The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religious organization and new religious movement primarily based in the United States, with additional congregations in Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The organization uses Satanic imagery to promote civil rights, egalitarianism, social justice, secularism, and the separation of church and state, supporting their mission "to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people". The Satanic Temple has become the primary religious Satanic organization in the world with congregations internationally, and a number of high-profile public campaigns designed to preserve and advance secularism and individual liberties.
The Satanic Temple is not affiliated with the Church of Satan, which was founded by Anton Szandor LaVey in the 1960s. The Church of Satan expresses vehement opposition to the campaigns and activities of The Satanic Temple, asserting themselves as the only “true” arbiters of Satanism, while The Satanic Temple dismisses the Church of Satan as irrelevant and inactive.
The Satanic Temple does not have any sacred book or scripture and does not adhere to The Satanic Bible. They have a suggested reading list that provides some illumination on the philosophical origins of their beliefs. The Satanic Temple does not have any required rituals, but some members choose to participate in rituals that they find personally meaningful. Rituals never involve the promotion of suffering, do not involve animals, and are always consensual among all participants.
The Satanic Temple has received some criticism for their actions, most notably from religious organizations and figures. Many critics state that they believe that the Temple is not a serious organization and is instead meant to be a prank, form of satire, or elaborate trolling attempt. However, the Temples spokesperson, Lucien Greaves, has dismissed these claims, stating that the Temple could be both satanic and satirical.
In summary, The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religious organization that uses Satanic imagery to promote civil rights, egalitarianism, social justice, secularism, and the separation of church and state. They do not have any sacred book or scripture and do not adhere to The Satanic Bible. The organization has received criticism for their actions, but they have dismissed claims that they are not a serious organization.
