NYC Satanists Want to Erect Monument Next to OK's 10 Commandments

[Ishraqiyun]

I think people might be confusing "mainstream" Satanists with the type of, largely fictional, Satanists that Conservative Christian Apologetic webpages and bible tracts discuss. The sort of criminal ritual child abuse type deal Jack Chic goes on and on about. They bless all rock records with the blood of dead babies didn't you know?

I've known Satanist and did a bit of reading on the Church of Satan back in the day. Like I said before the core of their thought is a fusion of Ayn Rand and Nietzsche with a little over the top theatrics intended both to shock people, gain publicity, and to "loosen people up" and get them to forget their old religious "hang ups" they might have once had. Kind of like the taboo breaking in some types of Vamachara Tantra (eating meat, mixing with outcastes, etc..). The Satanist I knew the best didn't even believe in supernatural magic he just did rituals as a psychological exercise every now and then. I used to meet people like that a lot back when I was into Chaos Magic.

 

[JGG]

Satanism is a religion. Christianity is one too.

I guess I didn't use adjectives, but this works too.

Religiony?

 

[USincognito]

Again you are confusing the restrictions placed upon the federal government with the power of the states.

Just the opposite. Dave is correct. The equal protection clause extends federal rights and restrictions to states and localities.

Your opinion, for one. Christianity is an established religion, regardless of your contrary desire. Festivus...

But he didn't contrast Festivus with Christianity (unless you for some strange reason think your religion is fabricated and mere centuries old). He contrasted it with the modern incarnation of Christmas.

"What's the difference between a fabricated holiday from 10 years ago, or a fabricated holiday from centuries ago?

How about if you respond to what he actually wrote?

Ah, the Johnny Bravo defense.

What the heck does this mean? I've seen you use it before and it doesn't make any sense (I never watched the show).

My comments were not limited to this argument. Go look around God Be Gone dot com, or justify why this had to be displayed in New York by atheist at this particular time of year:

That would be free speech. I thought you were a big fan of the first amendment?

That is how David Silverman phases it. However, exactly which right of yours is being trampled on? Because again, I couldn't find articulated in the Constitution or in any of the amendments anything which guarantees your right not to be offended.

That's a bogus, right wing, talking point meme, and a straw man. Wanting to have equal protection before the law - including neutrality when it comes to governmental endorsement or the lack-thereof with regard to religion - has nothing to do with a "right not to be offended".

Every quack who comes along is guaranteed his or her first amendment right to free speech. They are not guaranteed a right to place monuments to whatever they wish on the public square and then claim they are protected under the free exercise clause.

Why? Symbolism is speech and equal protection is the law of the land.

 

[morningstar2651]

I think people might be confusing "mainstream" Satanists with the type of, largely fictional, Satanists that Conservative Christian Apologetic webpages and bible tracts discuss. The sort of criminal ritual child abuse type deal Jack Chic goes on and on about. They bless all rock records with the blood of dead babies didn't you know?

I've known Satanist and did a bit of reading on the Church of Satan back in the day. Like I said before the core of their thought is a fusion of Ayn Rand and Nietzsche with a little over the top theatrics intended both to shock people, gain publicity, and to "loosen people up" and get them to forget their old religious "hang ups" they might have once had. Kind of like the taboo breaking in some types of Vamachara Tantra (eating meat, mixing with outcastes, etc..). The Satanist I knew the best didn't even believe in supernatural magic he just did rituals as a psychological exercise every now and then. I used to meet people like that a lot back when I was into Chaos Magic.

Some of the posts I've read in this thread remind me of the Satanic Panic of the 80's.

Satanic ritual abuse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The McMartin Preschool Abuse Trial: A Commentary
Satan in Suburbia | Articles | Features | Fortean Times UK
satanic ritual abuse (SRA) - The Skeptic's Dictionary - Skepdic.com