60 Second Docs features The Satanic Temple of L.A., “worshippers of the first amendment.”

The Los Angeles Chapter of the Satanic Temple was recently featured on60 Second Docs, a collection of minute-long documentaries highlighting unique personalities and groups.

The Satanic Temple could be described as one of the most misunderstood religions in existence today. The name “Satanic Temple” obviously conjures thoughts of Satan, which would seemingly put them at odds with any of the Christian religions.

Yet while the Satanists do not think Christians or any other religious groups should have any say in governing the United States, they do support the right of all religious groups to exist, assemble and worship, as is guaranteed by the First Amendment. In fact, the mission of the Los Angeles Chapter is, in large, the defense of freedom of speech issues for all peoples.

Their global mission statement, as published by the Los Angeles Chapter’s website, states in part that the group aims to “encourage benevolence and empathy among all people. In addition, we embrace practical common sense and justice…we all should be guided by our consciences to undertake noble pursuits guided by our individual wills.”

The Satanic Temple is an activist, non-theistic group, created to defend the voiceless, reports the 60 Second Docs Facebook Page. In the documentary, the group delivered the Seven Tenets of the Satanic Temple to the City Hall in Lancaster, California as a symbolic gesture, trumpeting their arrival and announcing their plans to help those in need.

Despite its name, members of the Satanic Temple do not worship Satan. Instead, they use Satan as a representation of the ultimate outsider or rebel. A quick scan of the group’s Facebook page reveals that they participated in International Suicide Prevention Week as well as leading a beach clean-up this past July. The group also has a member running for the California State Senate, Steve Hill.

Resources

Follow the Conversation on Twitter