Statue of Baphomet

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For other uses, see Baphomet (disambiguation).
Statue of Baphomet
Baphomet statue unveiled in Detroit, Michigan[1]
ArtistMark Porter[2]
Year2015 (2015)
Mediumbronze
SubjectBaphomet
Dimensions260 cm × 141 cm × 118 cm (102 in × 55.5 in × 46.5 in)
Weight3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) [3]
LocationSalem, Massachusetts
WebsiteSalem Art Gallery
This drawing of Baphomet by Eliphas Levi served as an inspiration for the statue.

The statue of Baphomet is a sculpture commissioned by the Satanic Temple depicting Baphomet, a winged, goat-headed, humanoid symbol of the occult.[4] First unveiled in Detroit in 2015, the statue stands 8.5 feet (2.6 m) tall, weighing over 3,000 lbs., and features a prominent pentagram as well as two smiling youths gazing up at the seated central figure. Petitions to display the piece on public grounds have resulted in arguments concerning religious equality.[5] Production of the statue, and its initial notoriety, is featured in the documentary Hail Satan? (2019).

Origins[edit]

The Satanic Temple began an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign in 2014 to create a satanic monument depicting Baphomet and two children, with the intention to display this monument at the Oklahoma State Capitol.[6] The group's fundraising efforts aimed at erecting the statue in response to the Ten Commandments Monument installed by Oklahoma State Representative Mike Ritze in 2012.[6] Artist Mark Porter created the sculpture in Florida[7] using the drawing by Eliphas Levi as a basis for Baphomet.[8]

Public unveiling[edit]

The piece was first seen publicly on 25 July 2015 at an event organized by the Detroit chapter of The Satanic Temple, amidst protests by religious organizations.[9][10][11] The 700 attendees at the unveiling ceremony had to "sell their souls to Satan" in order to receive a ticket, a tactic that the Temple stated was done in order to "keep away some of the more radical superstitious people who would try to undermine the event."[1][12]

Time noted that "the group does not 'promote a belief in a personal Satan.' By their logic, Satan is an abstraction, ... 'a literary figure, not a deity — he stands for rationality, for skepticism, for speaking truth to power, even at great personal cost.' Time also commented on the statue's unveiling, writing "Call it Libertarian Gothic, maybe — some darker permutation of Ayn Rand's crusade for free will. One witnesses in The Satanic Temple militia a certain knee-jerk reaction to encroachments upon personal liberties, especially when those encroachments come with a crucifix in hand. The Baphomet statue is the Satanic Temple’s defiant retort du jour."[12]

State Capitol grounds[edit]

Oklahoma[edit]

Initially commissioned to be installed alongside the Ten Commandments outside the Oklahoma State Capitol, The Satanic Temple offered to donate Baphomet for display on the Capitol grounds. After litigation of Prescott v. Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission concluded with a State Supreme Court order to remove the Ten Commandments monument, the Satanic Temple withdrew their request to place Baphomet on Oklahoma public property.[13]

Arkansas[edit]

The statue was displayed on a flatbed truck parked in front of the Arkansas State Capitol building for several hours on 16 August 2018 for an event organized in protest of the Ten Commandments Monument on the Arkansas Capitol grounds.[14][15][16] After a formal request to install Baphomet was refused, Satanic Temple members were granted legal standing to challenge the Ten Commandments monument.[17] Litigation of the consolidated case Cave et al. v. Thurston was still ongoing as of July 2023.[18]

In October 2023, U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker requested additional briefs on from attorneys on both sides of the lawsuit. Judge Baker questioned whether the monument violated the Arkansas Constitution's provision dealing with the separation of church and state, and suggested that the Arkansas Supreme Court should rule on the state constitutional question before proceeding with federal questions regarding whether or not the Ten Commandments monument violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.[19]

Iowa[edit]

The Baphomet display erected by the Satanic Temple in the Iowa State Capitol in December 2023, prior to is destruction by Michael Cassidy.

