The Satanic Temple: Sitting on the Lap of a Demon

Greetings all, 

I have made my blog 18+ so I could repost this piece and just in case I ever wanted to talk about tantric sex, hell houses, or lingam yoni.  

Some of you may object to The Satanic Temple because as Westerners, we have been taught to fear Satan and even his name as a representation of transcendent evil. However, The Satanic Temple does not believe in transcendent good or evil. They only view Satan as an exemplar of personal authority and responsible hedonism. In lore Satan is against the ultimate authority, God. 

Some of you may object to The Satantic Temple because of their admittedly grotesque displays of art and some of their more lewd antics. I do understand this objection and it is a bit much for myself; however, the grotesqueness of the displays and other antics are virtually always in private areas. 

If you are squeamish I recommend turning back now as I will be describing some of the art on display 

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The international headquarters in Salem, MA is a smallish white house in the residential section of the typically sleepy Massachusetts town. The building has bars and cameras in multiple locations with a relatively non-descript sign saying "Salem Art Gallery". There was a sign that said they could refuse service to anyone. As you enter there is a gift shop featuring various books on Satanic topics.

One piece of art in this gallery was a twist on a Christian theme. 'Mermaid Christ' featured a half-Christ, half mermaid statue of Jesus on the cross with over-sized penis and balls. This particular piece I thought was distasteful; a Christian who saw this would have a right to get upset. It is inappropriate to appropriate other religious symbols for your art. 

There were other sculptures that were social commentary. One such piece featured a black woman with bare breasts with a KKK member on all fours and on a leash. 

Even others were of purely a Satanic nature, such as a smaller sculpture of Baphomet that featured breasts, as is traditional, with a large penis, and a vagina on this penis. This is not dissimilar to the lingam-yoni in Hinduism; though Baphomet has different origins. Another was a fetal Baphomet that had a detailed umbilical cord.

There were also articles and comics distributed throughout the exhibit. One was an article by Lucien Greaves that argued that though Satanists do not believe in a literal Satan, they are nonetheless religious. They have a community and they do have affirmative beliefs. 

A comic on the other wall pictured a young woman and a young man having a discussion. The young man is urging the Satanist woman to a party. She said that she had work to do. The young man complained that she was a Satanist and thus should be hedonistic. She responded that Satanists condone responsible hedonism, not irresponsible hedonism. The remainder of the comic shows the young man's life go into a tailspin, ending with him in front of a judge saying 'Satan made me do it.'

Some of the sculptures were a bit too grotesque for my personal taste, but if you are not squeamish about this kind of art you should pay it a visit. After the art gallery we went to see the main attraction, the nine foot tall Baphomet statue that was originally designed to be placed along side The 10 Commandment at the Oklahoma statue, until it was removed. 

As we were waiting to see the statue there was a family getting a portrait in front of Baphomet. There was a child probably around 1 year old with them. The woman taking the picture sweetly said: "Little baby Satanists are my favorite." When it was our turn we took turns sitting on the demon's lap.

As we were leaving the statue area, none other than Lucien Greaves the spokesperson for The Satanic Temple entered into the area. And we were asked if we wanted to have our picture taken with him. If I was quicker in my thinking I would have said Hell Yes!!! But alas. 

Me on the far right, Lucien Greaves in Center Right in front of Baphomet

After the picture we were able to have a relatively short conversation with Lucien. Most of this conversation was about his various antics including: his attempt to place the Baphomet statue alongside of The 10 Commandments monument or remove it from the Oklahoma Capitol Building, distributing coloring books in Florida where Christians were passing out the Bible, and the After School Satan programs to be put into place only in locations where there is already a Good News Club.

In each of these cases The Satanic Temple is helping to make sure that all religious groups have equal opportunity to participate in their chosen religious identity according to the 1st amendment.

I disagree with Lucien on how the Bible should be read. He said that he believes that groups like The Westboro Baptist Church are reading the Bible correctly when they say "God Hates Fags." There are many ancient ways to interpret the Bible that are not literal or legal. 

During this discussion, he said that he would be happy to take the blame for the next natural disaster, instead of the gays.

There were no protesters on the scene during my visit and Lucien said that there were very few local protesters; there was one conspiracy theorist and a woman who accused him of being a pedophile with absolutely no evidence. 

According to Lucien, The Satanic Temple is religious, despite no belief in the supernatural. Lucien said this doesn't typically matter in legal settings. But not viewing Satanism as religious would privilege supernatural belief systems over natural ones.

Bottom Line:

I do think The Satantic Temple is religious and I think it does good work to protect the first amendment. Some of the art on display was in bad taste, particularly 'Mermaid Christ'; however, I support their right to sponsor and put this type of art on display, according to the first Amendment. 

The Satanic Temple gives us an occasion to check our religious privilege and make sure that everyone is equal under the constitution.  

Pluralism and The Satanic Temple

I decided to post this on my blog. It was intended for print, thus the difference in format. I find The Satanic Temple to be fascinating and a great critic of certain interpretations of the 1st amendment. I am not a Satanist and they typically do not believe in a literal Satan. Before commenting please use your critical reading skills to pay attention to the motives and desires of The Satanic Temple.

Religious Pluralism and The Satanic Temple

The Satanic Temple (TST) is a politically motivated religious organization that opposes any policy that privileges any particular religion (a.k.a Christianity) over other religions. In America, TST has been so effective at settling freedom of religion disputes that Hermant Mehta, the Friendly Atheist, has called them the nuclear option in church/state separation cases. Also, after distributing their coloring books in Central Florida, David Williamson of the Central Florida Freethought Community, coined the phrase Lucien’s Law, named after the pseudonym of one of the co-founders of TST. It states: “governments will either (1) close open forums when The Satanic Temple asks to speak, or (2) censor The Satanic Temple, thereby opening itself to legal liability.” As long as all religions are denied an open forum, as in (1), TST is happy with the result. TST’s successes should result in more theological and social reflection about what successful pluralism entails, especially among Christians.

In 2014 TST commissioned a statue of Baphomet, an ambiguously gendered half human/half goat, who has served as a symbol of Satanism for decades. This statue was originally intended to be displayed at the Oklahoma State Capitol alongside a monument dedicated to the 10 Commandments. However, an Oklahoma State Supreme Court judge ordered the removal of the 10 Commandments monument, removing the need for TST to continue its suit. Meanwhile in Arkansas, Governor Asa Hutchinson signed a bill that would allow a privately funded 10 Commandments monument to be erected at the Arkansas State Capitol. In response, TST also petitioned the state of Arkansas to be allowed to place Baphomet there. There has been no final decision on when or where to place these monuments; thus, Baphomet’s temporary home is Detroit, MI, one of the strongest TST chapters.

In response to TST’s unveiling of this statue, Bart Barber writing for The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, argued that Christians should not try to win a monuments-and-statues race, every idol is a satanic monument, neither Jesus nor the apostles attempted to take down any of the statues dedicated to the Roman Gods, and that an angry response is TST’s intention[1]. This is not a good interpretation of their intentions. Their preferred response is not anger, but rather acceptance of minority religions, even those that are diametrically opposed to the majority. However, even this is better than Detroit minister David Bullock’s understanding.

Bullock, one of the most vocal opponents of the Detroit unveiling, stated: “…they [TST] now seek to pervert the notion of religious freedom by poisoning our city and culture in their attempt to elevate a demonic symbol.” This quote betrays a lack of understanding of TST’s pluralistic purpose. However, his misunderstanding is even more obvious when he claims that they were “kicked out of Boston, Oklahoma didn’t want them; they tried to put Satanic coloring books in Florida, that was shut down…[2]” With the exception of the attempt to hold a “Black Mass” in Boston, these cases were successful from TST’s perspective. Yes, they were blocked from putting a statue at Oklahoma’s State Capitol and were disallowed from handing out Satanic coloring books, but Christians were denied their monuments and literature as well. And appearing on “Let it Rip” with Jex Blackmore, the spokeswoman for TST, Bullock seems unable to comprehend the possibility of a religion without a supernatural God.

