https://www.patheos.com/blogs/infernal/2019/04/the-satanic-temple-is-now-a-registered-tax-exempt-church/


“In light of theocratic assaults upon the Separation of Church and State in the legislative effort to establish a codified place of privilege for one religious viewpoint, we feel that accepting religious tax exemption — rather than renouncing in protest — can help us to better assert our claims to equal access and exemption while laying to rest any suspicion that we don’t meet the qualifications of a true religious organization. Satanism is here to stay.”

–Lucien Greaves, co-founder The Satanic Temple

Proving Once Again how stupid people are regarding 'religion'.

for that, I thank the Satanic Temple!!

P.S.: Can I attend your meetings au natural? Is there a pot-luck after services? I'd like to bring some potato salad.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2019 04:27PM by GNPE.

By Satanic Temple, one could refer to the inverted pentagrams of Satanism and black magic adorning the Logan, SLC, and now the new Nauvoo temples. It's the same pentacle as is on the Satanic Bible and scrawled on the Night Stalker's hand whenever he'd walk into court and say, "Hail Satan!"

I was once taught that to be a religion, one has to believe in a god. And while Satan is "god of this world", Satanism doesn't really qualify as a religion. The real problem with legitimizing devil worship is that human sacrifice, necromancy, adrenochrome, and pedos -- all mainstays of Satanism -- can become more mainstream... like gradually roasting the proverbial frog.

It's almost time to head for the hills.

They don't do any of that...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Satanic_Temple

"In an interview with The New York Times, co-founder Malcolm Jarry stated that the idea of starting a Satanic faith-based organization was first conceived as one "that met all the Bush administration's criteria for receiving funds, but was repugnant to them". The idea was inspired by then–president George W. Bush's formation of White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, for which he thought something should be done to counter it.[6] The Satanic Temple was founded in 2013."

"The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense and justice, and be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will. Politically aware, Civic-minded Satanists and allies in The Satanic Temple have publicly opposed The Westboro Baptist Church, advocated on behalf of children in public school to abolish corporal punishment, applied for equal representation where religious monuments are placed on public property, provided religious exemption and legal protection against laws that unscientifically restrict women's reproductive autonomy, exposed fraudulent harmful pseudo-scientific practitioners and claims in mental health care, and applied to hold clubs along side other religious after school clubs in schools besieged by proselytizing organizations."

jamie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was once taught that to be a religion, one has
> to believe in a god. And while Satan is "god of
> this world", Satanism doesn't really qualify as a
> religion.

Whoever taught you that was wrong in every meaningful way.

There are many religions that lack belief in "a god" as tenets. I could compile a list, but there's no point.

And as to your assertions that satanism is dangerous, I respond as follows:

The followers of so-called gods are much, much, MUCH more dangerous than so-called satanists. Millions upon millions of people have been oppressed, abused, tortured and slaughtered throughout history because their version of god didn't match somebody else's.

Aloysius Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The followers of so-called gods are much, much,
> MUCH more dangerous than so-called satanists.
> Millions upon millions of people have been
> oppressed, abused, tortured and slaughtered
> throughout history because their version of god
> didn't match somebody else's.

You'll have to tell that to the tens of millions upon tens of millions oppressed, abused, tortured and slaughtered by Joseph Stalin, Chairman Mao, and Pol Pot, in the name of no religion. Being a pill of a murderous human being seems to be an equal opportunity regardless of one's belief or disbelief in God above.

Non sequitur. The people you reference were not satanists. Try again.

Aloysius Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Non sequitur. The people you reference were not
> satanists. Try again.

Sorry, not sorry. Nobody would ever be able to talk be into believing Satanists or Satanism are benevolent and philanthropic. As I mentioned in my initial post in this thread: Night Stalker. And he had friends before he died with his skin as green as the Incredible Hulk. It was recently discovered by DNA evidence that Richard Ramirez acted with a co-conspirator in the 1984 rape and murder of a girl, aged 9 years (Schram, Jamie. Mystery 'second suspect' tied to infamous Night Stalker serial Killer. New York Post, March 14, 2016.)

Consider also, Adolfo Constanzo and Sara Aldrete, leader and high priestess, respectively, of a cult dubbed "The Narcosatanists" by news media. In the late 1980s at Matamoros, Mexico, the cult perpetrated in the name of Satan a series of bizarre ritual murders of at least 16 victims, including the abduction and machete murder of Mark Kilroy, an American student, aged 21 years. Fourteen of the cultists were charged with crimes ranging from murder and drug-running to obstruction of justice, with several sentenced to terms of over 60 years (see Greig, Charlotte. Evil Serial Killers: In the Minds of Monsters. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2005, at pp. 88-90.)

