The Satanic Temple unveils demonic statue near Nativity scene at New Hampshire state House
The Satanic Temple continues its annual holiday tradition of erecting satanic displays near Nativity scenes on government property by unveiling a statue of the demon Baphomet on the grounds of the New Hampshire state House in Concord on Saturday evening.
The statue — which was unveiled to shouts of “Hail Satan!” — depicts a black-clad statue of Baphomet clutching a bouquet of purple lilacs in its right hand, symbolizing the state flower of New Hampshire, according to a live feed of the ceremony that aired on Facebook.
The statue is also adorned with a purple stole emblazoned with the inverted pentagram and goat's head of the TST logo, as well as two inverted crosses. At the foot of the statue is a tablet listing the seven tenets of The Satanic Temple. To its left is a black and white satanic flag.
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Explaining the symbolism during the ceremony was Orpheus Gaur, a minister of TST's New Hampshire and Vermont congregation, who also designed the display and serves as director of the Satanic Representation Campaign, according to the Concord Monitor.
In its left hand, the Baphomet figure holds an apple symbolizing the forbidden fruit, which Gaur said represents "our quest for knowledge, defiance in the face of arbitrary authority and our commitment to self-determination."
“A lot of people run from the word 'satanic,' but we embrace it,” TST minister Vivian Kelly said during the unveiling ceremony.
TST co-founder Lucien Greaves, whose real name is Douglas Mesner, tweeted a photo of himself next to the statue, writing, "Monuments will come and go, and this one may not last the night, but the spirit of pluralism and personal freedom will not be erased."
At the New Hampshire State House where tonight our NH congregation erected a holiday display among various other religious displays. Monuments will come and go, and this one may not last the night, but the spirit of pluralism and personal freedom will not be erased. pic.twitter.com/IbMcemFldb
— Lucien Greaves (@LucienGreaves) December 8, 2024
Baphomet is a Gnostic idol or deity that was first mentioned in the 11th century, but later featured in the writings and rituals of prominent occultists such as Aleister Crowley, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.
The Satanic Temple, which claims not to believe in a personal Satan or the supernatural despite a reading list that includes material reflecting on Crowley's legacy, repeatedly features Baphomet in its displays.
The organization paid approximately $100,000 in 2015 to construct a 9-foot tall statue of the androgynous entity being adored by two children, according to the BBC. The statue has been erected in opposition to displays of the Ten Commandments on government property.
In a statement posted on Facebook Saturday, the city of Concord defended its decision to permit the satanic display, noting how they wanted to "avoid litigation."
"Throughout the country, the Satanic Temple has both threatened and brought lawsuits under the First Amendment when excluded," the city said, noting that TST's request for a permit was done ostensibly as part of "a show of unity and religious pluralism."
“After reviewing its legal options, the City ultimately decided to continue the policy of allowing unattended displays at City Plaza during this holiday season and to allow the statue,” the city said. "It is anticipated that City Council will review next year whether permits for unattended holiday displays should be allowed at City Plaza."
The city also noted that a Bill of Rights scene installed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation is also near the Nativity scene.
New Hampshire state Rep. Ellen Read, a Democrat from Newmarket, who helped TST secure the necessary permits, also defended the display, according to NH Journal.
"Everything has the potential to offend, even the nearby Nativity scene. Not only is over a third of the state not religious, never mind Christian, but I can imagine those who have been judged, harmed, or abused by the Christian church feeling offended by the Nativity scene displayed on public grounds," she told the local outlet. “And yet the Nativity scene has stood perennially, unmolested, for years.”
Earlier this year, Read introduced a proposed amendment to the New Hampshire state Constitution that would make the default oath of office a non-religious oath.
Read also claimed that someone has already attempted to knock over the display and chastised such behavior as inadequately Christian, according to the NH Journal.
"If we presume that those who have vandalized the display of Baphomet are doing so in the name of Christianity, then does that speak for a family-friendly holiday celebrating love, peace, and goodwill towards all?" Read told the outlet.
Last year, a satanic display in the Iowa state Capitol that also featured Baphomet made headlines when U.S. Navy veteran and former Mississippi House of Representatives candidate Michael Cassidy was charged with a felony hate crime for toppling the statue and tossing its silver ram's head in the trash.
Cassidy ultimately pleaded guilty to criminal mischief in May in exchange for having the hate crime charge against him dropped.
During an interview with The Christian Post shortly after the incident last December, Cassidy maintained that he did the right thing and that legislators are overcomplicating evil by suggesting that the U.S. Constitution protects devil worship on government property.
“The people who wrote our Constitution would be shocked to think of defending Satan as consistent with their beliefs when they wrote the laws that govern our nation,” he said.
“People start overcomplicating the truth, which is that God is great and should be honored, and the devil is evil and should not be honored,” he said. "I think people are tying themselves in knots trying to justify it, and it's really a lot simpler than that."
In 2021, Illinois featured a satanic holiday display when members of that state's chapter of TST installed a statue of baby Baphomet swaddled in a manger in the rotunda of the Illinois state Capitol in 2021.
In 2018, a "Snactivity" statue depicting a serpent coiling around Eve's hand to offer her the forbidden fruit also featured in the Illinois state Capitol, next to a menorah and Nativity scene.
Last week, TST was banned in Russia, with the country's Prosecutor General's Office accusing the organization of promoting "occult ideology" and using satanic symbols to "discredit traditional spiritual and moral values."
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to jon.brown@christianpost.com
