Last year, The Satanic Temple tried to place a massive statute of Baphomet outside an Oklahoma state building in response to a Christian statue sporting the Ten Commandments that was already there. So if one religion can be represented, then why not all religions, they argued. Well last week, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that instead of the Satanic statue going up, the Christian monument must come down, according to the Washington Post.
Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves, or Doug Mesner, agrees with the decision.
“The entire point of our effort was to offer a monument that would complement and contrast the 10 Commandments, reaffirming that we live in a nation that respects plurality, a nation that refuses to allow a single viewpoint to co-opt the power and authority of government institutions,” Mesner said in an email. “Given the Court’s ruling, TST no longer has any interest in pursuing placement of the Baphomet monument on Oklahoma’s Capitol grounds.”
So now what? The statue will be unveiled in Michigan this month and then… it really has no use. Though according to Mesner, Arkansas is looking like a fairly appealing target.
As for where the statue might end up next, Mesner says that “Arkansas is looking rather appealing.” Earlier this year, the Arkansas legislature approved a privately-funded monument of the Ten Commandments for the state’s capitol grounds.
“There are plenty of areas in the United States crying out for a counter-balance to existing graven tributes to archaic Abrahamic barbarism,” Mesner added.
I love that this statue is just going to be a constant threat to states' inability to separate church and state. It's definitely one way to demand equality! Plus, you just know sooner or later this statue is going to find a home and people are gonna be pissed!
