Satanic monument on Oklahoma Capitol grounds

"Oklahoma Legislature Opens Door to Satanic Monument on Capitol Grounds"

by

Greg Newkirk

December 15th, 2013

io9

You know that phrase "slippery slope" that politicians are always throwing around? The Oklahoma legislature just hit the Slip 'N Slide. In fact, they've provided a perfect demonstration of the phrase's meaning by opening up the door for a giant monument to Satan on the grounds of the capitol building.

Last year, Oklahoma's highly conservative government greenlit the building of a religious monument on the steps of the capitol, with the stipulation being that it was financed by private cash. Numerous legal experts criticized the decision and warned that it might be unconstitutional. They went ahead and built it anyway, but in the act of doing so, they've attracted the attention of a few people they didn't plan on: Satanists.

In a letter to state officials, Satanic Temple spokesperson Lucien Greaves lauded Rep. Mike Ritze, who headed the campaign and helped pay for the Ten Commandments replica, saying that they plan on submitting their own monument designs within a month or so.

"He's helping a satanic agenda grow more than any of us possibly could," Greaves said. "You don't walk around and see too many satanic temples around, but when you open the door to public spaces for us, that's when you're going to see us."

The Satanic Temple has gone so far as to create a crowdfunding page for their campaign to raise the $20,ooo needed to build the monument. As of this writing, they're well on their way with nearly four grand pledged.

Rep. Bobby Cleveland said that monuments like the Ten Commandments are needed to celebrate America's "Judeo-Christian heritage", citing that many Christians feel persecuted by political correctness. Then he said that Satanists aren't allowed to feel the same way because "they're nuts".

But Brady Henderson, the legal director for the Oklahoma Chapter of the ACLU, says that the local government is in for a surprise.

"We would prefer to see Oklahoma's government officials work to faithfully serve our communities and improve the lives of Oklahomans instead of erecting granite monuments to show us all how righteous they are," Henderson said. "But if the Ten Commandments, with its overtly Christian message, is allowed to stay at the Capitol, the Satanic Temple's proposed monument cannot be rejected because of its different religious viewpoint."

As the campaign to raise the funds for the Satanic monument continues, and the ACLU gears up for what is sure to be a fight, Lucien Greaves remains confident that their own demonstration of faith will be a success.

"We believe that all monuments should be in good taste and consistent with community standards," Greaves wrote. "Our proposed monument, as an homage to the historic/literary Satan, will certainly abide by these guidelines."
Just days after the the Satanists announced their plans, The Universal Society of Hinduism followed suit with their own plans to build a monkey god statue. 

Perhaps, this should be their anthem... 

Sympathy For The Devil
   
Rolling Stones

Songwriters: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards

Please allow me to introduce myself

I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a mans soul and faith
And I was round when jesus christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
I stuck around st. petersburg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank
Held a generals rank
When the blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
Ah, what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah
I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the gods they made
I shouted out,
Who killed the kennedys?
When after all
It was you and me
Let me please introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours
Who get killed before they reached bombay
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But what's confusing you
Is just the nature of my game
Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me lucifer
Cause I'm in need of some restraint
So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste, um yeah
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, um yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, um mean it, get down
Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!
Tell me baby, what's my name
Tell me honey, can ya guess my name
Tell me baby, what's my name
I tell you one time, you're to blame
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah
What's my name
Tell me, baby, what's my name
Tell me, sweetie, what's my name
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah

Politics, ethics, state rights, demographics...Satanism at Oklahoma State House?