OPINION:
A version of this story appeared in the Higher Ground newsletter from The Washington Times. Click here to receive Higher Ground delivered directly to your inbox each Sunday.
Some of the most bombastic headlines surrounding religious liberty battles this year have centered on a group traditionally relegated to the shadows: Satanists.
The term “satanism” unsurprisingly sparks frenzied headlines and commotion, as it conjures up spooky connotations of disturbed, devil-worshiping individuals obsessed with the occult and black magic. At the very least, Satanism brings about a feeling of discomfort, especially when its ideals are brought before children in the form of “after-school Satan clubs” and other such antics.
On many levels, these nauseated and perturbed reactions are understandable, as the Bible describes Lucifer as sinful, cunning, the “father of lies” and a thief who steals, kills and destroys. Thus, anyone openly aligning themselves with Satan is, in turn, at least connotatively attached to these descriptors. Plainly stated, it’s not a good look.
As society secularizes, though, a seemingly growing cohort appears increasingly comfortable with — even craving — the negative attention that can flow from such associations. Media-savvy satanists have become ostensibly obnoxious, with a near-constant stream of efforts to command attention, secure headlines and push their causes.
They’re often quite successful at landing these goals, too, mainly because far too many people fail to comprehend an astonishing fact that somehow flies under the radar: Many of the people claiming allegiance to Satanism are actually atheists who reject his existence.
That’s right. Far from eerie, devil-worshiping miscreants with an insatiable lust for theological malevolence, most contemporary Satanists — at least those dominating headlines — don’t believe in God, Satan, or anything supernatural, for that matter.
The Satanic Temple, the organization known for its advocacy of abortion and after-school Satan clubs, among other activities, explains this dynamic in a Q&A on its website. The organization makes its rejection of the “existence of Satan or the supernatural” more than clear under the question “Do you worship Satan?”
“The Satanic Temple believes that religion can, and should, be divorced from superstition,” the website reads. “As such, we do not promote a belief in a personal Satan.”
“To embrace the name Satan is to embrace rational inquiry removed from supernaturalism and archaic tradition-based superstitions,” the text continues.
To the Satanic Temple’s credit, the organization isn’t trying to hide its nontheism, yet its unbelief is often missed in the chaotic inferno surrounding the group’s antics.
Whether it is its launch of after-school Satan clubs seemingly targeting Christian groups or attempts to allegedly advocate abortion by claiming it’s somehow a Satanic “ritual” covered under the First Amendment — or even the group’s Satanic-themed holiday displays that emerge around Christmas — one thing is becoming abundantly clear: It’s time for Christians to strategically rebuff Satanists’ pleas for attention.
It’s without a doubt important to speak with spiritual clarity about evil, and there’s certainly a theological argument to be made that demonic imagery and reverence even for the literary “character” of the devil are spiritually dangerous. Plus, it’s essential to recognize the existence of theistic Satanists who not only believe in Lucifer but also worship him.
But when it comes to atheistic Satanists, there’s only one real reaction worthy of consideration at this juncture: a collective eye roll. It’s far past time for Christians to understand these groups’ beliefs, stop reacting to their antics with rage, and ignore the madness as much as possible.
Ultimately, atheistic Satanists’ near-constant quest for media attention and the furor it fosters only serve to help the Satanist cause. That’s why Christians would be smartest to stop over-devoting attention, energy and furor toward them.
These groups likely will keep creating holiday displays, continue advocating progressive social perspectives, and even work to install after-school Satan clubs in our communities. At the end of the day, though, negative reactions and media coverage only serve to elevate their efforts and spread their ideas to more individuals and communities.
The adage “any publicity is good publicity” rings true in this case, with the controversy serving as an endless advertisement for the Satanist cause. It’s pretty remarkable, too, when we recognize many of these individuals are simply atheists in costume.
But that reality of their unbelief should help reframe and temper the chaos we sometimes allow to fester with our reactions. Perhaps the best way to see fewer satanist events and happenings is to simply stop giving them the reactions that serve such purposes.
Eye rolls and a healthy dose of prayer are truly the best paths forward.
• Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and the co-host of CBN’s “Quick Start Podcast.” He is the author of four books.
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