I don’t typically like to weigh in on news items that seem guaranteed to generate more heat than light, and this one seems designed to create controversy. That said, I have a few thoughts on it, for what they’re worth.
For those who haven’t seen it, the Satanic Temple of Iowa received permission to install a statue of Baphomet in the Iowa Capital building. Then a guy named Michael Cassidy, a Christian veteran, knocked it down, beheaded it, and threw the head in the trash.
A lot of right-wing, Christian nationalist types are lauding him as a hero. But are they right to do so? (By the way, I’m using those terms as descriptive, not pejorative).
My thoughts: this case shows the limits of liberalism and pluralism, which says that everyone should have the freedom to practice their beliefs, as long as they don’t harm anyone else, and must tolerate others’ beliefs.
This works when a society has a fundamental common understanding of morals, ethics, and truth. When there are radically conflicting visions, not so much. Most people with a worldview believe that everyone should share their worldview, and have no problem attempting to influence or even force others to do so, as well as making their worldview dominant in the public square. This goes from Muslims to Christians to LGBTQ+ activists.
Liberalism has worked up until fairly recently because the dominant ideology in the West was Christianity. Even the famed religious tolerance instituted by the American founding fathers seems to have been designed to accommodate only various sects of Christianity, not completely different religions and much less Satan worship. The question was how to worship, not whom. As society fractures more and more, competing religions like Islam make inroads through immigration, and paganism reasserts itself, religious pluralism will be tested to its max.
Inherently, everyone recognizes that there must be limits to tolerance. Not everything is neutral, valid, or good. The problem is, who gets to decide? Up until recently, that has mostly been Christians, which is why a situation like this is so uncomfortable for many Christians.
I am not certain that under religious freedom laws, a case can be made for denying the Satanic Temple a statue of Baphomet in a public place. Apparently, there were Nativity scenes nearby, so no anti-Christian discrimination was taking place.
Please don’t take this as approval of such a statue. It is not a good sign that our culture is in such a state that there are enough people who want to erect a statue to Satan in a public place. John Adams once famously wrote:
we have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, and licentiousness would break the strongest cords of our Constitution, as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
Secondly, from a Christian point of view, was what Cassidy did correct?
I don’t believe so. Those in favour cite God’s approval of Old Testament Israelite kings who destroyed idols. This ignores the fact that Israel was literally a theocracy, God’s chosen nation which had covenanted to worship him and him alone. Neither America, nor any other earthly nation today, is in that position.
In the New Testament, God’s people shift from a physical nation to a spiritual one, the worldwide community of believers in Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the New Testament do we have commands or examples to Christians to tear down idols. We are told of the Apostle Paul: “While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” (Acts 17:16). However, he did not engage in statue destruction; rather, he used it as a springboard to preach the gospel (Acts 17:16-34).
We see throughout the New Testament that God’s kingdom grows and spreads by preaching the gospel and doing miraculous works in the power of the Holy Spirit; not by physically destroying idols. And this is why I think Michael Cassidy was ultimately misguided, much as I can’t fault his zeal. Tearing down statues of Satan doesn’t advance the kingdom of God, or harm the kingdom of Satan. To do that, Christians need to imitate Jesus and the apostles: preach the gospel, cast out demons, heal the sick.
That is a toughie, right? I appreciate your thought and making me think as well. Fortunately, Satan is not mentioned in the founding documents of this nation, but God is. His name is on all our currency as well. So...politics aside, I wholly agree on your message. People seem to be stuck in the baby stage of The Way...and if Jesus cast out demons almost as much as he healed the sick, what does that tell you? The sick are still here but get treated and prayed for, and the demon possessed continue on, but nobody tackles that.
Was told the nativity scenes are not allowed in the gov buildings...I would support no religious expressions, for the record. Or all of them, but not just one kind.