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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - On Thursday, the Satanic Temple of Iowa announced that their display at the Iowa Capitol had been significantly damaged.

The controversial display, which Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds called “objectionable,” featured a ram’s head covered with mirrors on a mannequin before being damaged.

Organizers say it’s a symbol of their right to religious freedom.

The Satanic Temple of Iowa posted the following message on their Facebook page:

“This morning, we were informed by authorities that the Baphomet statue in our holiday display was destroyed beyond repair. We are proud to continue our holiday display for the next few days that we have been allotted.

We ask that for safety, visitors travel together and use the 7 Tenets as a reminder for empathy, in the knowledge that justice is being pursued the correct way, through legal means.

KCCI has reported that 35-year-old Michael Cassidy of Lauderdale, Mississippi, was charged with Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree. He has since been released.

Solve et Coagula! Happy Holidays! Hail Satan!”

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[-] FoundTheVegan@kbin.social 248 points 1 year ago

Religious freedom only applies to MY RELIGION, never yours. 🙄

[-] dellish@lemmy.world 98 points 1 year ago

This is the funniest thing. Satan IS part of their religion! I bet if it was a statue of Budda or Muhammad it would have been left alone, but since it's part of THEIR OWN religion that they don't like, it get vandalised. Hilarious

[-] JimboDHimbo@lemmy.ca 75 points 1 year ago

I bet if it was a statue of Budda or Muhammad

Lol. Lmao. Mfs have literally been killed for less.

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[-] MartinXYZ@sh.itjust.works 59 points 1 year ago

Something about holding up a mirror... It's very on point. hypocrites don't like when you show them their true face.

[-] doublejay1999@lemmy.world 43 points 1 year ago

Um… they don’t do statues of Mohammed, because of the reasons.

[-] PM_Your_Nudes_Please@lemmy.world 39 points 1 year ago

The irony is that Muhammad originally said not to portray him because he didn’t want to be turned into an icon; He wanted the worship to go to God instead. He didn’t want people praying to giant altars with his face on it, because that would run counter to his goal that people should be worshipping God. But the fervent attacks on anyone who portrays Muhammad only prove that he is, in fact, being worshipped.

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[-] NoIWontPickaName@kbin.social 27 points 1 year ago

And there was a golden statue of trump at cpac.

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[-] pete_the_cat@lemmy.world 21 points 1 year ago

Also Satan is objectively less evil than God. In the entire Bible Satan only killed like 10 people whereas God's death toll is in the tens of thousands.

[-] jeremyparker@programming.dev 24 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It's not just the body count - Yahweh literally tortures innocent people - the Book of Job is the most notable (though there's many examples of this).

For those that don't know it or who want a recap:

Satan said to Yahweh that his followers just loved him because they were rewarded for it, and if they weren't, they'd turn on him.

So Yahweh...proves it? He destroys Job's livelihood, kills his family, gives him all kinds of diseases and pains, and Job spends the rest of his life homeless and alone, completely ruined, but Job still praises Yahweh. So, hooray, Yahweh wins the bet.

The thing you really have to remember about this story is that--as it was written--it isn't real. Maybe there are some factual elements to it, but for the most part, we have this story, not because it's factual, but because generations and generations of people believed it was a good story to help us understand the nature of God and our relationship to Him.

The cruelty Yahweh shows to Job is not an exception - it's literally exemplary. It's an example.

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[-] UnculturedSwine@lemmy.world 217 points 1 year ago

I feel that destroying it has garnered more attention for TST than they would have received had it been left alone.

[-] thedarkfly@feddit.nl 172 points 1 year ago

Given that one of their goals is to highlight unfair treatment on religious basis, I'm sure they are delighted that someone illustrated their point.

[-] Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world 57 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

That's the point.

The ~~church of Satan~~ Satanic Temple doesn't care about idol worship.

But one religion REALLY REALLY DOES.

[-] Claidheamh@slrpnk.net 42 points 1 year ago

The church of Satan and the Satanic temple are two very different organisations.

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[-] kautau@lemmy.world 165 points 1 year ago

He’s from Mississippi? Did he drive 12 hours just to go break the display?

[-] Asafum@feddit.nl 128 points 1 year ago

That's what being brainwashed by fucking propaganda will do to a person...

Reich wing media is a cancer on society.

[-] MotoAsh@lemmy.world 49 points 1 year ago

Conservatism in general. The entire concept of protecting the past from an improved future is asinine from the start.

