New Hampshire capital includes satanic symbol as part of holiday display to ‘avoid litigation’

In an effort to “avoid litigation,” New Hampshire’s capital said it will allow The Satanic Temple (TST) to be part of the holiday display in the city’s Town Square.

Concord city, New Hampshire, He said In a Facebook post on Saturday, TST obtained a permit allowing it to display a holiday memorial near the city’s nativity scene outside the New Hampshire Statehouse.

The city explained that under the First Amendment, to avoid litigation, Concord had to choose whether to ban all holiday displays installed by other groups or allow TST displays.

“After reviewing its legal options, the city has ultimately decided to continue its policy of allowing unattended displays in City Plaza this holiday season and permit the statue,” the Facebook announcement said. “Next year, the City Council is expected to review whether permits for unattended displays should be allowed in City Plaza.”

Members of The Satanic Temple want to volunteer in Florida schools, but the governor’s office says that won’t happen

“The Satanic Temple has submitted requests to install its monuments in holiday displays as part of a demonstration of religious unity and pluralism,” the city said. When TST was excluded from locations across the country, it threatened and filed First Amendment lawsuits, the post noted.

“Similar to other holiday displays installed across the country, The Satanic Temple has received permission to include the monument in Concord City Plaza during the month of December,” the city of Concord’s Facebook post said.

The post added: “Not to be confused with the Church of Satan, the Satanic Temple’s stated mission is to encourage goodness and compassion among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble endeavors.” .

A New York school district allows a student to form a Bible club after previously denying permission

However, in an interview with the Boston Globe, Concord Mayor Byron Champlin criticized TST’s offer.

“I opposed the permit on the grounds that the request was not made to promote religious equality, but to advance an anti-religious political agenda to capitalize on the attention one might receive during this time of year.” He said.

Along with its post, the city shared a photo of the statue, which TST leaders unveiled Saturday evening, according to a Facebook Live broadcast. Published online.

The statue is of Baphomet, a yellow-eyed mystical god and symbol, wearing a purple sash with upside-down crosses and a tablet bearing the seven cardinal principles of the temple. Boston.com reported.

Republicans who call for more Christianity in public schools face opposition

said Lucian Greaves, co-founder and spokesperson for TST Fox News Digital That by saying they allowed the holiday display to avoid litigation, the city of Concord was “admitting that they really had no choice but to follow the law.”

“The law requires, as it should, the government not to interfere in matters of the exercise of religious opinion or identity,” he said. “This is the essence of religious freedom, that each one of us is free to believe or disbelieve, to have his own religious opinion and to hold to it, as he sees fit.”

He added: “Even those who feel uncomfortable with satanic images should nonetheless be proud, when our displays are made public, that we live in a nation where this freedom still exists.”

TST told Fox News Digital that the statue was pushed onto the sidewalk two and a half days after its unveiling.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP