Remember that statue of Baphomet? It's back baby, and this time it's headed to Arkansas. Some local Satanists are working tirelessly to ensure Americans uphold the Constitutional separation of church and state.
Recently, the Arkansas State Capitol building approved the placement of a Ten Commandments monument on the Capitol grounds – and naturally, athiests and Satanists protested the decision. Some local Satanists felt that if the Commandments were to be represented, the Capitol grounds should also represent other religions in the area, including Satanism. They held a rally and unveiled a statue of Baphomet that they want placed on the grounds.
A local reported caught the unveiling:
NOW: The Satanic Temple is rallying around their Baphomet statue at the Arkansas State Capitol. #arnews #arpx pic.twitter.com/AgO4CESKMq
— Marine Glisovic KATV (@KATVMarine) August 16, 2018
Side note: I want to party with this dude…
Local ABC affiliate KATV spoke to to one of the organizers:
“The event is intended to be an inclusive gathering where The Satanic Temple will be celebrating pluralism along with Christian and secular speakers. People of many faiths will come together at the Capitol to reject the Arkansas State Legislature's efforts to privilege one religion over others,” explains Lucien Greaves, spokesman and co-founder of the Satanic Temple.
Arkansas Sen, Jason Rapert posted a long statement in response to the protests calling the supposed Satanists "outsiders who clearly choose to travel around the nation uplifting the profane and proclaiming extremely unorthodox views." He said he respected their right to express their freedom of speech and argued that displaying the ten commandments was the will of the constituents who elected him senator. He argued that same electorate could not be convinced to erect the satanic statue.
The senator also called the ten commandments "an historical and moral foundation of law."
KATV "during reports 2017 legislative session, the Satanic Temple sent a letter to Arkansas legislators asking for lawmakers to sponsor a bill that would allow a Baphomet statue on Capitol grounds, but not one lawmaker responded."
Here is KATV's report on the proceedings. It's interesting that they don't really get across the Satan supporters' viewpoint of this being a free speech issue, and rather kind of showing the outrageousness of it all.
The satanists are currently taking the local government to federal court over the matter.
Correction: An earlier version of the story noted that it was The Church of Satan that was behind this. They have reached out to us to say they are not involved in this protest.
This has nothing to do with us or the religion of Satanism. It’s a political activist group trying to get headlines.
— The Church Of Satan (@ChurchofSatan) August 17, 2018
[Thanks for the tip, David D.]