Bullock reacted with prejudice and did not attempt to correct this prejudice. He likely still would have opposed the unveiling; however, he did not attempt to understand before offering his critique/vilification. Also, the Detroit unveiling was always intended to be a private, not public event. Understanding Bullock’s reaction requires understanding his belief system. In his version of Christianity, demons are real and a statue dedicated to a demon would likely cause more demons or at least a satanic presence to be brought to his city. Bullock was thinking on a spiritual level and not about pluralism. And less devout Christians, Christians with less intense beliefs in the supernatural, and even some non-believers would likely have a similar “not in my backyard” response to the Baphomet statue. However, we should reflect on when religion should be allowed into the public sphere, because if a forum is open, your direct theological opponents may request access to the open forum.

People often have a deep seeded fear and respect for sacred things even if they do not believe in them. In 2000, Jonathan Haidt and Fredrik Björklund discovered even people who do not even believe in a soul are reluctant to sell it.[3] In the Harry Potter series, the prohibition against speaking Voldemort’s name is believable because virtually everyone has some idea what it is like to fear the name of evil. For much of the Western world that name is Satan. TST has chosen a title that most of people in the Western world fear.

And, at least in their choice of aesthetics, TST does little to dissuade from this initial impression. The TST held a ceremony at the Michigan State Capitol where they appeared with muted American flags and dressed in black gothic clothing while Blackmore, their spokeswoman, gave a speech that included a few repetitions of the phrase “Hail Satan.” On their website there is currently a parody of “Silent Night” called “Arbitrary Night,” complete with people dressed as goat men in honor of Baphomet. However, TST does not encourage belief in a literal Satan. Instead, Satan is a symbol of the Eternal Rebel opposed to arbitrary authority. Thus, they are choosing images and aesthetics that a predominately Christian nation would find disturbing. And this works well to close previously open forums that Christians had formerly dominated.

So how might we use these events brought about by the TST to reflect on pluralism more constructively? Not by dismissing them simply because they are Satanists. And not by calling them the enemy and fighting against their displays. A better theological and social response would be to reflect on their motivations and how, in a pluralistic world, religion should be conducted in the public sphere. Everyone should be ask the question: “If someone had the exact opposite religious beliefs as we do, how should we treat them when they enter the public sphere?”

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[1] https://erlc.com/article/4-ways-christians-can-respond-to-a-satanic-statue, accessed 1-25-2016

[2] Reported by Detroit’s 7 action news ABC on Jul 6, 2015.

[3] Haidt, J., Bjorklund, F., & Murphy, S. (2000). Moral dumbfounding: When intuition finds no reason. University of Virginia (Unpublished manuscript).

Spotlight on Witchcraft I: Review of The Power of the Witch by Laurie Cabot

In this series I take a look at Wicca or Witchcraft. As always I will start with a book summary/review, after that my future posts in this series will cover my recent experience in Salem for Samhain (pronounced so-wen, seriously exactly like that, so--wen). 



Laurie Cabot is the official witch of Salem, mother of two witches, and author of several books, including The Power of the Witch: The Earth, the Moon, and the Magical Path to Enlightenment, Celebrate the Earth: A Year of Holidays in the Pagan Tradition, and The Witch in Every Woman: Reawakening the Magical Nature of the Feminine to Heal, Protect, Create, and Inspire.


(Her titles are long, but at least she uses the oxford comma). 


First, what contemporary witchcraft isn't. It isn't Satan worship or Satanism (actually Satanism isn't usually Satan worship). Wicca isn't (usually) a group gothic women dancing naked under a full moon. 


They don't have black masses that invert the Catholic mass (that actually is Satanism, though typically these black masses are usually a 'symbolic revolt'). It isn't spinster or jealous women casting evil spells.


What witchcraft is, will be the subject of this post, at least as represented by Laurie Cabot in The Power of the Witch. 

Book Summary:

• Witchcraft or Wicca, is a craft, something that is done, not just something you believe.
• Witches create new rituals based on their principles and beliefs.
• Witchcraft is a science, with methods that are repeatable and consistent.
• Witchcraft includes the use of various objects for magic including, crystals, wands, and herbs.
• Some magic can be done without items, such as psychic diagnosis or finding parking spaces. 

Extended Summary and Analysis:

Practices:

Seriously finding parking spaces seems to be a recurring theme for Cabot. There are four separate stories about using magic to find parking in The Power of the Witch. 


