Satanic Temple permitted to erect holiday display at Florida's state capitol

This year’s holiday display in the rotunda of the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee will feature a festive message it’s never had before:

“Happy Holidays from the Satanic Temple.”

Each year, groups vie for space to have their holiday displays appear from Dec. 22-29 in an area designated for private speech. Some groups are religious, others are just trying to make a point.

Last year, the Satanic Temple’s display was rejected by Florida’s Department of Management Services, when it was deemed "grossly offensive."

“The only difference is that this year we arrived with lawyers,” Temple spokesperson Lucien Greaves told the Washington Post.

“In a nation that respects religious liberty, viewpoint discrimination is simply intolerable,” Greaves said in a statement. “For that reason, we feel our holiday display sends a very important, affirmative message that goes above and beyond that of superficial season’s greetings.”

The display depicts an angel falling from the sky into a pit of flames and a verse from Isaiah:

“How you have fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of dawn!”

In years past, displays that have been permitted included a six-foot Festivus pole made out of beer cans and a Pastafarian Flying Spaghetti Monster. The displays appearing in the open area must be funded by private organizations.

According to the Satanic Temple’s website, the group does not worship Satan. Rather, the group does not believe in any supernatural forces, including Satan.

“To embrace the name Satan is to embrace rational inquiry removed from super-naturalism and archaic tradition-based superstitions,” the site explains.

Talk about taking the Christ out of Christmas.

(Photo via The Satanic Temple)

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