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[-] Spendrill@lemm.ee 58 points 1 year ago

The meth was probably driving.

[-] skeezix@lemmy.world 33 points 1 year ago

His aunt-sister drove him.

[-] aniki@lemm.ee 23 points 1 year ago

That's aunt-sister-wife to you!

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[-] assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world 108 points 1 year ago

These evangelicals are doing a wonderful job of showing the Satanic Temple to be reasonable adults. Every time a loony loses their mind over this, more people compare the two and realize who the baddies actually are.

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[-] oleorun@real.lemmy.fan 104 points 1 year ago

The 7 Tenets are strong against right wing hate.

Imagine if doofus had fucked up a nativity scene. His ass would have been tazed several times, he'd be beaten, and the fundies would stop poking holes in wrapped condoms for half a second to be up in arms.

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[-] athos77@kbin.social 94 points 1 year ago

That's a misdemeanor. He'll plead down to something like a fine and maybe some community service, then fundraise the shit out of it - have to pay the lawyer! have to pay the fine! need a giant new American flag for my giant lifted pickup truck! gimme gimme gimme!

They should sue his ass for all the costs of a replacement statue and everything else they can think of.

[-] Adalast@lemmy.world 71 points 1 year ago

Jokes on him, that community service is required to be served at the local Satanic Temple. (god I wish I wasn't making a joke right now)

[-] pivot_root@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago

That would be glorious legal karma.

[-] assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago

That could happen. There was a plea deal recently where a woman who was an absolute dick to a fast food employee accepted a lesser sentence that required her to work in food service for a specified time.

You could easily do the same here, and they absolutely should.

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[-] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 85 points 1 year ago

how is this not a hate crime? it was committed because of someone's membership in a protected class.

[-] meyotch@slrpnk.net 52 points 1 year ago

Simple, wrong class.

[-] uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone 45 points 1 year ago

Because the whole point of conservatism and Christian Nationalism is that only the right people are protected by the legal system. Everyone else is beneath the law, denied rights and protections, and subject to retribution without cause and due process.

Conservatives fight to assure those not protected do not gain civil rights.

The white power movement fights to further reduce rights and protections, and narrow the set of those who qualify for them.

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[-] Mediocre_Bard@lemmy.world 70 points 1 year ago
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[-] Facebones@reddthat.com 59 points 1 year ago

Interesting though it's just a mischief charge, if I trashed their Jesus garbage you know DAMN well I'm swimming in hate crime charges.

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[-] ElBarto@sh.itjust.works 59 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Whenever I hear the phrase Criminal Mischief, I always imagine an old cartoon criminal tip toeing around and up to no good.

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[-] h3mlocke@lemm.ee 58 points 1 year ago

Religious hate crime

[-] Bruncvik@lemmy.world 57 points 1 year ago

KCCI has reported that 35-year-old Michael Cassidy of Lauderdale, Mississippi, was charged with Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree. He has since been released.

What a special snowflake, that one. Bless his heart.

[-] wetnoodle@lemmy.blahaj.zone 53 points 1 year ago

Republicans sure do love doing hate crimes

[-] Goferking0@ttrpg.network 23 points 1 year ago

Why do you think they hate those hate crime laws so much

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[-] 4grams@lemmy.world 42 points 1 year ago

After hearing about this thing, I've decided I'm making myself a Christmas Baphomet decoration for my house.

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[-] SuddenlyBlowGreen@lemmy.world 42 points 1 year ago

No hate(crime) like christian love.

[-] JTskulk@lemmy.world 26 points 1 year ago

I like how he knows that the founding fathers didn't really mean what they said about the first amendment and all that. I hope the temple sues.

[-] GardeningSadhu@lemm.ee 20 points 1 year ago

shocked they actually arrested him. will be even more shocked if he gets anything close to the punishment he earned

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this post was submitted on 15 Dec 2023
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The Satanic Temple

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I noticed there wasn't a TST Lemmy community. The Satanic Temple is a modern satanic religion that aims to promote human rights and compassion. Check out their about page on their official website at https://thesatanictemple.com/pages/about-us. Note that this community is not an official affiliation. TST is also separate and not affiliated with the Church of Satan, who have a slightly different viewpoint of what satanism truly is. Dunno what to post in here, but maybe some will search for this and take part. Hello!

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