Michigan Satanic Groups Battle for the Devil’s Love

A couple of satanic groups in Michigan are waging war against each other in an attempt to establish which organization is more Satanic than the other. The oldest temple to honor the dark lord is the Temples of Satan formed by Reverend Tom Erik Raspotnik, which he suggests is the more progressive “tea party” Satanists – rooted in animal sacrifices and other twisted beliefs.

However, the latest group to emerge is the Detroit chapter of the Satanic Temple, which is rooted in the satanic philosophies developed in California during the 1960s. This particular organization has resurrected the movement, so to speak, and brought the idea of Satanism into the mainstream – making plans to erect a bronze Baphomet in Oklahoma to combat the Ten Commandment.

Yet, other Satanists are not keen on the activities or beliefs of this particular organization and have since distanced their affiliation.

Per the Satanic Temple website:

“The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people. In addition, we embrace practical common sense and justice.”

“As an organized religion, we feel it is our function to actively provide outreach, to lead by example, and to participate in public affairs wheresoever the issues might benefit from rational, Satanic insights. As Satanists, we all should be guided by our consciences to undertake noble pursuits guided by our individual wills. We believe that this is the hope of all mankind and the highest aspiration of humanity.”

Reverend Raspotnik believes that the Satanic Temple is for safe Satanists: “You have to understand, though, that the Satanic Temple is really underplaying the Satan angle and focusing on the atheist and free speech/religion issues in general, which has garnered a lot of support,” he said.

Raspotnik says if someone is interested in following the true Satanic path, they must practice magic and sacrifice animals. “I’ve also just killed a goat and buried it,” he said. “I just don’t think it’s that phenomenal to eat.”