A Democratic lawmaker praised Satan worshippers on the Senate floor this week.
Senator Juan Mendez welcomed the Satanic Temple of Arizona. Their organization reportedly represents over 12,000 members in the state. Mendez said that satanism was “common sense” and that their religion allowed them to embark on noble pursuits, and obtain justice.
Thank you AZ Sen. Mendez for the incredible Senate intro! TST AZ congregation members were present to attend the Gov. Council meeting on the Reject Escalating Satanism by Preserving Essential Core Traditions (RESPECT) Act, which seeks to ban Satanic displays on public property. pic.twitter.com/qbggy2E7vu
— The Satanic Temple (@satanic_temple_) February 9, 2024
“The temple practices nontheistic satanism divorced from superstition without any belief in gods or devils. They practice the religious values of compassion, justice, bodily autonomy, free speech, science, humility, and noble action. As an organized religion, they actively do outreach and community service and participate in public affairs where the issues might benefit from their rational satanic insights. The mission of the satanic temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people. They embrace practical common sense and justice. They are guided by their conscience to undertake noble pursuits that fulfill noble values, again, particularly of compassion and free speech.”
Religion concerns the service or worship of God, a god, gods, or the supernatural, and manifests and relates to a faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity. The term “satan” is a English transliteration of the Hebrew word for “adversary,” whose origins the Bible documented.
The satanists were at the state capitol to oppose SB1279 — Reject Escalating Satanism by Preserving Essential Core Traditions (RESPECT) Act — which would prohibit the display of satanic memorials, statues, altars, or displays on public property. The Senate Government Committee passed the bill with overwhelming bipartisan support, 5-1, on Wednesday; only Mendez voted against it.
A masked Mendez questioned during the committee hearing why the bill sponsor, Republican Senator Jake Hoffman, was “singling out” satanism and accused Hoffman of finding satanism to be offensive to his Christianity.
“It is a desecration of our public property in the United States of America and in the state of Arizona for a satanic display, memorial, statue, altar to be on public property,” said Hoffman.
Mendez interrupted an individual speaking in opposition to the bill to tell her that Hoffman and supporters of the bill were persecuting satanism. That individual, Tonia Francis, another satanist, claimed that Satan wasn’t the enemy of God.
“Ma’am, do you understand that this bill is singling out your religion and persecuting your religion?” interrupted Mendez.
In his closing remarks, Mendez said that opposition to satanism was “an attack on the Constitution” and an attempt to “erase” satanism.
Oliver Spires, also masked, spoke against the bill as a minister of the Satanic Temple of Arizona. A handful of cohorts accompanied him, also masked. Spires argued that public government land wasn’t religiously founded, and therefore not limited to one religious perspective.
“Satan is a heroic character who fights against tyrannical authority and this bill is exactly that,” said Spires.
Spires has also been involved in Freethought Arizona, Tucson Atheists, and the Secular Coalition for Arizona.
Hoffman said it was “ludicrous” to allege that satanism was a valid religion.
“It is legally and constitutionally suspect to argue that Satan, someone who is universally known to be an explicit enemy of God, is somehow a religion,” said Hoffman.
Other satanists that spoke out against the bill, and praised Satan in doing so, were Sean Davis, Brian Lipman, Micah Mangione, and Joshua Gray.
Only on individual testified in favor of the bill: Fountain Hills council member Allen Skillicorn. He alleged that satanism was a mockery of true religion.
“These are not expressions of faith, these are expressions of a lack of faith, and I believe they are expressions of mockery,” said Skillicorn.
The Satanic Temple of Arizona is a state affiliate of a national organization. This organization claims to be founded in 2013 and unrelated to an earlier organization founded in the 1960s, the Church of Satan.
The IRS and federal court system recognize the Satanic Temple as a church entity.
Arizona’s chapter, like its national affiliate, characterizes much of its work as activism.
“Satan is the ultimate archetype and thus makes his character a perfect weapon to be able to combat Church and State issues,” states the Arizona chapter website.
33 states have statewide satanic temples: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut and Rhode Island, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire and Vermont, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
13 cities and regions have satanic temples: Albany, New York; Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Detroit, Michigan; Houston, Texas; North-east Gulf Coast; Pittsburgh, Philadelphia; San Antonio, Texas; San Diego, California; Southern California; West Michigan; and Western New York.
Nine foreign countries and cities have satanic temples: Alberta, Canada; Atlantic Canada; Australia; Benelux; British Columbia; Finland; Germany; Ottawa, Canada; and Toronto, Canada.
CHILLING!!
Democrat Senator, Juan Mendez, shows his support for worshiping the devil as he proudly honors and welcomes Satanists and their satanic ministry to the Senate today.
The Senator promotes them as taking 'noble action' and says he's 'graced' with their presence. pic.twitter.com/1p5fsM54UQ
— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) February 7, 2024