Minister wants soldiers to fight for Christianity. Veterans warn against 'religious bullets'

Christianity should be considered as part of the rearmament of the Danish defense.

This is the view of church minister Morten Dahlin (V), who earlier this week in an interview with Berlingske (https://www.berlingske.dk/debatinterview/v-ministeren-morten-dahlin-danske-soldater-skal-kaempe-for?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AerBZYNq-MdNYkze3Ae_HKz7p_abNE1BqE89o_SkC1lU6iVNpLC3a01-MldpVIUePdY%3D&gaa_ts=681db923&gaa_sig=f8InxWJhSdr-t4R9ua59mSH5uD3aRN407LOqWjgCcNvPRMM6AtYEiCGF2HmcrhF5KZ9eza7gnSq7Ol7pncbeuw%3D%3D) stated, which later caused a lot of debate: that Danish soldiers should fight for Christianity when they are sent to war for Denmark.

The logic behind this viewpoint is, according to the Left-minister, that Danish soldiers are sent to war to fight for Danish values, and that they - according to him - are inseparable from Christianity's historical influence.

- One is not a better soldier because one knows the Bible. But one cannot separate the story of Denmark and our values from the fact that they originate from a Christian value system, says Morten Dahlin in P1 Debate (https://www.dr.dk/lyd/p1/p1-debat/p1-debat-2025/i-krig-for-kristendommen-11162501194).

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> It is important when we are deployed that we appear neutral

> Tom Block, chairman of the soldiers' union

His statements can evoke images of medieval crusades and religious wars, he is confronted with in the radio studio. But it is "in no way," what Morten Dahlin means should happen, he emphasizes.

Nevertheless, Danish veterans and several politicians think it would be a bad idea if Danish soldiers were sent to war with an explicitly stated goal of fighting for Christian values.

- Soldiers would risk becoming a religious target, says Andreas Boas, who among other things has been sent to the Iraq war, in P1 Debate.

Here seen Andreas Boas (to the right) in 2003 in the city of Mahdina in Iraq, where he was sent. (Archive photo). (Photo: © Jens Nørgaard Larsen/Ritzau Scanpix)

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'It can be dangerous to be a soldier'

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Andreas Boas describes himself as Christian and comes from a family where people have been priests for generations. When he was sent to the Iraq war, he and the others were advised not to separate from their religious beliefs.

- It can be dangerous when one comes to an area that one does not know, he says.

Even Andreas Boas insisted on wearing a cross around his neck during his time in Iraq, "so others would not decide for me," he says.

Even though he agrees with Morten Dahlin that some Danish values correspond with Christian, he does not think it would be smart if Danish soldiers officially fought for Christianity when they are sent to war.

- If we begin to lay Christianity over the military in that way – and it is not what I hear church minister saying – but if we begin on that, it can become more dangerous to be a soldier, says Andreas Boas and adds:

- In the areas we move in, it can become a motivation for others to attack Danish soldiers if they know that we are banner-bearers for Christianity, says the veteran.

Tom Block, who is the chairman of the Hærens Konstabel and Korporal Union and was previously sent, has the same interpretation.

- We should not go to war on the basis of religion, for then we could end up in more conflicts. It is important when we are deployed that we appear neutral, he says.

The chairman of the soldiers' union believes that it is the democratic values, soldiers fight for, when they are sent to war.

- We fight for much more than religion. It's about how we want to arrange our society.

Andreas Boas worked for 12 years for the military police, where he was sent to both the Balkans and Iraq. In 2010 he left the military and got a civilian job, and later developed PTSD, which he has spoken openly about in the media several times . (Archive photo). (Photo: © Ida Marie Odgaard, Scanpix Denmark)

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'We have religious freedom in Denmark'

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The controversial statement has caused Morten Dahlins government allies to take a stand.

The Moderates' church spokesman, Henrik Rejnholt, says to Radio4 (https://radio4.dk/nyheder/moderaterne-dybt-uenige-med-v-minister-det-er-meget-forkert-OUaUMr6xanVHKy4v6nY6) that "one cannot demand that we should only have Christian soldiers in the military." He thinks the statement could sound like an attack on religious freedom in Denmark.

The Social Democrats' political spokesman, Christian Rabjerg Madsen, has also taken a sharp stance.

He thinks like Morten Dahlin, that Denmark is a Christian country. It is just not what Danish soldiers go to war for, but other values.

- We do not go to war for Christianity, but for peace, freedom and democracy. And we do so because we have religious freedom in Denmark, he says to Berlingske (https://www.berlingske.dk/debatinterview/socialdemokratisk-topfigur-modsiger-minister-fra-venstre-vi-gaar?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AerBZYNR0DLJO86oo06sIUz0UE3kD1aTvZz1X3wZdFox7w9BMRdtYmSo4tucB6USZ9w%3D&gaa_ts=681db936&gaa_sig=b6hBsDRTi1XMaWR7661wUADRYtYgw1yxlvqRey3pm9aIwiesJrVztQajOBYnwK_14SoGHUYtbftFPmhAGDrBtw%3D%3D).

Church minister himself sees his statement as not particularly noticeable or controversial.

- Our constitution is quite clear. We have religious freedom in Denmark, but we do not have religious equality. Christianity has a special status, says Morten Dahlin in P1 Debate and adds:

- I think one should fight for Denmark. And one cannot speak of Denmark without the value system our country is based on, and a large part of which originates from Christian values.

Here seen Christian Rabjerg Madsen (S) and church minister Morten Dahlin (V), who stands to the left on the photo, in 2023. (Archive photo). (Photo: © Søren Bidstrup, Ritzau Scanpix)

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Room for everyone in the Defense?

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Also other parties are opposed to minister's statement about war and Christianity. In the Red-Green Alliance, church and foreign affairs spokesperson Trine Pertou Mach is concerned about what it means for the recruitment to the military for the people in Denmark who do not identify as Christians.

- There is a large part of our population that is not represented, and who would have difficulty being conscripted. It creates completely unnecessary conflict lines, also in our own society, with such statements, she says.

In P1 Debate, the host Morten Dahlin asks if non-Christians will be excluded from the military?

- No, I have repeatedly emphasized, that one can be just as good a soldier, if one believes in something else, or if one does not believe in anything at all, says church minister.

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