By Abdulla Gaafarelkhalifa
On December 20, 2021, the Illinois State Capitol Rotunda will feature a holiday art display from the Satanic Temple, a nontheistic religious group that promotes reproductive rights and separation of church and state, which will stand next to other religious exhibits. The Temple is celebrating the December 25 holiday of Sol Invictus, “a celebration of being unconquered by superstition and consistent in the pursuit and sharing of knowledge”, according to TST’s website.
This year will feature the “satanic deity” Baphomet, depicted as a swaddling baby, similar to Jesus in a nativity scene. This of course led to outrage by the Christian community in the area.
Catholic Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, of the Diocese of Springfield, stated to the State Journal, Satanic displays “should have no place in this Capitol.”
Andrew Hansen, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Springfield, added “Mocking the millions of Christians in the state of Illinois and billions around the world by depicting the baby Jesus this Christmas with the ‘satanic deity’ Baphomet is the very definition of evil and causing division, but that is to be expected from an organization that is in existence to troll people of faith.”
Erin Helian, the Satanic Temple's Director of Campaign Operations, stated in a press release "This year's tradition marks a greater urgency in the Baphomet's message of harmony and reconciliation,"
In an attempt to extend an olive branch, the Satanic Temple attempted to invite Bishop Paprocki to the unveiling of their display. However, the bishop has refused. “Bishop Paprocki declines the invitation to associate with evil and urges all people of true religious faith to shun the devil,” Hansen explained.
“That’s not very unity of him,” said Lucien Greaves, co-founder of The Satanic Temple, when asked about Bishop Paprocki’s refusal to attend. “Our real message is to reestablish pluralism… It doesn’t mean that people with opposing viewpoints have to be in conflict.”
This is not the first time the Satanic Temple has angered conservative Christans. Crowds gathered in either anger or support for the unveiling of a 9ft statue of Baphomet in Detroit, Michigan, in July of 2015, in a celebration of the group’s largest chapter. The statue was originally built to sit alongside a Ten Commandment Christian display at the Oklahoma State Capitol, but the state’s Supreme Court ultimately banned all religious displays, including the Ten Commandments.
