Phoenix said “No,” so the suburb of Scottsdale, where I have offices, said yes. The Satanic Temple cult will be allowed to say a prayer before the City Council. The Satanists had originally asked to “hail Satan” before a similar body in Phoenix. That government group decided that, rather than give in to devil-worshipers in the name of freedom of religion, they would replace their normal invocation with a moment of silence. That gave the Satanist what they wanted, no prayers at all, including one to a Judaeo-Christian God. But the devil’s crowd didn’t give up and instead took their war of evil to nearby Scottsdale. Politicians there caved in, and sometime next month, praises to the devil will arise in the city chambers, a setting paid for by God-fearing citizens. According to the Temple, the prayer will include this invocation to demons: Embrace the Luciferian impulse to eat of the Tree of Knowledge and reason our solutions with agnosticism in all things, holding fast only to that which is demonstrably true, Hail Satan.
In the interest of full disclosure, the Satanic Temple doesn’t actually believe in a literal devil. They follow the mode of Anton Lavey, founder of the Church of Satan, that Lucifer is an apt symbol of rebellious, self-indulgent lust, which they advocate. (This brand of Satanism is thoroughly analyzed in LARSON’S BOOK OF WORLD RELIGIONS. To order CLICK HERE.) This is the same group which has erected statues of Lucifer in places such as Oklahoma City and Detroit. In reality, they are a very small group of social misfits who crave public attention for their devilish antics, ne’er-do-wells whose potential is outsized by their actual numbers and influence. Like the drunken Germans of the infamous Munich Nazi Beer Hall Putsch, the potential for evil can’t be underestimated. What they want is to eradicate Christianity’s influence in public life. In Phoenix and Scottsdale, they have set an example for others to follow. These silly Satanists may be headed to your city next, but don’t underestimate their antics. They are getting press and headlines, and if one misguided young person is drawn to them as a result, it’s one too many. With all the prayer and persistence you have, oppose them to the max when they come to your town.
An encouraging word: BE WHERE GOD DWELLS
I often meet people who call themselves Christians but see no need to go to church. I usually direct them to Hebrews 10:25 for starters. But that’s not the only place in Scripture where the importance of believers gathering in unison is emphasized. Consider Psalm 26:8 where David declares that he loves the “habitation of your house . . . where Your glory dwells.” In David’s day this place was a tabernacle, a tent filled with God’s glory. Today, we worship in a church. The point is, we should desire to be where God dwells. Granted, a church is just a physical structure, but it is a location dedicated and consecrated to the corporate worship of the Lord. To you want to be where God is? Have you been to church lately?
Bob Larson has trained healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and Do What Jesus Did® (Luke 4:18). You can partner with Bob and support this vision to demonstrate God’s power in action by calling 303-980-1511 or clicking here to donate online.
