A Mississippi man who admitted to the decapitating of a statue of the Satanic idol Baphomet at the Iowa Capitol has been charged with a hate crime, according to the Des Moines Register.
Veteran Michael Cassidy of Lauderdale, Mississippi, admitted to damaging a display erected by the Satanic Temple. He was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief and was released.
Cassidy was later charged with a hate crime. The damage caused to the display allegedly cost between $750 and $1,500. The act is “in violation of individual rights” in the state, according to KCCI.
Cassidy could potentially be convicted of a Class D felony. In Iowa, Class “D” felonies are “punishable by confinement for no more than five years and a fine of at least $750 but not more than $7,500.”
Veteran Who Decapitated Satan Statue Previously Ran Unorthodox Congressional Campaignhttps://t.co/br07luTGJE
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) December 15, 2023
Cassidy defended his actions on Fox News after being charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief.
He said it was an act of “righteous indignation” and he considered pulling the head of the statue as a form of “Christian civil disobedience.”
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6343249387112
Cassidy said the head of the idol was made of “cheap fabric” worth maybe “five or ten dollars.” After he put the head in the garbage bag, Cassidy turned himself into a security guard.
This doesn’t look like a felony that could potentially be punished by imprisonment for up to five years. For God-fearing Christians, decapitating a statue symbolizing Satan—the Father of Lies—probably looks more like it deserves a civic duty award.
The Satanic Temple commissioned a statue of Baphomet that was unveiled in 2015. The statue was displayed in various locations to protest displays of the Ten Commandments in public spaces.
In other words, the statue of Baphomet is a direct attack on the foundations of Western society. The father of lies hates truth and the Satanic Temple despises God’s commandments.
A society based on lies would necessarily be lawless. And yet the Satanic Temple is so bold as to call upon the law to protect its championing of chaos.
Though The Satanic Temple claims it doesn’t believe in Lucifer, members shout, “Hail Satan!” at ceremonies, according to the BBC.
A spokesperson for the temple, Dex Desjardins, admits, “A lot of our imagery is inherently blasphemous.”
“We’ve got folks who wear inverted crosses. And our opening ceremony did have the ripping up of a Bible as a symbol of oppression,” Desjardins continued.
It sounds like not believing in Lucifer is just one more lie to honor their namesake—Satan.
Whatever the case may be, the U.S. government recognizes the Satanic Temple as a religion.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fl.) pledged to “chip in” to cover Cassidy’s legal fees. He said, “Satan has no place in our society and should not be recognized as a ‘religion’ by the federal government.”
Cassidy’s next hearing is on Feb. 15. May God be with him.
