Comforting: Detroit Satanists say they won't sacrifice animals, people

A new religious group aims to bring the devil to Detroit.

The Satanic Temple today marks the launch of its first chapter outside New York. But leaders say they don’t worship Satan. They don’t practice cannibalism, or sacrifice people or animals.

“It’s peaceful,” said Jex Blackmore, 32, local leader and part of the temple’s executive ministry. “The idea of sacrifice specifically is to appease some demon or some god, and that’s a supernatural belief that we don’t subscribe to.”

The group’s tenets include free will, compassion toward all creatures, respect of others’ freedom — including freedom to offend — and beliefs supported by scientific understanding: “We should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit our beliefs,” according to the Satanic Temple’s website.

Based on Western civilization’s most notorious evil character, the sect is intrinsically controversial. The Satanic Temple was started about two years ago and has drawn national attention for First Amendment-related demonstrations in communities as far-flung as Florida and Massachusetts.

In Oklahoma, the group aims to erect a bronze statue of Baphomet, a bearded, goat-headed deity posing with two children, in response to Christians posting the Ten Commandments at the state’s capitol. Blackmore said that if the Christians removed their monument, the push to install Baphomet would end.  (more...)

Comforting: Detroit Satanists say they won't sacrifice animals, people