The Satanic Temple — A Social Organization?

The Satanic Temple (TST) made a name for itself In 2021 by putting a display of Baphomet, a twisted creature with a goat head on a sub-human body, in the Illinois capitol building. As a Christmas decoration, it sat in swaddling clothes next to a creche of Jesus in the manger. This is not the first time TST has risen above the din of anti-Christian rhetoric in America.

Who is The Satanic Temple and what do they stand for?

Founded in 2013 their stated mission is to “Encourage Benevolence and Empathy, Reject Tyrannical Authority, Advocate Practical Common Sense, Oppose Injustice, and Undertake Noble Pursuits.”

Their altruistic goals include: to act with compassion, struggle for justice, freedom of respect, and, to inspire nobility in action and thought.

In addition, TST tries to make clear they are in no way affiliated with the “Church of Satan”. Rather than disavowing their satanic theology, TST merely states that, “the Church of Satan is irrelevant and inactive”.

What is more informative than their mission statement and goals can be seen in reviewing the remainder of their official website.

The agenda of their annual meeting — February 11–13 2022

Their first and “sold out” annual meeting, “ SatanCon “, provided a list of topics and events during the three-day conference. The titles of their breakout groups speak louder than their benign social verbiage which has been artfully designed for media consumption. Topics and breakout groups for SatanCon includes,

• “The history of Satan Across Cultures”,
• The “Impurity Ball”,
• “How to Bootstrap Your Own Satanic TV Network”,
• “Darwin vs. The Lord of Lies”,
• “Satanism and the BIPOC Community”,
• “Fight for Satanic Representation”,
• “After School Satan Club”,
• And my least favorite… “Raising Children in a Satanic Household”.

On The Satanic Temple’s official TV website, the movement announces their “Religious Abortion Ritual”.

Directly quoting the TV website, “On August 5, 2020, The Satanic Temple announced a religious abortion ritual, a ceremony rooted in our deeply-held beliefs. This ritual may be performed by our members as a way to fortify self-worth, instill confidence, and provide spiritual comfort. The performance of the Satanic abortion ritual is protected by religious liberty laws. It exempts Satanists from fulfilling any medically unnecessary and unscientific requirement, such as mandatory waiting periods or unwanted sonograms, that interferes with the practice of our ritual.”

If one chooses to go directly to The Satanic Temple’s official YouTube page, they have 57 videos posted with nearly 23k subscribers. Titles of some of those videos include:

• “Arbitrary Night — a Satanic Christmas Carol”
• “The Devil’s Dispatch”
• “Hark! The Fallen Angels Sing”
• “Satanic Temple talks school ‘Satan clubs’”
• “Hail Satan — Official Trailer”
• Shopping on The Satanic Temple website

If the mission of TST is to “encourage benevolence and empathy…. Undertake noble pursuits” one would expect the books offered in their “Shop” to reflect these goals.

TST only offers 5 books for sale. The titles are:

• “The Satanic Children’s Big Book of Activities”
• “The Devil’s Tome: A Book of Modern Satanic Ritual”
• “Speak of the Devil”
• “Compassionate Satanism: An Introduction to Modern Satanic Practice”
• “Devil’s Food. A Satanic Cookbook”

TST sells a small statue of Baphomet sitting on a throne with a young boy and girl looking up at it (goat head, semi-human body).

TST sells mugs, flags, posters, jewelry, candles, and clothing, all with satanic symbols and associated creatures.

Outside News Sources

If one tries to research The Satanic Temple, there is an explosion of articles available. Some from what might be called credible sources (mainstream media), and others from more fringe sources (on both sides of the issue). I have intentionally avoided almost all of them because of the difficulty in separating speculation vs. facts. However, below are three recent, credible news reports.

TST is currently in a legal dispute with the state of Arkansas and Texas, attempting to make abortion a part of their religious ordinances and, therefore, outside of any legal requirements for such things as pre-abortion counseling. Though speculation on my part, if and when courts restrict abortion, TST members may see a significant influx of members attempting to circumvent restrictions under the guise of a religious exemption.

A fourth grade teacher in Indiana established a TST branch in that state while continuing in the public school system.

An ‘ After School Satan Club’ for fifth graders, sponsored by TST, is operating in Illinois, claiming they are “not trying to convert children to Satanism”.

What is Really Going On ?

Just from a review of the material from TST’s website, there seems to be a disconnect between what they wish to project and what they truly are. In their attempted misdirection, there are those inside the organization that even suggest the organization doesn’t believe in Satan. They claim the objective is to offer alternatives to a Biblical Christian worldview which is filled with bigotry and hatred. It is up to each of us to make up our own minds if there is an underlying and larger objective to TST’s efforts.

Habituation

Perhaps the SatanCon breakout group titled “”Raising Children in a Satanic Household” was benign. Maybe the book “The Devil’s Tome: A Book of Modern Satanic Ritual” was about rituals showing love to our fellow man. Could the “Religious Abortion Ritual” just be a legal maneuver and nothing more? Are the “after-school Satan Clubs” and the display of the satanic goat creature next to Jesus in the manger, done just to press accommodation and religious freedom?

The term habituation can be defined as “the decline in responsiveness to a stimulus due to repeated exposure”. At the very least, The Satanic Temple’s objective is to get the country comfortable with the verbiage, dress, and practices of a satanic culture. At its worst, TST is nothing more than one of Satan’s emissaries.

The Bible is clear on all this.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 Cor. 11:13–15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

2 Tim. 4:3–5 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Matt 7:15–16 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.

Conclusion

I believe The Satanic Temple is exactly what a Biblical Christian would expect it to be. It is an arm of Satan trying to attract the lost, subvert the poor in spirit, and misdirect the Biblical Christian. By their own words and material, TST Is not what they try to hold themselves out to be. In the end, God will be the perfect judge of us all.

Psalms 75:7 but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.

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Jeff Hilles | BCWorldview.org

Originally published at BCWorldview.org