Peter Manseau, the Lilly Endowment Curator of American Religious History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, is collecting tweets documenting the use of religious rhetoric at the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Read them or share your own at #capitolsiegereligion. Here is a taste:
We need a digital archive of the religious rhetoric accompanying and encouraging this riot. Might be helpful to start using a tag like #capitolsiegereligion https://t.co/l4QetQpFlJ
— Peter Manseau (@plmanseau) January 10, 2021
Why this matters: The Capitol attack will be taught in high school history classes, shaping the way generations understand last week’s events. Unless the religious dimension is documented & shown to be essential to making sense of January 6, it will almost certainly be forgotten. https://t.co/jrAkD6OzX8
— Peter Manseau (@plmanseau) January 12, 2021
See “Pelosi is Satan” sign on the SUV. pic.twitter.com/vuXc0nowSY
— Rob Major (@RobMajor4) January 10, 2021
I didn't even know there was a Jesus Fish Flag, but there it is right below the shattered glass of the US Capitol. #CapitolSiegeReligion pic.twitter.com/0WD9YDpidD
— Peter Manseau (@plmanseau) January 12, 2021
.@drmoore of the Southern Baptist Convention issued a powerful critique of the Christian nationalism on display at last week’s insurrection. The whole statement is worth reading as a religious response to #CapitolSiegeReligion . https://t.co/tDHO9PdUl5 pic.twitter.com/aEel46twlm
— Marie Griffith (@RMarieGriffith) January 12, 2021
“Jesus is my savior. Trump is my president.”#CapitolSiegeReligion
— Peter Manseau (@plmanseau) January 12, 2021
(Selcuk Acar/NurPhoto, Getty Images & NYT) pic.twitter.com/Cm0kzlaBWm
Before MAGA insurrectionists stormed the Capitol, some among Trump's faithful there engaged in an impromptu praise & worship session.
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) January 11, 2021
Note the woman with the Trump cape billowing behind her as she lifts her arms to heaven, singing to Jesus (I think). #capitolsiegereligion pic.twitter.com/ATkjhNKb5s
#capitolsiegereligion
— Sarah Posner (@sarahposner) January 10, 2021
From https://t.co/iWQGZQeCkl pic.twitter.com/aOodr6Lxl2
"The records list a few identifying tattoos, including one that reads 'God, wings, cross.'" #capitolsiegereligion @plmanseau
— Sarah Posner (@sarahposner) January 10, 2021
Notable Arrests After the Riot at the Capitol https://t.co/1ha1ccyDiw
“I’ve never seen someone fight so hard, so strong against everything, here and abroad, just to provide and protect our basic values to keep our nation free and our people able to go to church.” #CapitolSiegeReligion https://t.co/AIYB7nbsRu
— Peter Manseau (@plmanseau) January 11, 2021
The Christian Flag #capitolsiegereligion https://t.co/eknpu0RjOO
— Peter Manseau (@plmanseau) January 11, 2021
Punisher patch on Trump rioter: “God will judge our enemies. We’ll arrange the meeting.”
— Peter Manseau (@plmanseau) January 11, 2021
But tell us, sir, why have you come to the US Capitol today? #CapitolSiegeReligion
“We were actually affecting the quantum realm,” says the guy who stormed the Senate chamber wearing what turns out to be a coyote fur and who believes in many, many conspiracy theories: https://t.co/gT7TLz8zyS pic.twitter.com/Jr0hkwVUxB
— Mike Madden (@MikeMadden) January 10, 2021
