America in a misguided foreign policy that will rely on the military as an instrument of power!”
“Where contemporary American millennialism is concerned, collective anxiety over things like apocalyptic war, an Anti-Christ alive and at work somewhere on the Earth and the need to secure our eternal destiny by our own hand will lead to a misguided foreign and security policy that increasingly relies upon employment of the military instrument of power.” Page 5 paragraph 2.”
All of the above quotes have painted a more dire picture of American millennialism steering America on a course to misuse the military for religious reasons! Since this report was approved by SAMS, how could it not have been forwarded for urgent action!
The report identifies the Bible as the source of pre-millennialism beliefs with the Southern and Independent Baptists along with the Pentecostals as the main adherents to this belief system. The report goes further to name some of the leaders:
“Secular considerations notwithstanding, the single most important factor in western apocalypticism are the Bible, specifically the books of Daniel and Revelation. In the Bible and subsequent philosophical interpretations, we can trace the source of our linear, teleological view of deterministic history.
Millennialism, and especially dispensational pre-millennialism, derives in large part from extraordinary literalism of even the most figurative passages of the Bible.” Page 6, paragraph 2,3
This influence is most pronounced within non-denominational, Southern and independent Baptist and Pentecostal churches. The phenomenon of pre-millennial ideas has successfully crossed denominational boundaries during the last three decades, owing much to the success of publishing, broadcasting and other media efforts designed to spread pre-millennialism.” Page 7 paragraph 7
“Prominent pre-millennialist writers such as Hal Lindsey, John Walvoord, Tim LaHaye, J. Dwight Pentecost, John Hagee and others assert that their philosophy about the return of Christ has always been the doctrine of the historical church.” Page 13-14.
After stating how dangerous millennial beliefs are, the Major then identifies the source of this belief. It is apparent that, according to the writer, a literal understanding of the Bible is dangerous to America. The Major also interjects what should be taken as literal or figurative in the Bible! It is really frightening to see the army target millions of Americans as being so dangerous and then identify the leaders. This is the practice of totalitarian regimes, but NOT the United States of America! Should the American citizens named be concerned? I think they should.”
This article will be continued.
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