In December 2023, the Satanic Temple erected a Baphomet display in the Iowa State Capitol for the Christmas season. However, on 14 December 2023, the display was destroyed by Michael Cassidy, a 35-year-old candidate for the Mississippi House of Representatives and a Christian conservative[20] from Lauderdale, Mississippi. Cassidy, who read about the display on social media, went to the Capitol to destroy it, stating his reasoning for vandalizing the statue: "I grew up in a country that was founded on Christian principles, and in America, that generally promoted good ethics and public displays of virtue. The evil display and the lack of action surprised and offended me as a Christian. People need to stand up for what is right. Satan is evil, and glorifying evil is not an American value." Cassidy also stated that the Satanic Temple "needed Jesus", and sought to evangelize adherents.[21]

In a further interview with conservative news outlet The Sentinel, Cassidy said, "The world may tell Christians to submissively accept the legitimization of Satan, but none of the Founding Fathers would have considered government sanction of Satanic altars inside Capitol buildings as protected by the First Amendment. Anti-Christian values have steadily been mainstreamed more and more in recent decades, and Christians have largely acted like the proverbial frog in the boiling pot of water. I saw this blasphemous statue, and was outraged. My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree, and so I acted."[20]

Cassidy also cited 1 John 3:8 from the New Testament of the Bible as his motivating for destroying the Baphomet display: "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the Devil. Scripture exhorts us to think and act like Jesus Christ."[20]

Despite Cassidy's claims, the Satanic Temple states on its website, "We do not believe in the existence of Satan or the supernatural. The Satanic Temple believes that religion can, and should, be divorced from superstition. As such, we do not promote a belief in a personal Satan. To embrace the name 'Satan' is to embrace rational inquiry removed from supernaturalism and archaic tradition-based superstitions. Satanists should actively work to hone critical thinking, and exercise reasonable agnosticism in all things. Our beliefs must be malleable to the best current scientific understandings of the material world, never the reverse."[22]

The Satanic Temple also denied Cassidy's accusations of "promoting evil", stating, "[We] hold to the basic premise that undue suffering is bad, and that which reduces suffering is good. We do not believe in symbolic 'evil'. We acknowledge blasphemy as a legitimate expression of personal independence from counter-productive traditional norms."[22]

Cassidy was later charged with fourth degree criminal mischief after the Satanic Temple pressed charges;[20] if found guilty, he will face a maximum penalty of one year in prison, and a $2,560 USD fine.[23] He was later charged with a hate crime under Iowa's list of misdemeanors.[24]

The Sentinel subsequently launched a crowdfunding campaign for Cassidy's legal defense fund, and raised $20,000 within three hours,[20] $10,000 of which was donated by conservative campaign group Turning Point USA. Republican presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also stated on Twitter/X that he would donate to the campaign. Overall, the campaign raised over $75,000 for Cassidy's legal defense.[21]

It was announced that Davis Younts, an attorney and retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, would represent Cassidy in court. Younts stated, "My client [Michael Cassidy] was motivated by his Christian faith to peacefully protest a display that is a direct affront to God. When others, including elected leaders, were unwilling to act, he peacefully removed the display. It is my hope that the citation will be dismissed when my client's actions are understood, and that he will not face prosecution because of his Christian faith."[20]

Kim Reynolds, the Governor of Iowa, released the following statement on 12 December 2023, just two days before Cassidy destroyed the Baphomet display: "Like many Iowans, I find the Satanic Temple's display in the Capitol absolutely objectionable. In a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech, and I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol, and recognizing the nativity scene that will be on display – the true reason for the season."[25]

Iowa State Representative Jon Dunwell, an ordained minister and Republican, stated on Twitter/X, "My observation as a follower of Christ, I certainly find a display from the Satanic Temple objectionable. It stands in direct opposition to my faith, and would be classified as evil...[however], in fairness, many other religions or nonreligious people have the same perspective about Christianity...[and] I don't want the state evaluating and making determinations about religions. I am guided by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution."[26]

Another Iowa State Representative and Republican pastor, Brad Sherman, disagreed with Dunwell, calling the Baphomet display "disgusting", and arguing that the display was a violation of the Iowa State Constitution. Sherman stated, "The Iowa Constitution is the supreme law of the State of Iowa, and it establishes the legal foundation upon which all other state laws are built...it is a tortured and twisted interpretation of law that affords Satan, who is universally understood to be the enemy of God, religious expression equal to God in an institution of government that depends upon God for continued blessings. Such a legal view...violates the very foundation of our State Constitution." Sherman also argued against the separation of church and state in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and in favor of Christian nationalism.[27]

