opinion

The Satanists and a push for true religious freedom

Get past the name. It’s a bit of a red herring, and if it offends you, well, the Satanic Temple of Detroit doesn’t mind.

On Saturday night, the group unveiled a 9-foot statue of Baphomet — the idol the Knights Templar were accused of secretly worshiping, before the order was disbanded in 1312 — at a warehouse in Detroit. The bronze statue is destined for Arkansas, if officials there make good on plans to display the Ten Commandments on public land outside a government building.

It’s the inevitable consequence of so-called religous freedom laws intended to blur the line between church and state. The Temple’s adherents would prefer that line remain firm. But if it’s not?

One writer dubbed the temple’s members “First Amendment performance artists,” but it’s deeper than that. The notion of religious freedom has to apply to everyone, or we’re nothing more than a theocracy.

The modern Satanic Temple has nothing in common with the horror-movie conception of devil worshipers, aside from a penchant for black clothes and inverted crosses. The temple — not associated with the Church of Satan founded in the 1960s by Anton LaVey — views Satan not as an evil figure, but one who dared question authority. They see the human body as inviolable, and prize rationality and skepticism.

It’s on those grounds that the Satanic Temple has questioned corporal punishment in schools (the temple offers adherents who attend school in such districts a form letter explaining corporal punishment violates their sincerely held religious beliefs), and are suing to overturn mandatory waiting periods for women seeking abortions. Here in Michigan, the temple installed a “snaketivity” display next to a Nativity scene at the state Capitol in Lansing last Christmas.

News of Saturday’s fête caused consternation in some circles — the original venue canceled the booking, and the substitute site wasn’t announced until the day of. A group of local pastors led a protest of the event Saturday night in Eastern Market. Folks on social media have expressed outrage or scorn that the group exists at all.

All of this should be making you think.

In response to some progressive social movements (such as the push for same-sex marriage), some conservative lawmakers have worked diligently to pass laws that carve out special protections for those with sincere religious beliefs: The right to refuse adoption services to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender families; the right to refuse to provide goods for use at same-sex wedding receptions; the right to install religious displays at government buildings.

Proponents of such laws insist they’re designed to protect the devout, not — as critics believe — enshrine a particular set of beliefs in public policy.

Regardless of what you think about Satanists, this is important.

Exempting some companies from offering insurance that covers birth control should mean a statue of Baphomet at a county courthouse. A nativity scene at a government building means a snaketivity beside it. Distributing Bibles and religious materials at a Florida public school means Satanic coloring books, too.

And that’s the thing: Laws that protect practitioners of one religion must protect the practitioners of every other, even Satanism.

If that’s what we want to do, fine. But recognize this: Want to ensure that corporations can design health insurance to privilege particular religious beliefs? Or shut lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender families out of the adoption market? Want to insist on prayer in schools?

Then get used to Baphomet.

Contact Nancy Kaffer at nkaffer@freepress.com.