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!”
They meet all the requirements to be a religious organization in the USA (it’s easy enough that John Oliver created one ex nohilo just to prove a point on his show), they explicitly do not seek tax exempt status at all because they expressly believe religious organizations should be taxed. From The Devil’s Notebook, an essay titled Pentagonal Revisionism:
"2) Strict taxation of all churches – If churches were taxed for all their income and property, they’d crumble overnight of their own obsolescence, and the National Debt would be wiped out as quickly. The productive, the creative, the resourceful should be subsidized. So long as the useless and incompetent are getting paid, they should be heavily taxed. "
Weird take, but interesting. You’d think they’d want to keep as much of that $300 membership fee as they can, I’m not sure how much they make off those - especially these days.
In any case, a big part of what TST is doing is bringing the he hypocrisy of the Christian hegemony to light. By taking tax exemption, they can continue to not just do this, but use their money for good instead of personal jets and ridiculous buildings.