'Hellfire awaits': Religious groups protest against SatanCon 2023, largest satanic gathering in history
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: SatanCon 2023, a three-day convention that began on Friday, April 28, which is “the largest satanic gathering in history,” drew more than hundreds of participants at the Marriott Copley Place Hotel. Celebrating its tenth anniversary, the controversial convention, which is being hosted by the Salem-based Satanic Temple, saw speakers tear up the Bible and perform 'un-baptisms'. It also showed them destroying a 'Thin Blue Line' flag, which is flown in support of law enforcement.
According to WCVB, the Satanic Temple had 700,000 registered members from all over the world attend the event, which included satanic rituals, entertainment, and discussion panels. The three-day event saw 'Live Laugh Love' pillows and demonic goat head dolls, alongside t-shirts, candles, jewelry, and Satanic literature on display. However, the arrival of the Devil worshippers sparked backlash from religious groups, with crowds gathering on Saturday, April 29, protesting the event with "intense prayer," reports DailyMail. Dr Jaymz Sideras, the leader of religious group Revive Boston, who hosted a counter-event at the Revere Hotel Boston Common, said, "While they think they are coming to ambush Boston, little do they know that God has planned to ambush them."
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'Satan has NO rights'
According to New York Post, hundreds of protestors showed up at the event with signs that read “Satan has NO rights!” and “Hellfire awaits!” Patriot Front members were also spotted in front of the hotel and while taking the train in their khaki pants, ball caps, and white face masks. Upon arrival, they chanted, “Nazis, go home.”
Patriot Front is on the green line in Boston and @AntuanCDR is chasing them down on his own! #PatriotFront #BosPoli 1/ pic.twitter.com/ysIi0kIe6v
— Rod Webber (@RodWebber) April 29, 2023
Satanists held an opening ceremony at 10th anniversary of Satancon in Boston Massachusetts.
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 28, 2023
Organizers say it the largest satanic gathering in history.
Bibles and Thin Blue Line flags were destroyed. pic.twitter.com/MP3mJ1Lozd
Details about the Satanic Temple
As per WCVB, it is "a religious organization that pushes for the strict separation of church and state and other civil rights issues." In a lawsuit last year, the organization mentioned that it "venerates, but does not worship, the allegorical Satan described in the epic poem Paradise Lost - the defender of personal sovereignty against the dictates of religious authority." Its official website stated, "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 rise of The Satanic Temple has been met with an increase in commentary regarding what Satanism is as media outlets struggle to grasp how this upstart religion has begun to shift religious liberty debates with claims of equal access."
One of the SatanCon attendees, Richard-Lael Lillard, said, as stated by CBS News, "It's about supporting human rights. It's about supporting women's bodily autonomy. It's about freedom of religion, freedom from religion. Most don't believe in Satan, not a literal Satan. It's not some 1980s horror film." Another attendee, Suzanna Plum, said, "I understand the confusion, the fear. I really do, but at the same time, we're a very misunderstood group. We're just like everybody else. We pay our taxes, we want our communities to improve and do better. We love our kids just like everybody else. We're just normal people, we just believe a little differently."
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