Satanists are crowdfunding a statue of Lucifer to sit in front of the Oklahoma State Capitol

[IntegralDerivative]

 

 

A New York-based group calling itself the Satanic Temple has raised over $9,000 from online crowdfunding donors to erect a statue of their deity outside the Oklahoma State Capitol building, right beside an existing monument to the Christian Ten Commandments. The crowdfunding campaign launched on Indiegogo last month, but the proposed statue design was just submitted to an Oklahoma state panel this week. It would feature a 7-foot-tall horned figure (Baphomet, a deity long associated with the Satanic movement) sitting on a throne and preaching to two children. And more importantly, it's an interactive statue. As Satanic Temple spokesperson Lucian Greaves explained to The Raw Story: "The statue will also have a functional purpose as a chair where people of all ages may sit on the lap of Satan for inspiration and contemplation."

Despite these devilish details, the organization claims the project is not just an elaborate prank, and points out they don't actually worship Satan, just the idea of free expression. In that vein, the statue is meant to counterbalance the Ten Commandments statue that was constructed outside the Oklahoma Capitol building in 2012, following years of controversy and debate. Critics of that older monument say it marks a de facto endorsement of Christianity by the state government and therefore violates the US Constitution's "establishment clause" against a national religion.  "By accepting our offer, the good people of Oklahoma City will have the opportunity to show that they espouse the basic freedoms spelled out in the Constitution," the group's Indiegogo project site clarifies. For reference, the Satanic Temple also has a long history of these types of public demonstrations.

Of course, even if the group raises its target amount of $20,000 by December 17th, it's not clear that the Satanic Temple will ever be able to get the chance to build the statue. Oklahoma lawmakers are not exactly warm to the idea, rushing to enact a temporary banon new monuments outside the Capitol building late last month. "I think it is very offensive they would contemplate or even have this kind of conversation," one Oklahoma lawmaker told The Raw Story. The Satanic Temple, though, is unswayed: "The decision by Oklahoma to impose a moratorium on new requests for monuments at the state Capitol means little to us, and our course of action remains the same," Greaves wrote on the group's Indiegogo page, arguing that his group's submission still counts because it was filed before the ban.

 

 

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http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/6/5281634/satanists-are-crowdfunding-a-statue-of-lucifer-to-sit-in-front-of-the

 

woah dude

[Shaun N.]

Planning permission will be denied.

[firey]

I think instead of building the statue.. they should be raising the funds to destroy/demolish the 10 commandments one.

[Co-ords]

I think instead of building the statue.. they should be raising the funds to destroy/demolish the 10 commandments one.

 

NOT funny...

[firey]

NOT funny...

Was not meant to be.  So glad I achieved that?

[Cloud Constructors]

Sad world we live in.

[Torolol]

what about a statue of Invisible Pink Unicorn?

[Nick H. Supervisor]

They tried something similar in Florida (source) and it got shot down due to it being "grossly offensive." Something makes me think that this one will head in a similar direction, although I disagree with the reasoning.

EDIT: Link fixed. :pinch:

[firey]

They tried something similar in Florida (source) and it got shot down due to it being "grossly offensive." Something makes me think that this one will head in a similar direction, although I disagree with the reasoning.

I don't get it, I mean.. to some the 10 Commandments might be grossly offensive.  Why should one set of people be denied, but others allowed? I don't even let my kids do that.. they are all treated as fairly as possible. 

[Slugsie]

Basic principle of the Establishment Clause. You either allow all religious symbols, or you allow none. If you pick and choose then you are showing preference which is against the 1st Ammendment.

[Tomoko]

I think religious displays belong in front of churches, not government buildings.

[SkyyPunk Veteran]

I think religious displays belong in front of churches, not government buildings.

That sums it up nicely!

[Dick Montage]

Not actual satanists then!

[Richteralan]

Well, I hope Lucifer will have a kewl cape and 6 packs. O and don't forget the shades. I don't care about horns or tails.

[Alwaysonacoffebreak]

Sad world we live in.

 

So now it's sad but when billions of people believe in something as fictional it's okay right?

 

Oh and the best part is, those groups can put their statues almost where ever they feel like, cause it's their "right" to do so.

[TPreston]

Another case of...

• Claim America is a christian nation and lobby to get christian monument on government owned land
• When the rest of the religions walk in through the hole you made throw a tantrum
• When they take it to court and the judge correctly rules all or none throw another tantrum and yell "activist judge" "judicial tyranny"
• Go back to step 1 somewhere else learning absolutely nothing from the experience

[Alwaysonacoffebreak]

Another case of...

• Claim America is a christian nation and lobby to get christian monument on government owned land
• When the rest of the religions walk in through the hole you made throw a tantrum
• When they take it to court and the judge correctly rules all or none throw another tantrum and yell "activist judge" "judicial tyranny"
• Go back to step 1 somewhere else learning absolutely nothing from the experience

 

 

Get trough your thick skull that you religion is no more important than anyone else's

 

If I want I can start my own religion on the dump I took last night and you have to respect it or don't demand other's respect yours.

 

Your mentality is as retarded as my city councils. CCCP monuments are okay everywhere around the country but all SS monuments must be destroied nor can be displayed which now is under the penalty of law.

[firey]

Get trough your thick skull that you religion is no more important than anyone else's

 

If I want I can start my own religion on the dump I took last night and you have to respect it or don't demand other's respect yours.

 

Your mentality is as retarded as my city councils. CCCP monuments are okay everywhere around the country but all SS monuments must be destroied nor can be displayed which now is under the penalty of law.

 

I think you missed his point.  His point was that a certain religion makes claims and gets what they want. Then others fight it (in court) and if the judge rules in favor of those people saying either all are welcome or none are, the original people call the judge out and say they are wrong.  And then the cycle repeats.

It had nothing to do with who is or isn't right.

[+Warwagon MVC]

Sweet, i've always wanted to sit on the lap of Satan!

[+Raze Subscriber²]

Get trough your thick skull that you religion is no more important than anyone else's

 

If I want I can start my own religion on the dump I took last night and you have to respect it or don't demand other's respect yours.

 

Your mentality is as retarded as my city councils. CCCP monuments are okay everywhere around the country but all SS monuments must be destroied nor can be displayed which now is under the penalty of law.

 

You might want to examine the thickness of your own skull with that response.

[Noir Angel]

I think this is funny. Too many Christians in the US seem to forget that the freedom of religion clause applies to everyone and just them. You can bet, though, that a lot of them will be forgetting how much they love the constitution when they complain about this.

[Rippleman]

I want my own statue too!

[rr_dRock]

Maybe we should start an indiegogo to get a FSM statue put next to the goat guy!

[Decebalvs Rex]

Its not about the statue. Its about the people wich will start worshiping in that place, dangereous , sadic retards bowing their heads before the statue. You can expect several incidents in front of that religious monument they want to build.

[seta-san]

Little do they know that's an old image of Mohammed