But how does magic work? (Finding parking would be a useful spell for virtually any college student who drives to campus) 

Remember how I told you that magic is scientific? Well the first thing you need to do is get yourself into an alpha brain state, which is characterized by being awake and relaxed. This is "the scientific basis for magic" (pg. 182). 

Comparison of the different types of brain states.  Cabot believes that all magic must be done while in this brain state. So the first advice she gives for anyone practicing magic is to learn how to induce this state in yourself.  Cabot endorses two ways to get yourself into an alpha state. The first, crystal countdown, involves imagining various number and color combinations in the following sequence with your eyes closed: red 7, orange 6, yellow 5, green 4, blue 3, indigo 2, and violet 1. Then count down from 10 to 1 to deepen the alpha state.  Then you say to yourself "I am now in alpha, and everything I do will be accurate and correct, and this is so" (pg. 185).  Once you are experienced with the crystal countdown method, there is a faster way to go into alpha. Since you can't close your eyes while driving around looking for a parking lot, this quicker method is what you would use to find parking.  While in alpha you can perform you magic, including charging items in a magic circle, psychic diagnosis, or creating potions.  Beliefs: Generally witches recognize the Horned God and the Triple Goddess (Maiden, Mother, and Crone) as the main deities.  This is called a duotheistic theological system, because there are two Gods recognized equally.  The Horned God represents the male part of divinity and the Triple Goddess (Maiden, Mother, Crone) the female part. They can be called upon for protection for magic circles.  While Cabot admits that Wiccans can see examples of the relevant archetypes in many traditions, she herself takes the vast majority of her examples and stories from Celtic traditions.  Also, she claims that her style of magic (and presumably most contemporary Wiccans) originated with the ancient Celts. (Though she leaves open the possibility of other styles of magic) Wiccans celebrate holidays based on the Celtic calendar and think of time as a turning of the wheel.  The most recent turn was Samhain (Oct. 31), the Pagan New Year. It is the point in which the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest, thus it is the best time to communicate with your ancestors.  There are seven other sabbats: Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh (or Lammas), and Mabon. All are characterized by a changing of nature. Morality: The principle: An (if) it harm none, do what ye will. Is the key moral code of most Wiccans. This means that curses are usually forbidden and that any magic you do must be given thought as to not harm.  For instance, if you have someone that is somehow making your life miserable there are magical solutions. However, you must be careful. According to Cabot all spells should end with some version of 'that is correct and for the good of all,' (page 217).  Analysis: It was Gerald B. Gardner who "...claimed to have discovered a coven in England that had followed the Old Ways rather continuously..." (pg. 81).  Thus, witchcraft is at least partially a reconstruction. It was not the English coven who revived these (literally) pagan practices, but someone who was taught by them. Given that Wicca is a reconstruction and given that the description of witches in Medieval Europe is vastly different than the self-description of contemporary witches, her usual identification with them is questionable.  I am only aware of her addressing this topic once and it is embedded in commentary about the Salem Witch Trials. She says whether they were witches or not, we should adopt them as such because they died for our freedom (pgs. 78-79).   She is not quite as careful to make this distinction in other places however. Consider this passage: During the Burning Times 80 percent of the millions of people who were executed for practicing Witchcraft were women. Even today most practitioners of the Craft are women... (pg. 15). Nothing in this passage disavows the connection between those executed as witches during the Burning Times and contemporary witches. The comparison even seems to be encouraged. This missing link in the historical connection does not mean that contemporary Witchcraft is somehow inferior or inauthentic. It's just that I personally question whether or not it is as thoroughly connected to the past as they would sometimes like to claim.  Bottom Line: I sincerely believe that for the individuals who practice Wicca that these people are being authentic. That is they are 'true believers' or perhaps more accurately 'true practitioners' (in the sense that they believe that the magic they practice has true effects in the world).  And their beliefs and practices are not completely divorced from history, but rather that the links are thinner than in some other religions.  However, many religions often overemphasize their continuity with the past. For instance, Christianity in America used to be primarily Calvinist and the majority believed in predestination; now that is no longer the case. Yet no politician talking about America's Christian past will stress these theological differences. In short religious authenticity is not derived solely from history, but rather in the seriousness in which people practice their religion.  My next post will feature a description and commentary on a Samhain Sabbat in Salem, Mass.