The Baphomet Statue is a 8 ½ foot, 3,000 pound bronze statue commissioned by The Satanic Temple with the sole purpose of challenging decency and promoting disdain for and oppression of all other religions and religious beliefs and symbols.
Ongoing Threat to Public Spaces
The Baphomet Statue is considered one of the most politically-charged sculptures of our time. It’s display in public spaces is routinely threatened by The Satanic Temple in an effort to create public outrage and suppress requests from other legitimate religious groups.
The statue is used solely to hold our public spaces hostage and prevent freedoms of other churches and religious organizations.
Satan and the Confederacy
If we are removing statues of confederate leaders and soldiers because they are offensive as symbols of oppression and the evils of slavery, why are we allowing the Baphomet scuplture to continue to stand? It is a symbol of immorality and evil. Is that any less of an offensive symbol than a confederate soldier?
Targeting Our Children
The inclusion of two young children in the statue is no more subtle than it is accidental. The inclusion of children in a provocative and offensive tribute to evil is offensive enough, but it is made even worse by the depiction of these two children looking up to Bephomet.
The statue encourages the indoctrination of young children to the belief that the devil and evil is acceptable in our culture. Why are we accepting of a statue that communicates to children that they should idolize evil?
Protecting Innocence and Decency
We recognize the First Amendment Right to freedom of religion. However, we have rules in place to regulate public airways, cinemas and countless other mediums to protect children and ensure our public spaces are appropriate for all citizens.
The Satanic Temple may have a right to practice and promote their religion under federal law. They do not have the inherent right to subject our communities and families to material that is deemed offensive, indecent or inappropriate for young children any more than Christians can show R rated content to young children without consent and supervision from an adult.
Sign the Petition to Ban the Public Display of The Satanic Temple’s Baphomet Statue
We are asking The Satanic Temple to commit to keeping the statue out of public spaces and off of public lands. We are also urging all levels of governmental organizations to enact laws and policies that apply the same level of censorship to “religious” statues and displays as they would for all other public art and displays.
Our communities should have rules in place to protect their public spaces from art and displays that glorify evil and promote unAmerican ideals.
Image: Marc Nozell/Flickr