Civil War-Themed Propaganda Chapel Burns

This morning, I caught a headline in the local paper: "Fire guts Gettysburg Civil War chapel".  Which worried me.  After all, there are some historically significant churches associated with Civil War battlefields -- the Dunker Church at Antietam National Battlefield comes to mind.  I didn't remember one associated with Gettysburg, but the Civil War is not really my forte when it comes to military history. 

Then I read the article.  A "Civil-War themed wooden chapel" founded to "tell the story of Christianity during the Civil War."  
He runs a group called the United States Christian Commission, dedicated to preserving the history of the work of the Christian Commission during the conflict.  While at the same time pushing a blatant Christianist viewpoint (from the USCC website):

When the question was asked “What type of ministry took place during the Civil War where 600,000 lost their lives?”, the answers were few and far between. Most religion during the Civil War discussions focus on the faith of Stonewall Jackson, Robert E, Lee, Abraham Lincoln and the topic “Whose SIDE was God on?” But did God abandon the nation just eighty years after His hand was so prominent in its foundation? (my emphasis)

And the history, the modern history, of this chapel is rather interesting.  It was built on a lot vacated when a house burned down.  Then John Wega built this monstrosity

which ran into problems: "The Borough of Gettysburg ordered the USCC to vacate the chapel last month on reports the chapel was not built to code." (From The Record Herald)  The ATF is currently investigating the fire and the possibility of arson has not been ruled out.

Last month, the borough ordered chapel owners to stop using the building because officials said it did not comply with various construction codes.

Wega and lawyers representing his organization disagreed and have argued that churches have special constitutional protections, the Gettysburg Times reported. (from the Times Leader) (emphasis mine)

(I just love the 'We're a church so the rules don't apply to us' argument.)

And the Christian right has, of course, glommed on to this as an example of Christian Persecution^TM!  Everyday Christian  writes

. . . the City of Gettysburg had claimed the Civil War Chapel did not have appropriate occupancy permits, did not follow “international building” codes and should use contemporary design and modern materials, even though the Civil War Chapel is a historical reproduction. The City had also threatened criminal charges against Chaplain John Wega if he didn’t close the chapel.

The Liberty Institute located in Plano, Texas has stood beside Chaplain Wega in his fight to keep the historically-accurate chapel open. . . .

And (from The Record Herald article):

Capt. Thom Mitton, a delegate of the church, sadly reviewed the rubble of the chapel Friday while an ATF officer rolled the American flag from in front of the structure that did not get damaged in the fire.

Mitton was at his Maryland home when he learned the news of the fire.

“Devastation is a good word,” Mitton said. “How do you react to news of your church burning?”

Mitton said Wega is a man of fortitude and believes he will rebuild the non-denominational church.

“That was his church, that was his family’s church,” he said, shaking his head. “Those men (in the war) didn’t die here to be remembered as ghosts and spirits. They died to form a more perfect union under God.”

Notice the Dominionist reference to the 'perfect union under God.'

So this is not, was not, a Gettysburg Civil War chapel.  It was a crass attempt to rewrite the history of the United States of America, creating a Christian America, an America created by Christians, populated by Christians, and only for Christians (the right kind, obviously).  This chapel was created to make the argument that the Civil War was God's Crusade to save Christian America (from (I guess) the Christians in the South who thought that God was on their side).  And, looking at their website, it was an attempt to indoctrinate, proselytize, and brainwash visitors into accepting this set of lies.

I sympathize with those who's home and livelihood have been damaged by the fire.  I can also sympathize with my Wife's reaction to the photo of the chapel burning -- she blew on the photo, cheering it on.