Satanists Plan Rally in Support of Florida Gov. Rick Scott

[TheNutcracker]

Source: ABC News

The Satanic Temple is planning its first major rally, which will be held in support of Florida Gov. Rick Scott later this month for -- which might sound ironic -- signing a bill that allows for the possibility of prayer in public schools.

The religion's founder Neil Bricke, who is based in New York, is expected to speak at the rally. Bricke uses an assumed name for Satanic-related business and would not reveal his real name to ABC News. The group also hopes to open a temple in New York in the next few months. It may be telling that the Satanic temple will be located in New York and the group's first rally, scheduled for Jan. 25, will be held in Florida.

"New York is a pretty good place for Satanism. Florida is too," said Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves.

The Florida bill that has delighted the Satanists is Senate Bill 98 and gives students "sole discretion in determining whether an inspirational message is to be delivered" at a student assembly. The bill prohibits school officials from participating in or influencing whether an inspirational message will be delivered.

Satanists feel that the policy "does a lot to support religious diversity," according to Greaves.
"The Satanic Temple embraces the free expression of religion, and Satanists are happy to show their support of Rick Scott who -- particularly with SB 98 -- has reaffirmed our American freedom to practice our faith openly, allowing our Satanic children the freedom to pray in school," the Temple said in a release announcing the rally.

"This is a great country. Everyone has a voice," Gov. Scott's press secretary wrote in an email to ABCNews.com when asked about the rally.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/satanists-plan-rally-support-florida-gov-rick-scott/story?id=18219915

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Whoa.....see what happens republicans when you allow the Christian right and Bibles into the public schools?????? Did you not know, that Col. Michael Aquino got Satanism recognized as a religion in the U.S for our military????????? The press secretary is correct. Now, watch the Christian fundies be allowed to fight back with vigor, in the public schools. Gads......

[ladjf]

1. Is this a joke? nt

[Gore1FL]

2. Nope. It's real.

The satanic temple enjoys producing consequences for those who try to blur the separation of church and state.

[ladjf]

5. And by the way, Gore definitely won Florida before the criminal

SC stole the election. nt

[candelista]

14. Satanic/satirical.

From an interview with Satanic Temple spokesman, Lucien Greaves (aka Doug Mesner).

Is the Satanic Temple a satanic, or a satirical group?

Greaves: That is a common question. I say why can’t it be both? We are coming from a solid philosophy that we absolutely believe in and adhere to. This is Satanism, and to us it couldn’t be called anything other than Satanism. However, our metaphor of Satan is a literary construct inspired by authors such as Anatole France and Milton—a rebel angel defiant of autocratic structure and concerned with the material world. Satanism as a rejection of superstitious supernaturalism. This Satan, of course, bears no resemblance to the embodiment of all cruelty, suffering, and negativity believed in by some apocalyptic segments of Judeo-Christian culture. The word Satan has no inherent value. If one acts with compassion in the name of Satan, one has still acted with compassion. Our very presence as civic-minded socially responsible Satanists serves to satirize the ludicrous superstitious fears that the word Satan tends to evoke.

http://www.vice.com/read/unmasking-lucien-greaves-aka-doug-mesner-leader-of-the-satanic-temple

[Gore1FL]

16. Their best work is in OK City!! n/t

[louis-t]

3. Oh, that's just friggin' perfect.

[mcar]

4. I love this

GOP heads exploding all over Florida in 5..4..3..

[cosmicone]

6. Wait till radical jihadis use this law

It will make teabagger heads explode.

The teabaggers should study the law of unintended consequences.

[Amonester]

8. They don't know how to read any laws to begin with...

[Jack Rabbit]

12. How would radical jihadis use this law?

And how would that make teabaggers' heads explode any more than Satanists using it?

[cosmicone]

13. Radical jihadis

can force a prayer five times a day coupled with a loud reading of Q'uran.

The teabaggers think satanists are just a stupid cult and can ignore them because it is unlikely that the satanists will have much following. However, teabaggers consider radical Islam as a bigger threat and have a lot more hatred for it. Islamic prayers will probably have a lot more following than the satanists because even the children of liberal and moderate Muslims will be pressured into joining the prayers.

[Jack Rabbit]

25. It doesn't take a radical Muslim to invoke an Islamic prayer under this law

Just a Muslim devout enough to acknowledge his religion without apology to any sectarian bigot like Pam Geller or Daniel Pipes.