More recently, in the tragic mass shooting at a community college, Chris Harper-Mercer killed nine students and professors. The deranged gunman "stated that he was commiting the shooting 'for Satan.'" (Deffenbacher, Chelsea. UCC shooter's 'manifesto' described a lonely life. Eugene, OR: The Register-Guard, Sept. 9, 2017.) During the tragedy, Harper-Mercer was "asking people to state their religion and shooting those who identified as Christians in the head." In his manifesto with three sixes scrawled across it, HarperMercer confessed to gladly serving Satan and his angels (Young, Susan, et al., 'I serve Darkness': Oregon Gunman Wrote About Obsession with Satan in Reported Manifesto, Says Source. People, October 2, 2015.)

"Two girls - ages 11 and 12 - took knives to a Polk County middle school Tuesday in a Satanic plot to kill their classmates, according to authorities." "Investigators searched the girls, who were found hiding in a bathroom during class time, and found several knives". "Detectives said the girls told them they were practicing Satanists and they had been planning an attack on other students for the past couple of days." "The girls said they wanted to kill at least 15 people... messages on the girls' cellphones stated that they wanted to leave body parts at the school entrance before killing themselves." "The girls face several charges, including conspiracy to commit murder." (Dahm, Daniel. Central Florida girls wanted to kill classmates in Satanic plot, police say. clickorlando.com, October 24, 2018 [retrieved Feb. 3, 2019].)

Fear them not, the Lord is with us.

jamie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sorry, not sorry. Nobody would ever be able to
> talk be into believing Satanists or Satanism are
> benevolent and philanthropic.

You are not worth talking to then. If your mind is made up, there's no point.

> Fear them not, the Lord is with us.

Then why are you so worried? How can you be so sure it's with you, and not them?

Aloysius Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Then why are you so worried? How can you be so
> sure it's with you, and not them?

I'm not at all worried about myself. The world will unfold as it should. And, IMO, there is an everlasting lake of fire prepared for those Satanists who'd gladly murderize your children like the Night Stalker and his buddy, and for those who support them. I've read the Good Book and know who wins.

My entire life experience has shown me that the Lord saying, “I will never leave you; never will I forsake you" is the Truth with a capital T. I've seen for decades, and in scores of examples, the transformations in Ex-Mormons for Jesus support group meetings when that Truth finally hits an ex. It is a valid a way to leave Mormonism as much as any other.

I also believe that one about, "if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end." All the stuff about sacrifices, dark magick, cut throats, and occultism in Mormondom the Tanners and Dr. Quinn wrote about is really not much different than the devil worship of Aleister Crowley, or Anton LaVey. But LaVey is reported on his dethbed to have cowered and puled like a baby for forgiveness from God. Gee, I wonder why.

I guess what I'm saying is that the Satanists who got the tax-exempt status and want to erect idols to the devil on public property are no more philanthropic than would be a Michael Corleone. Merely calling oneself a philanthropist, and actually working for the good of men, are two very different things.

Oh, wait. You're serious?

Let me laugh even harder...

helamonster Wrote:
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> Oh, wait. You're serious?
>
> Let me laugh even harder...

In 1985, my aunt was murdered by Satanists in an occult-style ritual. This was before the Night Stalker was captured, and she was murdered in an area he had committed murders. The only reason they ruled him out was because, until recently, Ramirez was thought to have acted alone. So, my antipathy for this lot is based on actual experience.

Speaking of that lake of fire IMHO, he who laffs last laffs best.

I'm sorry to hear about your Aunt, that sounds traumatic. I can understand why talk of Satanists would disturb you.

That being said, the Satanic Temple, which this thread is about, has nothing to do with murderous cults. There is a vast collection of christian religions, many of which have little if anything similar with each other, some even promote violence. Similarly, not all "Satanists" are the same.

The Satanic Temple really is an organization that primarily works to promote Separation of Church and State, which is a huge problem in the US right now. They would be appalled at what happened to your Aunt as they actively promote that people shouldn't harm others.

You mention children above, the Satanic Temple actively works to fight Child Abuse.

You are making assumptions based on a lack of information, and understandable biases that are potentially blocking you from seeing the truth.

Jamie

Do you have any references for:

"the devil worship of Aleister Crowley"

When I took a class in Ritual and Occult Magic in college he was never described as a Devil Worshiper or Satanist, and a quick look just now at wiki left me with the impression that he has been called those things, but it was not really what he was into.

Thanks

klsmd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jamie
>
> Do you have any references for:
>
> "the devil worship of Aleister Crowley"
>
> When I took a class in Ritual and Occult Magic in
> college he was never described as a Devil
> Worshiper or Satanist, and a quick look just now
> at wiki left me with the impression that he has
> been called those things, but it was not really
> what he was into.
>
> Thanks

Crowley was... He openly dubbed himself the Beast (as spoken of in Revelation), tried to father the antichrist (Moonchild) etc. Thelema is very much Satanism (or at least Luciferianism) but dressed up in an esoteric garb.

It wasn't in the name of no religion. They may not have had belief in gods, but they had other isms to kill for (such as nationalism, idealism, communism, etc.).

"I kill you in the name of no god" probably wasn't what motivated them.

Religion or no religion does not stop people from killing. If someone is passionate about something they can find a way to justify it with all kind of isms.

If religious people are are motivated by someone who knows how to cherry pick from their holy books and convince the people they are doing God's will, they might feel justified using their religion as the ism.

