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. 

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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Welcome to Biblical Christian Worldview's Selective Article Podcasts. So let's get started. Is the Satanic Temple a Social Organization? The Satanic Temple or TST made a name for itself in 2021 by putting a display of Beometh, a twisted creature with a goat head on a subhuman body in the Illinois Capitol building. As a Christmas decoration, it sat in swabbling clothes next to a crush of Jesus in the manger. This is not the first time TST has risen above the din of anti-Christian rhetoric in America. So who is the Satanic Temple and what do they stand for? Founded in 2013, their stated mission is to quote, encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits, unquote. Their altruistic goals include to act with compassion, struggle for justice, freedom and respect, and to inspire nobility in action and thought. In addition, TST tries to make clear they are in no way affiliated with the quote Church of Satan, unquote. Rather than disavowing their satanic theology, TST merely states that, quote, the Church of Satan is irrelevant and inactive, unquote. So what's more informative than their mission statement and goals can be seen in reviewing the remainder of their official website. Beginning with the agenda of their annual meeting recent uh recently, February 11th through 13th of 2022, their first and sold-out annual meeting, which was called Satan Con, provided a list of topics and events during the three-day event. 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 Satan Con include 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, which is the LGBTQ 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 quote religious abortion ritual, unquote. Directly quoting from the TV website, on august fifth, twenty twenty, 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-knowledge, 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 interfere with the practice of our ritual, unquote. If one chooses to go directly to the Satanic Temple's official YouTube page, they have 57 videos posted with nearly 23,000 subscribers. The 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, the official trailer, and shopping on the Satanic Temple website. If the mission of TST is to quote encourage benevolence and empathy and undertake no noble pursuits, unquote, one would expect the books offered in their shop to reflect these goals. TST only offers five books for sale. Those titles are The Satanic Children's Big Book of Activities, The Devil's Tomb, a book of modern satanic ritual, Speak of the Devil, Compassionate Satanism, an introduction to modern satanic practice, and finally Devil's Food, a satanic cookbook. TST sells a small statue of Beomet sitting on a throne with a young boy and girl looking up at it. Again, goathead, semi-human body. TST sells mugs, flags, posters, jewelry, candles, and clothing, all with satanic symbols and associated creatures. So outside news sources. If one tries to research the Satanic Temple, there's an explosion of articles available, some from what might be called credible sources in the mainstream media, and others from more fringe sources on both sides of the issue. I've intentionally avoided almost all of these because of the difficulty in separating speculation from fact. However, below are three recent credible news reports. The first, 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 the courts restrict abortion, TST members may see a significant influx of members attempting to circumvent restrictions under the guise of a religious exemption. Second, a fourth grade teacher in Indiana established a TST branch in that state while continuing in the public school system as a teacher. Third, an afterschool Satan Club for fifth graders, sponsored by TST, is operating currently in Illinois, claiming that they are quote not trying to convert children to Satanism, unquote. 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 an 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. Perhaps the Satan con breakout group titled Raising Children in a Satanic Household was benign. Maybe the book, quote, The Devil's Tomb, a book of modern satanic rituals, unquote, was about rituals showing love to our fellow man. Could the religious abortion ritual be just 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 quote a decline in responsiveness to a stimulus due to repeated exposure, unquote. I would argue that at the very least the Satan 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 of this. 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. Second Corinthians eleven thirteen through fifteen. 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. Second Timothy four three through five. Endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. And finally, Matthew seven, fifteen and sixteen. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. I believe the Satanic Temple is exactly what a biblical Christian would expect it to be. It's 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 are holding themselves out to be. In the end, God will be the perfect judge of us all. Psalm 75 7. But it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. God bless you as you serve Him today. Today's podcast article was brought to you by BCworldview.org, providing honest reporting and analysis on the intersection of contemporary issues and theology based on a biblical Christian worldview. May God bless you as you continue to walk through this life with our Savior and Lord.