Satanists rally for more abortions in Detroit, Michigan in 2019.
Guest post by Rabbi Jonathan Gross
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was widely denounced for saying that Satan encourages women to get abortions, but it turns out she was right.
During an April 21, 2022 interview, Greene said, “Abortion is a lie that Satan sells to women….When Satan sells a sin, it’s not loud…It’s whispered, softly and gently into your ears and into your soul…And he tells you it’s OK…And he says. ‘It’s just this one thing. You’re just gonna get it done, get it over with.” Pro-abrtionists took to social media calling her a crazy stupid conspiracy theorist who doesn’t know what she’s talking about. But like the iconic Woody Alan/Marshall McCluhan scene from Annie Hall, Satan appeared out of nowhere and told the pro-abortionists, “You know nothing of my work!”
On May 4, 2022, The Satanic Temple, “the primary religious Satanic organization in the world,” set the record straight as to where it stands on abortion by tweeting: “In the wake of the SCOTUS Roe v Wade leak, be assured The Satanic Temple has been proactive in positioning itself to do all we can to protect religious abortion access for our members.”
While nobody suspects that Satan is pro-life, the Satanic Temple not only supports abortion, but it believes abortion is a sacred act to be accompanied by a religious ritual. “The Satanic abortion ritual provides spiritual comfort and affirms bodily autonomy, self-worth, and freedom from coercive forces with the affirmation of TST’s Seven Tenets. The ritual is not intended to convince a person to have an abortion. Instead, it sanctifies the abortion process by instilling confidence and protecting bodily rights when undergoing the safe and scientific procedure. Prior to receiving any anesthetic or sedation, look at your reflection to be reminded of your personhood and your responsibility to yourself. Focus on your intent. Take deep breaths, and make yourself comfortable. When you are ready, say the Third Tenet and Fifth Tenet aloud. You may now undergo the surgery. After the surgery is completed and any anesthetic has worn off, return to your reflection and recite your personal affirmation. Feel doubts dissipating and your confidence growing as you have just undertaken a decision that affirms your autonomy and free will. The religious abortion ritual is now complete.”
The ritual is legally significant as it serves as the foundation for The Satanic Temple’s argument that its members should be granted religious exemptions in states that restrict or outlaw abortion. That has yet to be determined. The stated objective of the ritual is to assuage the pregnant mother’s feelings of “doubt,” “guilt,” and “shame” for wanting to end her child’s life. It’s almost as if Satan whispers to the pregnant woman, “It’s OK. It’s just this one thing. You’re just gonna get it done, get it over with.”
The Satanic Temple, though it calls itself a religion, is by its own stated terms indistinguishable from secular humanism. Its members do not worship or even believe in Satan or anything supernatural. Like Saul Alinsky and his followers, the Satanic Temple has simply co-opted a metaphoric literary representation as a symbol of revolt against traditional religion. “To embrace the name Satan is to embrace rational inquiry removed from supernaturalism and archaic tradition-based superstitions.” The Satanists have no fixed beliefs and instead insist that their beliefs “must be malleable to the best current scientific understandings of the material world — never the reverse.” In other words, it’s just a retread of the church of SCIENCETM – blind uncritical obedience to the dictates of SCIENCETM as preached by its modern priests.
Ironically, the Satanic Temple is hurting not helping the pro-abortion cause. Associating with the personification of evil tends to put a damper on one’s image. The pro-abortionists who openly and willingly identify with Satan, have done a great service to the non-Satanist community (or as the Satanists may refer to us, “gentiles”). Satan is not simply an ally to pro-abortionists. The values set forth by the Satanic Temple are identical with those of the pro-abortionist in particular, and secular humanists in general. While not dispositive, when faced with two competing ideas, it is always helpful to know which side is right and which side is with Satan.