If non religious people have a strong leader they are just as susceptible to being manipulated for a cause. However, they don't need "no god" as the justification.

I think it would be most accurate to say, "I kill you in the name of having no religion at all."

The first rule of Satanism, Luciferianism, whatevs you want to call it, is "silence is golden." So, we may never really know how many communist dictators consulted whatever occult oracles spilling revelations one letter at a time, like their Ouija board or the peeper stone.

I will def. agree with you on the isms part. All isms are belief systems, including the growing popularity of atheism, viz. the belief in no God.

Don't forget a-leprechaun-ism. "I kill you in the name of no leprechauns!" makes just as much sense.

Hahahahahaha!!!


HH =)

dagny Wrote:
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> Don't forget a-leprechaun-ism. "I kill you in the
> name of no leprechauns!" makes just as much sense.

I might stand corrected if there wasn't a series of 7 silly movies all about killing in the name of having no leprechauns.

Look out for those people who might kill in the name of no killer tomatoes too.

Better run when the no Godzilla people come around.

IDK where/when the tax-exempt status of 'churches' / religion began, but probably in Europe, perhaps with the Catholic church-religion.


Too bad it got started in America, a good place to end it would be requiring churches to pay property taxes to local gov't, but that's very unlikely to happen.


Even more unlikely is for churches income / revenue to be taxed OR to discontinue the write-off to donors/contributors.


How many know that church leaders 'pastors' who don't reside on church property are (were at one time) legally entitled to a reduction of their taxes? This goes back to the day(s) when ministers/pastors lived in church-provided, on-site housing. this is referred to as the 'parsonage allowance'.

I love the Church of Satan. What a great voice to thwart the evangelicals. You want special privileges... we want the same privileges... the ewww factor from these religulious nutters when the Satanist put up their statues and drag states to court over abortion and everything thing in between is nothing short of awe inspiring. Right now they are the best check against keeping church and state separated!

Amen!

Jesus this thread is awesome.

These guys are to Satanism what televangelists are to Christianity. They're a big money making scheme, first and foremost, American-style, with very little philosophical grounding. They mainly exist to troll Christians and are arguably not real Satanists. But then again that religion has a history of lying for the (dark) Lord. They're pop Satanism, the McDonalds of occultism (not even occultism since they're not hidden)

Genuine Satanists are out there however, but they tend to keep their existence quiet. They can be divided into Satanists proper and Luciferians. The latter take a more positive view of humanity, the former see other people in contempt. However, like most things which involve idolizing a dark principle or are mainly in opposition to something, they end up in very dark places. There are still Satanists who abuse animals and even children - that's no myth I'm afraid, anymore than RC priests... They're just a lot cleverer at hiding their tracks.

ABOUT TST
The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense and justice, and be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will. Politically aware, Civic-minded Satanists and allies in The Satanic Temple have publicly opposed The Westboro Baptist Church, advocated on behalf of children in public school to abolish corporal punishment, applied for equal representation where religious monuments are placed on public property, provided religious exemption and legal protection against laws that unscientifically restrict women's reproductive autonomy, exposed fraudulent harmful pseudo-scientific practitioners and claims in mental health care, and applied to hold clubs along side other religious after school clubs in schools besieged by proselytizing organizations.

The TST isn't a fringe group anymore. Strong advocates in the separation of church and state.Seven Tenents of the Faith is morally superior to the Ten Commandments.

THERE ARE SEVEN FUNDAMENTAL TENETS.
One should strive to act with compassion and empathy towards all creatures in accordance with reason.

The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.

One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.

The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend.

To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one's own.

Beliefs should conform to our best scientific understanding of the world. We should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit our beliefs.

People are fallible. If we make a mistake, we should do our best to rectify it and remediate any harm that may have been caused.

Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought.

The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.

They encourage free thinking and are strongly against anti-LBGQT, anti-semitism, anti-Muslim. From a logical stand point they are morally superior to the Mormons. Their literature is well thought out and based on reason. They don't kill babies and eat them. They don't believe in black magic or Satan. Main objective is to keep church and state separated. When Christianity is trying to promote their religion on public spaces and schools they are their to counter it. Hence the reason Satan is their mascot. (You couldn't counter the religulous if your mascot is the flying spaghetti monster... not threatening enough.)

The irony with this group is they would of remained on the fringes if the evangelicals wouldn't have given them a voice in the first place. They are steadily growing as an organization.
They won't be building churches or temples as they are trying to avoid the herd mentality... prefer meeting in coffee houses and public spaces. Membership is free... don't require tithes... their only requirement for membership is that you are involved twice a year in one of their projects. (Your allowed to spend time with your family)
Evil? Depends on which side of the fence your standing on. The MorgCo is a hundred times more evil and damaging than this group will ever be.

"Membership is free."

They're getting money from somewhere. Those buildings and fancy statues don't come cheap.

One day I'll check out this place.

Just like any organization people donate money to them... unlike the Morg your donations or lack of donations isn't a mark against you or for you...