References in popular culture[edit]

The Satanic Temple sued Netflix in November 2018 over usage of a likeness of the statue in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.[28] The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum, and the Satanic Temple was given credit for the statue in future broadcasts.[29]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Inside the Satanic Temple's Secret Baphomet Monument Unveiling". VICE. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  2. ^ "Satanic Temple monument". Archived from the original on 2019-01-05. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  3. ^ Baphomet at the Salem Art Gallery
  4. ^ Petri, Alexandra (2014-01-09). "Come sit on Satan's lap with proposed Oklahoma statue". Washington Post. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  5. ^ That Satanic Statute Of Baphomet Has Found A Home In Detroit Metal Injection
  6. ^ a b "Put a Satanic Monument at OK Capitol". Indiegogo. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  7. ^ Here Are the Latest Photos of the Satanic Statue Being Made for Oklahoma’s Statehouse Jonathan Smith, Vice News, December 12, 2014.
  8. ^ Sculpting Satan: A Chat With America’s Most Controversial Artist Observer August 19, 2015.
  9. ^ "Satanic Temple Unveils Baphomet Sculpture In Detroit". Huffington Post. Reuters. 2015-07-27. Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  10. ^ lemonde.fr (28 July 2015). "Le Temple satanique de Détroit dévoile son imposante statue de Baphomet". Le Monde.fr. Archived from the original on 29 July 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  11. ^ "Protesters: Don't turn Detroit over to Satanists". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  12. ^ a b Jenkins, Nash (27 July 2015). "Hundreds Gather for Unveiling of Satanic Statue in Detroit". TIME.com. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  13. ^ Satanic Temple: Campaigns
  14. ^ "Satanic Temple Unveils Baphomet Statue at Arkansas Capitol". Snopes. Associated Press. August 17, 2018. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
  15. ^ Forrest, Adam (August 17, 2018). "Satanic temple sparks uproar by unveiling statue of goat-headed, winged creature called Baphomet in Arkansas state capitol". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-24. Retrieved August 17, 2018.
  16. ^ Grabenstein, Hannah (August 16, 2018). "Satanic Temple Unveils Baphomet Statue at Arkansas Capitol". U.S. News & World Report.
  17. ^ Brantley, Max (December 18, 2018). "Satanic Temple cleared to enter the 10 Commandments lawsuit". Arkansas Times.
  18. ^ McFadin, Daniel (2023-07-09). "Federal judge does not rule on motions for summary judgment in Ten Commandments case". Arkansas Online. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  19. ^ Ellis, Dale (25 October 2023). "Federal judge to decide if state Supreme Court must rule first on Ten Commandments lawsuit". Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  20. ^ a b c d e f Zeisloft, Ben (14 December 2023). "Exclusive: Christian tears down and beheads Satan shrine in Iowa Capitol". The Sentinel. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  21. ^ a b Mendiola, José (20 December 2023). "Man who vandalized Satanic display at Iowa Capitol says he 'felt convicted' to remove it". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". The Satanic Temple. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  23. ^ Wendling, Mike (2023-12-16). "US man charged over damage to Satanic Temple display in Iowa". BBC. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  24. ^ Helsel, Phil (2024-02-01). "US man charged over damage to Satanic Temple display in Iowa". BBC. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  25. ^ Reynolds, Kim. "Gov. Reynolds Statement on Satanic Temple Display". Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. Government of the State of Iowa. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  26. ^ Dunwell, Jon. "Statement from Jon Dunwell". Twitter/X. Twitter/X. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  27. ^ Sherman, Brad. "Honoring God at the Capitol". Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  28. ^ "The Satanic Temple is suing Netflix for $50 million, alleging 'Chilling Adventures of Sabrina' copied its statue of a goat-headed deity and implied it was evil". Business Insider. Retrieved 2018-11-08.
  29. ^ "Satanic Temple settles lawsuit over 'Sabrina' goat-headed deity". Reuters. 21 November 2018.

External links[edit]

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