The New Zealand Defence Force spent 2025 training soldiers to take out a fictional Christian terrorist group — on a map of their own country.
None of NZ's 23 listed terrorist orgs are Christian.
They say no offence was intended.
Here's what the documents actually show 🧵
None of NZ's 23 listed terrorist orgs are Christian.
They say no offence was intended.
Here's what the documents actually show 🧵
The fictional force is called the Visayan People's Front — separatists seeking to found a Christian state.
As reported by @rod_lampard, their war game profile included weapons smuggling, attacks on security forces and Islamaphobia.
NZDF soldiers were to use lethal force against them.
As reported by @rod_lampard, their war game profile included weapons smuggling, attacks on security forces and Islamaphobia.
NZDF soldiers were to use lethal force against them.
Place names throughout the exercise scenario include Murchison, Nelson, St Arnaud and Rainbow Ski Field.
It wasn't a vague hypothetical set in a distant fictional land.
The map looks like their own homeland.
It wasn't a vague hypothetical set in a distant fictional land.
The map looks like their own homeland.
The NZDF used this scenario four times in 2025 alone.
A Junior NCO course. Exercise Urban Warrior. Exercise Cassino. Exercise Belesia Stability.
Each time, "Christian nationalists" were the opposing force soldiers trained to destroy.
A Junior NCO course. Exercise Urban Warrior. Exercise Cassino. Exercise Belesia Stability.
Each time, "Christian nationalists" were the opposing force soldiers trained to destroy.
The scenario was sourced from the US Army's Decisive Action Training Environment — an AI-based scenario-building tool adopted by New Zealand in 2021.
Australia and the United States have also used it.
The fictional Christian terrorist is a shared allied training asset.
Australia and the United States have also used it.
The fictional Christian terrorist is a shared allied training asset.
The VPF backstory describes Christians who "want to deport all Muslims and create a Christian nation."
They are additionally designated "quasi-socialists" — implying national socialism.
The Nazi caricature was deliberately crafted.
They are additionally designated "quasi-socialists" — implying national socialism.
The Nazi caricature was deliberately crafted.
Independent journalist @pennymarienz, who leaked the documents, noted the scenario "explicitly mirrors Maori-Christian history and present-day rural/urban political divides."
"The wargame script reads like a cut-and-paste of today's culture war."
"The wargame script reads like a cut-and-paste of today's culture war."
https://x.com/pennymarienz/status/2002505278781325603
The documents were sourced from United We Stand — a coalition of current and former NZDF, police, and emergency service personnel.
Their question deserves an answer:
"Why is the NZ Army training to destroy Christians with traditional values?"
Their question deserves an answer:
"Why is the NZ Army training to destroy Christians with traditional values?"
NZDF Chief of Staff Brigadier Grant Motley responded in a letter dated 5 February 2026.
He confirmed the scenario's use. He said no harm or offence was intended.
He did not explain why conservative Christians were chosen as the enemy.
He confirmed the scenario's use. He said no harm or offence was intended.
He did not explain why conservative Christians were chosen as the enemy.
New Zealand currently lists 23 designated terrorist entities.
None are Christian organisations.
The fictional threat in these war games has no basis in New Zealand's actual security landscape.
None are Christian organisations.
The fictional threat in these war games has no basis in New Zealand's actual security landscape.
Marie has documented the NZDF's parallel programs: Pride Pledge fees of $45,000 in 3 years, Rainbow Excellence Awards, compulsory LGBTQI+ sensitivity training.
The institution conditioning soldiers to fight Christians is the same one earning awards for rainbow inclusion.
The institution conditioning soldiers to fight Christians is the same one earning awards for rainbow inclusion.
Marie and her colleague Rachel Scott connect this directly to a publicly funded publication by Gender Minorities Aotearoa which labels citizens who reject gender ideology as "fascists" and "Nazis."
The language of the culture war is being built into institutional training.
The language of the culture war is being built into institutional training.
Scott puts it plainly: DEI is rooted in critical theory — a framework that reads society through power, oppression and identity.
Within that framework, traditional Christianity isn't a legitimate faith but a security threat to be managed.
Within that framework, traditional Christianity isn't a legitimate faith but a security threat to be managed.
Their open letter to coalition MPs frames the stakes clearly:
"The NZDF is grooming a mindset in which ordinary New Zealanders of certain beliefs can be mentally placed on the other side of the gun."
"The NZDF is grooming a mindset in which ordinary New Zealanders of certain beliefs can be mentally placed on the other side of the gun."
Marie and Scott have called for urgent parliamentary scrutiny of NZDF training content, its alignment with DEI and rainbow policies, and how "extremism" is being defined inside NZ's defence forces.
If you have a voice in New Zealand politics — use it. This warrants answers.
If you have a voice in New Zealand politics — use it. This warrants answers.
If you're sick of seeing Christians demonised as a threat to society, share the top post in this thread:
https://x.com/k_mahlburg/status/2023881896535769279
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