Conservatives Condemn Iowa Republicans for Allowing Satanic Altar in State Capitol

Iowa Republicans, including Governor Kim Reynolds, came under fire from conservatives this week after a Satanic altar was erected in the Iowa State Capitol.

The Satanic Temple of Iowa unveiled its “beautiful holiday display” – complete with goat head and candles – in the state Capitol last week, where it will reportedly remain for 14 days as a symbol of “religious freedom,” according to KCCI 8 Des Moines.

Reynolds received backlash from conservatives on social media for refusing to use her power as governor to remove the altar, while state Republican officials also came under fire for attempting to justify its inclusion in the Capitol.

https://twitter.com/ChuckCallesto/status/1734365320691773753

“As many of you have become aware, last week a display was erected at the Iowa Capitol by the Satanic Temple of Iowa. As I have responded to concerns from Iowans about the display, I wanted to share with you how the display came to be and my response,” wrote Iowa State Rep. Jon Dunwell (R) in a statement which was panned by conservatives.

Dunwell explained that “access for displays at the Capitol are open to anyone through an application process” and that “they do not discriminate on the basis of religion or ideology.”

He also revealed that the Satanic Temple’s altar was “approved with some modification” after the group applied in August.

“They wanted to use an actual goat head (I’m assuming a skull) and we’re [sic] prohibited from doing so,” Dunwell said.

Dunwell wrote that while the display “stands in direct opposition” to his faith as a Christian, “and would be classified as evil,” he did not “want the state evaluating and making determinations about religions” as it would be an infringement on the First Amendment.

He assured Iowans, “The display is an inanimate object that has no real power in and of itself. We have nothing to fear,” and claimed that “the primary response required is prayer.”

The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles responded, “Are you first a Christian or a liberal?” while former Trump administration official William Wolfe called Dunwell “uninformed” and argued he was wrong from both a religious perspective and First Amendment perspective.

https://twitter.com/William_E_Wolfe/status/1733524346889555997

Daily Caller editor Grayson Quay told Dunwell, “You could type all this. Or you could simply embrace the Boniface Option and smash this abomination to smithereens” – a sentiment echoed Babylon Bee managing editor Joel Berry, who tweeted, “Grab your sledgehammers boys, we’re going to Iowa.”

https://twitter.com/hemingquay/status/1734238754112774544

Iowa State Rep. Brad Sherman (R) took a different view to Dunwell on the Satanic Temple’s “disgusting display” and called on Governor Reynolds “to have this blasphemous display removed immediately.”

“I am calling for our governor to have this blasphemous display removed immediately based on the grounds that it is unconstitutional and offends God upon whom the State of Iowa depends for blessings,” declared Sherman, who also called for the prohibition of “satanic displays in our Capitol building and on all state owned property” and for the display of the Ten Commandments “in all buildings owned by the state.”