I might expect Muhammad Ali's grandchildren or great-grandchildren (I know his oldest child is 46, so I assume he has grandchilden) would request a Muslim prayer under this law if any live in Florida. Everyone knows Muhammad Ali is a Muslim, but I've never heard anyone call him "radical."

[cosmicone]

26. No one has a problem

with ordinary citizens of any religion practicing their faith.

However as we find with taliban and evangeliban, some cross the line into radical thinking and indoctrinate others to be as intolerant and violent as they are.

[gordianot]

7. Ayn Rand was one of the greatest influences on Anton La Vey founder of the Church of Satan.

Ideologically the Republican party is a good fit for Church of Satan. Paul Ryan and other Republican Randians would fit in very well and have much in common with modern Satanist.

[ZombieHorde]

23. I think the COS and the Satanic Temple are different organizations.

I don't know the politics of the Satanic Temple.

According to their website, their tenets are:

•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 your 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 resolve 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

One of their campaigns seems to be a pro-choice campaign:

RIGHT TO ACCURATE MEDICAL INFORMATION
An increasing number of states have passed “informed consent” laws, requiring that women seeking abortions be subjected to state-mandated informational materials that are often false or misleading. We believe that personal decisions should be made with reference to only the best available, scientifically valid information. If you are a woman seeking an abortion who shares these deeply held beliefs, please print the letter below to present to your care-provider, informing him/her that you are to be exempted from receiving “informed consent” materials.

They have other women's health campaigns and marriage equality campaigns. I'm not convinced the Republican Party is right for them.

http://thesatanictemple.com/

[gordianot]

28. Fascinating group I am clearly not up on modern Satanist.

I remember a television interview late 60's early 70's Anton Lavey described himself as a materialistic Republican quoted Ayn Rand (whose writing I could not stand at the time). He went on to describe himself as your average Republican except for the shaved head. That too would have changed today, however at his core Paul Ryan in particular would be extremely close in practice. This group is interesting however the symbolism probably sets off the religious fanatics Christian, Muslim, etc, and quite possibly a few old time Satanist of the Church of Satan variety. They almost sound Gnostic at least to me. Lavey rejected any religious deity including Satan but was big on ritual and symbolism.

I intend to read the literature. Although I do have some religious beliefs I am not an advocate of organized religion.

[Fuddnik]

9. Scott is the Devil, after all.

[TheNutcracker]

10. K&R to the greatest page and help to get rid of Rick Scott!

Last edited Tue Sep 16, 2014, 05:15 PM - Edit history (1)

Hard to believe this is true. but ....it is.

This shit has been going on since the 80's. Anton kicked out Col. Michael Aquino who formed his own Satanist church. He then lobbied for it to be a recognized religion, so military could have "Satanist" on their dog tags...if needed.

The shit never stops. Public edu should have stood strong on allowing the Christian right to put materials in the schools. They to this day, are still fighting school boards to have "creationism" as part of the public curriculum. Their belief is fuck science, and believe we roamed the Earth with the dino's. What has happened to America.

[charliea]

11. Where is the Pasta?

I'm appalled that there has been no FSM activity book available for these young minds to engage with, surely pasta art is both accessible and enjoyable to students of the right age!

[steve2470]

15. I love it !

This should help his re-election chances in fundamentalist-infused Florida !

[SummerSnow]

17. I knew he was Freddie Kruger, I knew it.

and Lord Voldermort...



and this thing..

[LongTomH]

18. I always thought he was Skeletor!!!!!

[SummerSnow]

20. Oh yea, him too. Scott wears many hats.lol

[Hugabear]

21. You left out Fire Marshall Bill

[Blue Owl]

29. By Gollum, the resemblance is uncanny!

[yurbud]

19. that is awesome. I thought it was going to be because of his other selfish policies though

[TheNutcracker]

22. Satanists doing a good deed! If this doesn't get rid of Scott, I want a recount!

[TheNutcracker]

24. ABC mentioned it again but not on news program, I hope it's on the nooze later

[notadmblnd]

27. Lol, that ought to get him the votes.

[TheNutcracker]

30. Indeed....

[notadmblnd]

31. If I were his opponent, I'd launch a series of ads directed at Christian conservatives

letting them all know that Satanists officially endorse Rick Scott.

[TheNutcracker]

32. Exactly, but the FDP is not smart enough. They are running boring ads, while Scott hammers Crist.

[6000eliot]

33. His natural constituency.

[hifiguy]

34. The devil lies in the details

as it were.