The Satanic Temple says that, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby ruling, satanists should not be compelled to abide by some state restrictions on abortion. Following last month’s ruling that protected heads of closely held corporations from having to violate their religious beliefs, Raw Story reports that satanists are arguing that they have “a strong case” for receiving an exemption from states’ informed-consent laws.


A Satanic Temple spokesman said the organization hopes members will be able to opt-out from informed-consent laws that require clinics to provide women seeking abortion with information about the procedure as well as about alternatives. The organization claims such laws violate their belief that decisions should be made based on the ”best scientific understanding of the world.”

“Because of the respect the Court has given to religious beliefs, and the fact that our beliefs are based on best available knowledge, we expect that our belief in the illegitimacy of state­ mandated ‘informational’ material is enough to exempt us, and those who hold our beliefs, from having to receive them,” the spokesman said in a statement.

To further their efforts, the Satanic Temple has a letter on its website that women seeking an abortion can print out and give to abortion providers who abide by informed-consent laws.


“This letter constitutes my acknowledgment that you have offered Political Information to me,” the letter reads. “I reject that Political Information because it offends my sincerely held religious beliefs.”