The rise of The Satanic Temple in 2023

The Satanic Temple (TST) had a hell of a year after it scored legal victories in public education while a Christian veteran severed the head of a half-man, half-goat Baphomet statue inside the Iowa State Capitol building that was donated by the religious organization for the holiday season.

The group, which its website says doesn't "believe in the existence of Satan or the supernatural," celebrated its successes and boasted its membership continued to grow "rapidly and steadily," with more than 700,000 constituents having joined its 56 chapters worldwide since its inception just over 10 years ago.

"As awareness of our organization grows, many find that their religious beliefs align with ours," a TST spokesperson told Fox News Digital in an email. "We've earned recognition for openly defending our members' civil rights and for standing resiliently against threats to our religious practices."

In the last 12 months, the organization said it has continued its mission to spearhead a number of community-based initiatives, including the establishment of a New Mexico "telehealth" chemical abortion facility named "Samuel Alito's Mom's Satanic Abortion Clinic," in mockery of the Supreme Court justice who authored the opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.

‘SATAN CLUB’ APPROVED AT KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL

The nontheistic organization that characterizes itself as religious also became embroiled in a civil rights lawsuit after launching several After School Satan Clubs to "provide an alternative to proselytizing religious clubs" like Bible-study groups in public schools in Kansas, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

The organization's presence around children drew enough widespread criticism from concerned parents in Pennsylvania's Saucon Valley School District that district officials rescinded its earlier approval to allow the club to meet.

The organization became embroiled in a civil rights lawsuit after launching several After School Satan Clubs to "provide an alternative to proselytizing religious clubs" in Kansas, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. (After School Satan Club)

But after TST officials filed a civil rights lawsuit backed by the ACLU of Pennsylvania, alleging the district's reversal violated the free speech clause of the First Amendment, a U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania judge issued a preliminary injunction requiring the district to continue to give the clubs the right to use its facilities.

This comes after the organization hosted such clubs in schools in other states like Virginia, California and Massachusetts last year.

The Satanic Temple found itself at the center of another controversy just before the holidays by setting up statues of Baphomet – a goat-headed figure worshipped by Gnostic templegoers – for the holiday season in state Capitols, including Iowa and Michigan, and other public spaces like the National Railroad Museum in Wisconsin.

Mississippi Navy reserve pilot instructor veteran Michael Cassidy severed the head of the controversial Satanic statue displayed in the Iowa state Capitol. (Rep. Jon Dunwell)

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Mississippi Navy reserve pilot instructor veteran Michael Cassidy severed the head of the controversial Satanic statue displayed in the Iowa state Capitol.

Cassidy, 35, previously said he decided on the "spur of the moment" to travel north to Des Moines and take action against the statue, which officials permitted construction not far from the rotunda's Nativity display for Christmas. Authorities later charged Cassidy with fourth-degree criminal mischief with a maximum fine of about $2,600 on state charges.

The Satanic Temple of Iowa wrote in a Facebook post at the time that the display was "beyond repair."

Cassidy's legal woes, however, sparked support from conservative pundits and lawmakers, including commentator Matt Walsh and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who pledged to "chip in" for Cassidy's legal fees. DeSantis wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "Satan has no place in our society and should not be recognized as a 'religion' by the federal government." 

Walsh similarly tweeted he would contribute to Cassidy's defense.

A statue of Baphomet was displayed in state Capitols, including Iowa and Michigan, and other public spaces like the National Railroad Museum in Wisconsin. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

But such comments from government officials have been a long-standing challenge for The Satanic Temple, which told Fox News Digital that some lawmakers believe "constitutional rights are selective, applicable only to those they share pews with on Sundays." 

"We look forward to continuing to educate these local, state and federal officials on constitutional law in the coming years," the spokesperson said.

Civil rights legal adviser and director of the Conscience Project Andrea Picciotti-Bayer argued that governments have the right to "reasonably exclude clubs and displays that ridicule the rule of law and disrespect religious belief and tradition" since it's not dealing with an open public forum.

"Let's not be fooled here," Picciotti-Bayer said. "The Satanic Temple is not a bona fide religious organization of consistency and integrity. For years, the publicity-hungry group has been on a mission with legal shenanigans aimed at undermining religious freedom and free speech in our country," referring to the "monstrous Satanic 'holiday' display" in the Iowa state Capitol and the After School Satan Clubs lawsuit supported by the ACLU.

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"The Constitution protects sincerely held religious belief, not the mockery of religion on government property," she added.

However, the organization said it plans to expand its community-based efforts in 2024 by expanding Satanic abortion clinics into more states and engaging with federal and state programs that provide government support and funding to religious groups.