Religious Tweets During COVID-19: Qualitative Analysis of Articulation of Ideas of Netizens

Abstract

This study performs content analysis of the tweets on the hashtag Covidiots to comprehend the impact of religious issues and events on netizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current project intended to study and analyse ways people encountered religion on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic. The said tweets are collected using the consecutive day sampling method. The focus of the study is to highlight the articulation of ideas and responses offered to the coronavirus pandemic by religious leaders, groups, and individuals and the consequent reaction of the netizens to the conduct of these religious entities to the scourge of the pandemic. This research indicates that most Twitter users were critical of opinions and actions expressed by religious entities on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and discarded them. It also proves that organised religions appeared out of sync with the threats posed by the pandemic and failed to resonate with society’s evolving norms.