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Iowa governor calls satanic display inside Capitol building 'absolutely objectionable'

Iowa governor calls satanic display inside Capitol building 'absolutely objectionable'
RIGHT NOW. GOOD EVENING. IF YOU ARE VISITING THE IOWA STATEHOUSE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, YOU WILL SEE THIS IN THE ROTUNDA. IT’S A HOLIDAY DISPLAY PUT UP BY THE SATANIC TEMPLE. KCCI BEAU BOWMAN WENT TO THE STATEHOUSE TODAY TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT IT. THE SUPPORTERS OF THIS GROUP SAY IF THERE COULD BE A CHRISTMAS TREE HERE IN THE CAPITOL, THEN THEY CAN DISPLAY THIS PUT ON BY THE IOWA SATANIC TEMPLE. WE’RE GOING TO REALLY BE RELISH THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE REPRESENT IT IN A PUBLIC FORUM. WE DON’T HAVE A CHURCH ON EVERY STREET CORNER. LUCIAN GREAVES, CO-FOUNDER OF THE SATANIC TEMPLE, SAYS THIS SATANIC DISPLAY IS A SYMBOL FOR THEIR RIGHT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. HE SAYS IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, DON’T LOOK AT IT. MY FEELING IS, IS THAT IF PEOPLE DON’T LIKE OUR DISPLAYS IN PUBLIC FORUMS, THEY DON’T HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH THEM. THEY DON’T HAVE TO VIEW THEM. IT’S A VERY DARK, EVIL FORCE. CASS AND I TRULY HOPE PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO BATTLE THAT. SHELLEY FLOCKHART FROM DALLAS CENTER SAYS SHE WAS SHOCKED TO SEE IT AT THE CAPITOL. OKAY, COME ON IN. FLOCKHART ORGANIZED A PRAYER GROUP ON WEDNESDAY AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROTUNDA TO OPPOSE THE SATANIC DISPLAY NEAR THE STAIRWELL. SHE CALLS IT DARK AND EVIL AND SAYS CHRISTIANS SHOULD SPIRITS REALLY FIGHT AGAINST IT? ONE, I HOPE PEOPLE REALIZE SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS REAL, THAT THERE ARE EVIL, SATANIC FORCES THAT ARE TRYING TO INFILTRATE OUR STATE. I’M TOLD THE ALTAR HERE WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE STATEHOUSE FOR 14 DAYS AT THE STATEHOUSE. BEAU BOWMAN KCCI EIGHT NEWS. IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. BY THE WAY, THE SATANIC TEMPLE SAYS IT IS A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED NONTHEISTIC GROUP THAT USES SATANIC SYMBOLS AS A WAY TO CONVEY ITS MESSAGE. THE TEMPLE’S WEBSITE SAYS ITS WORK INCLUDES PUBLICLY CONFRONTING HATE GROUPS AND LOBBYING FOR ABORTION RIGHTS. IT SAYS IT DOES NOT BELIEVE IN TH
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Iowa governor calls satanic display inside Capitol building 'absolutely objectionable'
If you are visiting the Iowa Statehouse you might see a holiday display set up by the Satanic Temple. It features a ram's head covered with mirrors on a mannequin cloaked in red clothing. Lucien Greaves, co-founder of the Satanic Temple, says this satanic display is a symbol of their right to religious freedom."We're going to really relish the opportunity to be represented in a public forum. We don't have a church on every street corner," Greaves said.Greaves says if you don't like it, don't look at it."My feeling is if people don't like our display in public forums, they don't have to engage with them. They don't have to view them," Greaves said.Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds released this statement about the display on Tuesday: "Like many Iowans, I find the Satanic Temple’s display in the Capitol absolutely objectionable. In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the nativity scene that will be on display – the true reason for the season."WATCH: Iowa governor calls satanic display inside Capitol building 'absolutely objectionable'Shellie Flockhart from Dallas Center says she was shocked to see at the capitol."It's a very dark, evil force, and I truly hope people know how to battle that," Flockhart said.Flockhart organized a prayer group on Wednesday around the Christmas tree in the center of the rotunda to oppose the satanic display near the stairwell.She calls it dark and evil and says Christians should spiritually fight against it."I hope that people realize spiritual warfare is real. That there are evil satanic forces that are trying to infiltrate our state," she said.The Satanic Temple says the display will be up through Friday, Dec. 15.The Satanic Temple says it is a federally recognized non-theistic group, that uses satanic symbols as a way to convey its message. Their website says the group does not worship Satan or believe in the existence of Satan.

If you are visiting the Iowa Statehouse you might see a holiday display set up by the Satanic Temple.

It features a ram's head covered with mirrors on a mannequin cloaked in red clothing.

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Lucien Greaves, co-founder of the Satanic Temple, says this satanic display is a symbol of their right to religious freedom.

"We're going to really relish the opportunity to be represented in a public forum. We don't have a church on every street corner," Greaves said.

Greaves says if you don't like it, don't look at it.

"My feeling is if people don't like our display in public forums, they don't have to engage with them. They don't have to view them," Greaves said.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds released this statement about the display on Tuesday: "Like many Iowans, I find the Satanic Temple’s display in the Capitol absolutely objectionable. In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the nativity scene that will be on display – the true reason for the season."

WATCH: Iowa governor calls satanic display inside Capitol building 'absolutely objectionable'

Shellie Flockhart from Dallas Center says she was shocked to see at the capitol.

"It's a very dark, evil force, and I truly hope people know how to battle that," Flockhart said.

Flockhart organized a prayer group on Wednesday around the Christmas tree in the center of the rotunda to oppose the satanic display near the stairwell.

She calls it dark and evil and says Christians should spiritually fight against it.

"I hope that people realize spiritual warfare is real. That there are evil satanic forces that are trying to infiltrate our state," she said.

The Satanic Temple says the display will be up through Friday, Dec. 15.

The Satanic Temple says it is a federally recognized non-theistic group, that uses satanic symbols as a way to convey its message. Their website says the group does not worship Satan or believe in the existence of Satan.