• some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
    621·
    2 months ago

    Please donate to the Satanic Temple if you are able. They fight these important cases on our behalf. Christofascists need to be reminded that this isn’t a christian nation and that all religions are equal(y bad).

    • chiliedogg@lemmy.worldEnglish
      13·
      2 months ago

      I’m Christian and have donated to the Satanic Temple. Separation of Church and State is good for both institutions. I want the church out of politics and I want politics out of the church.

      • Blankmann@lemmy.worldEnglish
        71·
        2 months ago

        If there are politics in your church, it’s not really a church… and the IRS would very much like to know

        • chiliedogg@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          2 months ago

          Churches can have stances on political issues. They can’t have a stance on how to vote.

          A example would be gay marriage (to be clear, I’m 100% supportive of LGBT+). Many churches have been opposed to homosexuality for millenia. However, in the second half of of the 20th century it became a relevant political issue. That didn’t mean the churches had to stop talking about it. I fact, that would be an example of the state inserting itself into religious teaching.

          It’s a fine line to walk. Churches don’t pay some taxes, but they do pay others (my old church had a building it rented to a for-profit business, and that rent was taxable), and the employees all pay income tax. They also have some very-specific equal-employment exceptions. They can require that employees who serve a religious function be a practicing member of the faith and follow the rules of the church.

          That is: the pastor and other religious-leadership employees of a Southern Baptist church can be fired if they’re not Christian, are gay, or have an extra-martial affair. But the sound guy, finance director, and janitor cannot, because their job duties don’t include religious leadership.

      • Djtecha@lemm.eeEnglish
        151·
        2 months ago

        Yes, it should even have to exist. But crazy judges think you have to be in a religion to be protected from other religions.

        • zarkanian@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          92·
          2 months ago

          So, there’s a lot of confusion about what TST is and what it does.

          TST exists as a church for Satanism. Its activism is (primarily) based around fighting for the rights of Satanists.

          If TST didn’t need to fight for the rights of Satanists, it would still need to exist for every other reason that a church exists.

          • Djtecha@lemm.eeEnglish
            82·
            2 months ago

            We’re talking about the satanic temple here right? It’s just a cooler version of pastafarism. That does community outreach mainly to battle the Christian bullshit.

                • Kellamity@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                  8·
                  2 months ago

                  They don’t believe in a supernatural power, but they see themselves as a serious religion with serious beliefs. From your link:

                  ‘[Satanism is] a narrative structure by which we contextualize our lives and works. …[it is] a body of symbolism and religious practice — a sense of identity, culture, community, and shared values.’

                  They have seven Tenets, none of which are directly about other religions - although one does mention being opposed to ‘distorting scientific facts’. Most are about compassion and individuality.

                  ‘Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought.’

                  Agree with them or not, but they see themselves as much more than some kind of shell religion to undermine Religious Exemption statutes

                  • AA5B@lemmy.worldEnglish
                    5·
                    2 months ago

                    The thing is, I don’t see how the seven tenets should conflict with modern religions at all. It’s fully compatible with what Christianity claims to be. By all logic, following the Satanic tenets should make you a better Christian, a better human

                  • Djtecha@lemm.eeEnglish
                    3·
                    2 months ago

                    Well I do agree with them, I am a member. My point is they don’t believe in western religious tenants like gods and afterlife. Also I’m pretty sure they were founded in a rebuttal to the scotus opinion that athesim isn’t a religion and thus doesn’t deserve religious protections.

          • jupiter_jazz@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
            22·
            2 months ago

            I think maybe you are confused. From their FAQ

            DO YOU WORSHIP SATAN? No, nor do we 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.

            There is a church of Satan, how they compare is here

            https://thesatanictemple.com/pages/about-us

            • zarkanian@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              1·
              2 months ago

              Also from their FAQ

              IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE SUPERNATURAL, HOW IS TST A RELIGION?

              The idea that religion belongs to supernaturalists is ignorant, backward, and offensive. The metaphorical Satanic construct is no more arbitrary to us than are the deeply held beliefs that we actively advocate. Are we supposed to believe that those who pledge submission to an ethereal supernatural deity hold to their values more deeply than we? Are we supposed to concede that only the superstitious are rightful recipients of religious exemption and privilege? Satanism provides all that a religion should be without a compulsory attachment to untenable items of faith-based belief. It provides a narrative structure by which we contextualize our lives and works. It also provides a body of symbolism and religious practice — a sense of identity, culture, community, and shared values.

              If you want to compare and contrast TST and the Church of Satan, there’s an excellent in-depth article here.

              Neither one worships Satan. They are both religions. However, their values are very different.

        • Murdoc@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          2·
          2 months ago

          So it’s the fact that it is needed that is bad, not the thing itself. If it’s helping the problem I’d call that a good thing. Like medical care, or firefighting.

      • BreakDecks@lemmy.mlEnglish
        6·
        2 months ago

        Yes, I am a member of the TST, and we are going to corrupt children in public schools with the help of Christians who have opened the door to us. They also want to corrupt the children, but we’re better at it, so we will win. Hail Satan!

        Unless they want to close that door again and respect separation of church and state. If they did that our whole plan would be ruined. Under no circumstances should they do that…