Hours after footage of the US President Donald Trump standing near St. John's Chruch in Washington DC holding the Holy Bible, stirred a wave of attacks as it was perceived as "a photo opportunity," the Democrat Speaker of the House made a public appearance holding a copy of the Bible as well, but media reactions were different.
Holding a Bible, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi quoted from the book of Ecclesiastes saying it's 'a time to heal’ a divided nation. Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/8f7EFQDPxS pic.twitter.com/nV3WAzBzEO
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 2, 2020
Criticism followed Trump's appearance with a bible in his hand as it was considered a political stunt to entice his mainly-Christian religious fan base, while he was under heavy attacks for his decision to deploy military units to States where protests interrupted with riots erupted after George Floyd's death last May.
Comments critical of Trump's bible photo referred to his irregular attendance of service at St. John's Chruch, based on the Washington Post's earlier reports, arguing that he was mainly using the religious scripture to gain political support.
The only heresy here is the president’s use of military power to disperse peaceful protesters exercising their rights under a Constitution he doesn’t revere so he could use a bible he hasn’t read and a church he doesn’t attend as props for his photo op https://t.co/uz7UE6JrPO
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) June 7, 2020
Yet, Pelosi's appearance holding the bible and citing several of its verses didn't stir the same debate.
Wow, a Bible fight between two of our elected officials. Cool country we've got here. Can't address actual problems so we'll just see who can posture best with similar props.
— Eugene V. Muad'Debs ? (@LostInBerkeley) June 2, 2020
Hard to imagine people are beyond fed up with this.
During her few minutes' long just as religiously-charged appearance as that of Trump's, the Speaker of the House called on the US President to become a "healer in chief and not a fanner of the flame," especially as the country lives through unusual protests calling for an end to police brutality against African Americans.
Trump's response to the Black Lives Matter protests have prompted very mixed reactions, as he has been pushing for a strong military reaction "to restore peace" to states with protests.
Ok. Nice comeback. But we're seeing way too many bibles with our elected officials at the moment. Makes me uncomfortable, honestly. #separationofchurchandstate
— Scott Wilson (@RScottWilson) June 2, 2020
Many social media commentators expressed their discomfort with the increasing use of religion in US politics, especially that the country founded on religious freedoms is home to diverse religious groups who are not represented in "the bible fight."
Can our politicians please stop with the Bible prop party?
— nick cummings (@nickcummings3) June 2, 2020
Why on earth would she do this after Trump's absurd display yesterday? To show that she can open & read it? To show that Democrats are religious too?
— Greg Reish (@greish01) June 2, 2020
Can we just take religion completely out of politics (& political theater) like the founders and the Constitution ask us to do?
For almost two weeks now, several US major states and cities have witnessed almost daily protests, demanding justice for Americans of African origins and in rejection of what has been termed as police violence against black people; following the death of a black man after a white police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes resulting in his immediate death in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
