Illinois State Senator Demands Removal of Satanic Display from Capitol

[NeoGreen]

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2018/12/09/illinois-state-senator-demands-removal-of-satanic-display-from-capitol/

Illinois State Senator Demands Removal of Satanic Display from Capitol
By Hemant Mehta, December 9, 2018

Illinois State Senator Paul Schimpf is so upset that a Satanic group has put up a display next to a Nativity scene in the Capitol building that he’s requested the “Snaketivity” be taken down. Because religious freedom only applies to Christianity, dammit!

In a letter to Secretary of State Jesse White, Schimpf wrote:

Dear Secretary White,

I am writing to express my disappointment in your approval of a Satanic statue in the Illinois Capitol Rotunda.

As an attorney who evaluated the legality of religious displays in the United States Marine Corps, I appreciate the complexities associated with balancing the First Amendment with the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution. In this situation, I believe you received poor legal advice recommending approval of the Satanic display.

The Satanic display should not have been approved. It does not celebrate or recognize the observance of a religious holiday. Instead, the display seeks to provoke and antagonize members of the Christian and Jewish faiths. As such, you would have been well within your discretion to deny that display request.

I respectfully request that you reconsider your decision and order the removal of the Satanic statue.
Sincerely,

Paul Schimpf
Senator, 58th Legislative District

There’s no rule that says a display has to celebrate or recognize a religious holiday. He just made that up.

And the display doesn’t say, “Screw you, Jews and Christians.” It simply says, “Knowledge is the Greatest Gift.” No wonder Schimpf is offended; they’re promoting something he doesn’t have.

If he actually cared about antagonism, then he should also recognize that a Nativity scene promoting Christian myths sends a clear message that people who don’t accept Christ will burn in Hell. How is that any better? It’s not. Schimpf is just trying to score cheap political points with conservatives.

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[DetlefK]

1. Those Satanists are a so evil:

There's old-school Satanism, which worships Satan religiously.

And there is a new Satanism that sees Satan and Lucifer as characters who should serve as role-models:
Satan in the Old Testament is essentially a doubter- and trickster-persona. Mischievous but not evil.
And Lucifer's crime in the New Testament is refusing to accept God as his ruler.

All that doubting and questioning and refusing to submit... that's evil as hell!

[MineralMan]

2. Typical of the "My religion is right; yours is heresy" attitude

too many religionists have. They cannot tolerate anything but their own beliefs. As an atheist, I have no beliefs regarding religion at all. However, I don't protest other people's beliefs, nor do I suggest that they not follow them. I wish the same would be in the minds of those who have exclusionary religious beliefs.

[Major Nikon]

3. We always knew rock music was going to cause this

[Act_of_Reparation]

4. I saw Ghost play this weekend.

Now I worship the devil, kick puppies as a hobby, and talk in the theater.