Satanists are planning to erect a statue of the Devil at the Oklahoma state Capitol.
The Satanic Temple, based in New York City, released its design Monday for a monument depicting children standing beside a horn-headed Satan at his throne.
The Satanic Temple applied to the Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission to build its monument as an antidote to a Ten Commandments monument erected in 2012 on Capitol grounds. The Ten Commandments monument is currently the subject of an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawsuit.
“The monument has been designed to reflect the views of Satanists in Oklahoma City and beyond,” said Lucien Greaves, a spokesman for the Satanic Temple, in a statement. “The statue will also have a functional purpose as a chair where people of all ages may sit on the lap of Satan for inspiration and contemplation.”
An indiegogo campaign to raise money for the monument has already generated more than $15,700.
The Satanic Temple also released a video promoting its campaign that is three minutes, forty-two seconds long and really needs to be seen to be fully appreciated:
Multiple Oklahoma lawmakers have already come out in opposition to the temple’s application.
“As an organized religion, we feel it is our function to actively provide outreach, to lead by example, and to participate public affairs wheresoever the issues might benefit from rational, Satanic insights,” according to the temple’s mission statement.
“Satan stands as the ultimate icon for the selfless revolt against tyranny, free & rational inquiry, and the responsible pursuit of happiness,” according to the “Beliefs” section of the temple’s website. “The Satanist harbors reasonable agnosticism in all things, holding fast only to that which is demonstrably true. The cultural narratives through which we contextualize our lives must be malleable to conformity with our best scientific understandings of the material world.”
Nancy Pelosi did not immediately make a statement on the proposal.