Your thoughts on Satanism and the petition for a Satanic statue.

[abaris]

I definitely don't like it, but I still wouldn't stop them from putting it on public land. My concern here is with putting it right next to the 10 commandments, because it wouldn't stand on its own, but rather, it would be deliberately done as a sign of hostility and hate for another group of people.

I see it as provocative rather than hostile, which definetely is the intent. Putting the 10 commandments on state ground is breaking the non establishment clause, as far as I know. So there are two options. Allow everyone's display or do away with the christian symbolism.

And it is the same story, running for a year now. I just looked it up. They are under order to remove the ten commandments, since their display has been found unconstitutional.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/07/...l-must-go/

[TheRocketSurgeon]

How can Christians be so blind to the fact that the hostility that others show toward their faith through such "provocations" is in no way different from the hostility that they show us when they use their religious symbols to assert their domination of our shared culture?

[Catholic_Lady]

I have a problem with them wanting to put that up right next to a Christian/Jewish symbol, though. Those Satanists did not invent the symbol of the Demon, the bible did. They took something that was made up to represent evil, and are trying to make it their own. Which is fine, I guess, but by putting it next to the 10 commandments statue, they are deliberately and knowingly trying to "defile" something that is very sacred for the majority of people in this country. Why not just choose a different spot to put their statue in? Its own spot?

Why does it matter if their symbol was borrowed from your mythology?

Why does it matter if it is placed next to your symbols?

This is a simple case of freedom of religion and freedom from religion. Do you even know the content of the 1st Amendment?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"

If Christianity and Judaism are allowed to put their symbols on Government land, then other religions have he same rights. If the local governments would actually obey the Constitution and remove all religious symbols from their property, then you wouldn't have to be offended by Satanists exercising their rights in getting their religious statue erected.

By the way, almost everyone of Christianity's symbols were borrowed from earlier pagan religions. So your argument that Satanists are borrowing their religious symbol from Christianity is a non starter.

It's not that they "borrowed" that I have an issue with. It's what it was designed to mean when it was made up. It was designed to mean hate and evil in Christianity/Judaism, so as a sign of respect, don't put it right next to a sacred Christian/Jewish symbol.

EDIT TO ADD:

It would be like putting a swastika right next to a Jewish Star, except worse because the swastika wasn't even originated by the Nazis. The swastika was originally a sacred symbol in Hinduism, but by putting one right next to something Jewish would imply hate/hostility towards a group of people.

[Cyberman]

How about not putting up any religious symbols on public land out of respect? Why has that not occurred to you?

[tjakey]

I think you "having a problem" with someone putting their religious icon next to your religious icon, when both are on public land, says more about you that it does anything else. Do you really not see the hypocrisy of such a position?

If you don't, then you are beyond ever understanding just how absurd the debate sounds to those of us who are Americans, but are definitely not Christian, sounds.

[Minimalist]

How can Christians be so blind to the fact that the hostility that others show toward their faith through such "provocations" is in no way different from the hostility that they show us when they use their religious symbols to assert their domination of our shared culture?

That's what religion does.  In fact, it may well be its sole purpose.

[Simon Moon]

Why does it matter if their symbol was borrowed from your mythology?

Why does it matter if it is placed next to your symbols?

This is a simple case of freedom of religion and freedom from religion. Do you even know the content of the 1st Amendment?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"

If Christianity and Judaism are allowed to put their symbols on Government land, then other religions have he same rights. If the local governments would actually obey the Constitution and remove all religious symbols from their property, then you wouldn't have to be offended by Satanists exercising their rights in getting their religious statue erected.

By the way, almost everyone of Christianity's symbols were borrowed from earlier pagan religions. So your argument that Satanists are borrowing their religious symbol from Christianity is a non starter.

It's not that they "borrowed" that I have an issue with. It's what it was designed to mean when it was made up. It was designed to mean hate and evil in Christianity/Judaism, so as a sign of respect, don't put it right next to a sacred Christian/Jewish symbol.

EDIT TO ADD:

It would be like putting a swastika right next to a Jewish Star, except worse because the swastika wasn't even originated by the Nazis. The swastika was originally a sacred symbol in Hinduism, but by putting one right next to something Jewish would imply hate/hostility towards a group of people.

In the Hebrew Bible, Satan mean 'adversary'. Satan does not have the power of independent action, but requires the permission of Yahweh. Satan works on the behalf of Yahweh, and does not have the ability to transgress.  

Therefore, a Satanic statue has no hateful connotation to the Jews.

[Catholic_Lady]

How about not putting up any religious symbols on public land out of respect? Why has that not occurred to you?

Do I have to care? Lol. I personally don't care whether there are or aren't any religious symbols on public property. Other people's religious symbols don't bother me in the least bit, and I have zero reason to be offended or feel disrespected by someone else's religious symbols, in and of themselves. Because of everything I have already explained though, I do not think it would be right to put a Demon right next to the 10 commandments. But generally speaking, I don't care what symbols are on this property.

[Catholic_Lady]

I think you "having a problem" with someone putting their religious icon next to your religious icon, when both are on public land, says more about you that it does anything else.  Do you really not see the hypocrisy of such a position?

If you don't, then you are beyond ever understanding just how absurd the debate sounds to those of us who are Americans, but are definitely not Christian, sounds.

Do you not understand the difference between putting a swastika right next to a Jewish Star, verses putting it somewhere on its own to represent Hinduism? 

The way certain things are presented can have certain connotations.

[Longhorn]

Therefore, a Satanic statue has no hateful connotation to the Jews.

And so what if it did?

Why would you think the ten commandments aren't offensive to satanists? It's really simple: you either can or can't put religious statues on public land. If you can, so can satanists. suck it. If you can't, get the ten commandments off the damn lawn. I'm deeply offended by crosses. But it has not occurred to anyone to remove them to comfort my sensitivities.why should the xtians have special privileges?

Because that's all this is about: religious freedom. (*)Provided you're of the One True Faith...