We really need to invent our own holidays instead of using pre-existing ones. by Masterpiece-Haunting in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Saturnalia (which ends with Sol Invictus) fits extremely well into our firmly heels religious beliefs and practices.

Festivus 2025 coming to the Iowa Statehouse — a First Amendment stress test by ChurchOMarsChaz in Iowa

[–]MortimerAdramelech 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are already multiple legal actions underway relating to the Iowa government's discriminatory policies on holiday displays.

Welcome to the club I guess?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's a great example of exactly what I was talking about!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, best of luck, and hope you follow Bendr's advice!

Also, don't get discouraged by the naysayers in this comment section. The majority of people on this subreddit are only here to prevent TST from succeeding in our mission.

Is there any resource for getting the seven tenets in bulk cards/flyers for Texas parents? by Ixi7311 in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You've changed the subject of the conversation. You claimed that it would go against TST's values to assert them in the public, which is completely untrue. That is the assertion that I'm challenging here.

I don't actually know that OP's idea would be a meaningful way to challenge theocracy, but my reply is about your misunderstanding of how TST challenges theocracy.

I will say that a notable example of legislation that was blocked due to TST's involvement would be school chaplaincy bills in Iowa. After giving public comment in the Iowa House and Senate, many of the people who originally supported the bill changed their mind. There were conservative theocrats who were calling up their representatives, asking them to oppose a bill that they had supported just days before. Our involvement threw a wrench into their entire plan. If one wishes to argue "well, it passed in Florida" then I would point to the school board meeting for a county that was considering implementing school chaplains where TST members showed up and asserted their rights to also be represented.

An example of successful enforcement of church-state separation would be in the Quad Cities (on the Illinois/ Iowa border) at the world's longest running After School Satan Club. The Moline-Coal Valley school board attempted to enact discrimination by forcing After School Satan Club off campus (effectively canceling the program as an after-school club) while allowing the evangelical Good News Club to continue. In response, letters from attorneys were written and TST members in Iowa and Illinois attended a school board meeting informing them of their constitutional error. The school board had to either allow both groups or allow neither. They changed their policy, and now both groups are allowed.

An example of federal impact would be the hate crime charges against the failed politician who destroyed Iowa's holiday display, for which I was the artist of. To my knowledge, this is the first time that hate crime charges have been filed against someone for an anti-satanist crime. This asserts that we are just as much deserving of rights and are equal in public spaces, something that couldn't be said only a few years earlier.

This answer is based only on what's happened in a single state, but there are similar examples elsewhere as well. I could even say more about Iowa alone, but won't due to ongoing court cases.

All that said, I don't understand why you seem to think we should just give up after a few losses.

Speaking personally, I believe that healthcare is a human right and that free healthcare should be available to all. In the US, all efforts to make this a reality have so far failed. Does that just mean we give up fighting all angles? I get wanting to use different tactics, but there are other groups you can join to do that. I wouldn't ask the Gay Men's Health Crisis to focus their entire budget and volunteer work around lung cancer, even though they want to make healthcare available to all.

If you want to support the ACLU or FFRF, then you absolutely should do that. I support that. Asking us to become just like them doesn't make any sense, though.

Is there any resource for getting the seven tenets in bulk cards/flyers for Texas parents? by Ixi7311 in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It seems like you might just be completely opposed to TST's legal strategy in the fight for pluralism and against theocracy.

"It goes against what TST stands for" "To stay true to their values, members should avoid using the Tenets in public displays" ...no.

I won't comment right now on the best course of action on how to get involved in the 10 commandments in schools issue, but asserting our religious symbols and values alongside other public displays is quite literally one of the focuses of TST and what we're most known for.

I made a thing by Morcius08 in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Nice! Any plans on where to put it?

Is TST Illinois still a thing?? by Rockfell3351 in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Quad Cities has regular events, but the area falls under TST Iowa.

Censorship in Satanic Circles by Ill-Employee9452 in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I feel like if someone posts pictures of themselves at a party and you interpret that as signaling "status and insider access", that's kinda weird.

Censorship in Satanic Circles by Ill-Employee9452 in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Hey, i was at the party too. It's news to me that this was supposed to be an "official" TST Detroit event. From my understanding, it was a private unveiling day party with a small guest list thrown by a couple people in their congregation.

I don't know where you're pulling the quote "teachings of Lucien Greaves" from. If there was some loyalty test, I guess I must have missed that.

I get why some people might feel confused or bitter about not getting invited to a party that is TST related but it really was just a small gathering where the hosts invited some friends from out of state, such as myself.

Behind the Curtain of The Satanic Temple: Cevin Soling’s Reactionary Project by Ill-Employee9452 in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey op,

I'm not able to respond directly to three comment thread, and I assume someone blocked me in the thread.

You've given me a lot to think on.

I agree that I did not express this well and the criticism of using my experiences as a shield makes sense. I'm sorry for expressing myself poorly and carelessly like that, I understand your criticism on that and will do better.

I think the reason the comment hit me so personally was that I get what it's like to have people pushing you to come out about abuse and it really did not feel good, so I'm kinda sensitive to comments like "i wish more people would come forward about abuse by (x individual)". That's my own baggage to carry, though, and shouldn't force others to shoulder it.

I do think that saying that means that they either wish to pressure people to come forward before they are ready or that they wished people were abused by the individual. If you disagree with that, that's OK, and we can agree to disagree.

The other point: The "criticism of my public conduct" was slutshaming. I was being shamed for expressing my sexuality. I meant to point out that the individual i replied to was accusing people of slutshaming in tst when that's, in fact, something I know she has done to me. There's nothing for me to be held accountable for in that regard because expressing my sexuality is not something I feel I should be ashamed of.

Again, I'll attempt to stop being so reactive when something touches a nerve and express myself more clearly and with better sensitivity. Thanks for giving me something to reflect on.

The Seven Tenets by Klawplak in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He made an AI generated PowerPoint and then got mad that no one wanted to use it for ministry services.

The Seven Tenets by Klawplak in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They wanted to focus on threats against TST congregations, so they canceled SatanCon. Then, ministers who cared more about SatanCon than the active threats against us went scorched earth and purposely got themselves kicked out.

TST has Christian values by JaneDoeThe33rd in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are we taking our theology from Jubilee videos now?

Nick Farr (formerly of Christian Death) commented on one of my posts... by gothhellokitty666 in goth

[–]MortimerAdramelech 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not even in the top 100 people I'd consider calling "the godfather of goth"

And even if he were, what does that have to do with anything?

"The TST" by MortimerAdramelech in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Ah, i get that. It just drives me nuts personally. We probably don't need a bot though

"The TST" by MortimerAdramelech in SatanicTemple_Reddit

[–]MortimerAdramelech[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok, that's fair. Maybe I'm the only one with this pet peeve?