The Satanic Temple of Iowa was set to throw a “satanic holiday celebration” at the Iowa state Capitol building on Saturday – exactly one year after a statue depicting Baphomet (a pagan idol) was destroyed.
But Iowa officials courageously stepped in and cancelled the event.
The Satanic Temple’s members were going to “sing Satanic carols, and hold a Krampus costume contest and a Satanic ritual,” The Des Moines Register reports. Krampus “in central European popular legend, [is] a half-goat, half-demon monster that punishes misbehaving children at Christmastime.”
“Our goal was to promote tolerance and acceptance of diverse religious beliefs, with a theme of finding a light in the darkness and welcoming the darkest nights of the year with joy and camaraderie,” the Satanic Temple of Iowa said in a social media post.
“[But] our event at the Iowa State Capitol has been forcibly cancelled by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services. … We are no stranger to obstacles in advocating for religious pluralism and freedom of speech, and we will continue to fight for the rights of Satanic Temple members and our local community.”
In a statement to the Register, Adam Steen, the director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, said the event was cancelled because of concerns that children would see the display.
“After careful consideration of administrative rule and DAS policy, I determined the totality of the event request to include elements that are harmful to minors and therefore denied the request,” Steen said.
Likewise, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a statement:
In a separate event, the Minnesota Satanists (originally a part of the Satanic Temple) unfortunately erected a satanic display in the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul last week.
“HAIL RELIGIOUS PLURALITY!!! HAIL SATAN!!!” the group said on Facebook celebrating the display.
These events aren’t the first time the Satanic Temple – or related groups – have infamously tried to gain publicity and notoriety under the guise of “religious pluralism” and the “freedom of speech.”
The Satanic Temple nefariously tries to claim it’s a religious group using specific language – like the terms above – to cozy in beside those who value free speech and the free exercise of religion.
But don’t be fooled.
The Satanic Temple has no credibility when claiming it is just another religious group.
As we’ve previously written, the Satanic Temple doesn’t really even believe in Satan at all. It “views Satan as a mythical figure representing individual freedom.” The organization also sponsors School Satan Clubs, but admits it “does not attempt to convert children to any religious ideology. Instead, the Satanic Temple supports children to think for themselves.”
In this way, the Satanic Temple uses the guise of religion for its own disreputable purposes – and it shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it.
Indeed, neither the Temple – nor any of its displays – deserve any First Amendment protections traditionally given to religious groups. Because again, the Satanic Temple is not a religious group.
Andrew T. Walker, managing editor of WORLD Opinions and Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Public Theology at Southern Seminary, wrote an excellent piece on this topic after the Baphomet statue was beheaded last year.
When determining whether a “religion” deserves constitutional protections, Walker contends that seven questions should be asked:
Does the religion occupy a traditional understanding of what a religion is (e.g., is it theist?)?
Does the religion have a history and tradition behind it germane to our nation’s history and culture?
Is the religion widespread in its practice within the nation?
Would the reasonable observer understand the religious expression to advance some notion of civic and moral good?
Would the same reasonable observer judge the display to advance a prurient purpose? In other words, is there any redeeming value to the religious display, or is its presence merely to offend for the sake of offense?
Does America have a tradition of allowing sacrilegious displays in government buildings?
Is this a sincerely held belief?
Given Satanism would fail all the above questions (which we could call the “Walker Test”), he concludes,
Walker is exactly right. For too long, Christians have been willing to give satanic groups all the protections the First Amendment affords religious groups. This has been done with a well-intentioned concern to preserve religious freedom for all.
But Satanism – real or pretend – deserves no such protection. And Christians can say so without undermining religious liberty in the slightest.
We extend a hearty thank you to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Mr. Steen for using common sense and protecting children from harmful “celebrations” at the Iowa Capitol.
Let’s pray other lawmakers and legislators will be emboldened to act the next time the Satanic Temple tries a stunt like this.
Related articles and resources:
Spiritual Warfare: Winning the Battle
What the Bible Says About the Devil
How the Devil Undermines the Home
Why Teens Are Attracted to Wicca
SatanCon 2023 Attendees Shred Bible, Remind Us That We’re All in a Spiritual Battle
Photo from Getty Images.
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