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jpak

(41,741 posts)
Fri Oct 30, 2015, 01:55 PM Oct 2015

‘Jesus’ chants greet Satanists at Bremerton football game

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/jesus-chants-jeers-greet-satanists-during-bremerton-football-game/

About a dozen members of the Satanic Temple of Seattle, most dressed in hooded black robes and some masked, left Bremerton High School shortly after their arrival at a varsity-football game Thursday night. They came in response to the controversy surrounding coach Joe Kennedy, who was placed on leave this week for praying on the field after games but attended the game in the stands.

Students swarmed the fence where the Satanists stood outside.The group climbed the fence, shook it, held up crosses, threw liquid, and chanted “Jesus.” Some yelled at the Satanists to go away.

A few of the half-dozen students and teachers who invited the Satanists to attend the game in the spirit of free expression were allowed outside the fence, where they spoke with members of the atheist and agnostic group and thanked them for coming.

Temple spokeswoman Lilith Starr said the group was invited to protest Kennedy’s ritual of kneeling on the 50-yard line after games and praying. “We want equality for everyone,” she said. “If one group is allowed to pray, everyone should be.”

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‘Jesus’ chants greet Satanists at Bremerton football game (Original Post) jpak Oct 2015 OP
This sentence makes it seem like atheists/agnostics are also Satanists, Arugula Latte Oct 2015 #1
The thing is TlalocW Oct 2015 #3
Yep, taken straight from their website cemaphonic Oct 2015 #8
Yeah... TlalocW Oct 2015 #10
Right. I get their tactic, and I greatly admire them for doing this work, Arugula Latte Oct 2015 #11
Which imaginary friend won? Oneironaut Oct 2015 #2
How can am atheist be a Satanist? Drahthaardogs Oct 2015 #4
They believe in Satan and no God. Rex Oct 2015 #5
They just use the symbology of Satan. backscatter712 Oct 2015 #14
wtf frogmarch Oct 2015 #6
Are you kidding me? NWmountainman Oct 2015 #7
Welcome to the site, NWmountainman! Blue_Tires Oct 2015 #9
If I'm understanding the article correctly, they don't believe in Satan. They are atheists/agnostic ChisolmTrailDem Oct 2015 #13
what is an atheist funeral ? olddots Oct 2015 #12
 

Arugula Latte

(50,566 posts)
1. This sentence makes it seem like atheists/agnostics are also Satanists,
Fri Oct 30, 2015, 02:11 PM
Oct 2015

which is not the case. The vast majority of us just don't believe in any supernatural creatures, whether it's a god or gods, Jesus, Satan, angels, what have you. (Well, except leprechauns. Those are TOTALLY real.)

"A few of the half-dozen students and teachers who invited the Satanists to attend the game in the spirit of free expression were allowed outside the fence, where they spoke with members of the atheist and agnostic group and thanked them for coming."

TlalocW

(15,358 posts)
3. The thing is
Fri Oct 30, 2015, 02:48 PM
Oct 2015

The Satanists are pretty much atheists/agnostics. They adopt the trappings of a religion (they don't actually believe in Satan) in order to make their points about separation of church and state. It's more difficult to do that as just atheists since atheism isn't a religion so some people have no problem excluding them based on that and the old canard of, "It's freedom OF not freedom FROM." By playing the game this way, they've actually had some successes such as in Florida where elementary schools worked with local churches to send Christian coloring books and other materials home with students. When the Satanists demanded their right to do it (I don't know if they actually did), the program was gotten rid of. I also would think that the removal of the 10 Commandments from the Oklahoma Statehouse was partly due to the threat of that Baphomet statue.

I do see your point though. Most people don't know - and don't want to - that they're essentially a performance-activist group disguised as a church and if the article didn't explain that then their conflating atheism with actual Satanists (if they do exist and aren't just some emo kids going through a phase) is not very good journalism.

TlalocW

cemaphonic

(4,138 posts)
8. Yep, taken straight from their website
Fri Oct 30, 2015, 04:21 PM
Oct 2015

"We are atheistic; we do not believe in supernatural beings like God or Satan. We celebrate the literary Satan as a potent symbol of rebellion against tyranny."

Honestly, it seems like a pretty good strategy, even if it's silly and theatrical.

TlalocW

(15,358 posts)
10. Yeah...
Fri Oct 30, 2015, 04:48 PM
Oct 2015

I started likening it to a performance group, which I wish they would hold auditions for, after seeing video like this featuring this scenery-chewing, community theater reject.

If it were me, I'd want my members to dress like young republicans and act completely WASP-y just to set up cognitive dissonance. I still applaud their efforts though.



TlalocW
 

Arugula Latte

(50,566 posts)
11. Right. I get their tactic, and I greatly admire them for doing this work,
Sat Oct 31, 2015, 01:19 PM
Oct 2015

but I wonder if it just gives ammunition to religious ignoramuses who equate "no supernatural beliefs" with devil worship. The article should have explained that clearly.

Drahthaardogs

(6,843 posts)
4. How can am atheist be a Satanist?
Fri Oct 30, 2015, 03:20 PM
Oct 2015

Per tradition, Satan is a creation of the God of Abraham that became corrupted.

It makes no send me

backscatter712

(26,355 posts)
14. They just use the symbology of Satan.
Sat Oct 31, 2015, 01:43 PM
Oct 2015

They use Satan as a symbol of how they aspire to be - Satan is the ultimate rebel against tyranny, the freethinker, and pursuer of responsible happiness, to this group of Satanists. They use him as a symbol, but don't believe he actually exists.

Partially, it's also to troll the fundies. And the result is hilarious!

frogmarch

(12,145 posts)
6. wtf
Fri Oct 30, 2015, 03:26 PM
Oct 2015

How do the "members of the atheist and agnostic group" figure into the story?

Answer: They don't. The person who wrote the story is an ignoramus.

NWmountainman

(19 posts)
7. Are you kidding me?
Fri Oct 30, 2015, 04:01 PM
Oct 2015

An atheist doesn't believe in ANY god. So how can they be a Satanist. That's the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time....

 

ChisolmTrailDem

(9,463 posts)
13. If I'm understanding the article correctly, they don't believe in Satan. They are atheists/agnostic
Sat Oct 31, 2015, 01:36 PM
Oct 2015

using Satanism to create counterpoints to God-based beliefs and actions by religious fundamentalists.

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