The media-savvy Satanic Temple — noted for its campaigns on behalf of equal religious representation in Florida, Michigan, and Oklahoma — has a new target: an "In God We Trust" sign hanging in a public-hearing room in Clark County, Washington.



The sign was donated by a non-profit, according to a report by Seattle's King 5 news. The Satanic Temple is fine with the sign staying, as long as the group can hang its own sign alongside. And no, it's not a flaming placard that reads "666," either:

If Clark County council members insist on going through with their plan, the Satanic Temple hopes to work with a lawyer to argue for another sign to go up as well: "E Pluribus Unum" which means "From the Many, One."

As it happens, both phrases have appeared on American currency, and both have served as the country's motto; "In God We Trust" officially replaced "E Pluribus Unum" in 1956.

The Seattle temple opened last year; according to the King 5 report, it has about 20 members including founder Lilith Starr. As mentioned above, other branches of the group have taken on the issue of church and state separation in other, more conservative parts of the US. The Pacific Northwest seems an unlikely place to find a conflict, but find one they did.

"In a way we're really excited it happened in our state and that we get to help," Starr said.


Clark County Manager Mark McCauley told King 5 that he doubted the sign request would be granted, so this may just be the beginning of Satan's battle in Seattle.

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