The Satanic Temple is planning to host a “Let Us Burn” concert series at multiple state capitols in protest of Christian musician Sean Feucht’s ongoing “Let Us Worship” tour.
The organization has taken issue with Feucht being permitted to perform in several state capitol buildings and is demanding that their band, Satanic Planet, be allowed to perform in them as well.
Satanic Planet’s frontperson is also the co-founder of the Satanic Temple, Lucien Greaves.
In a statement about the planned concerts, Greaves said that his band must be allowed to perform because “that stage is every bit as much ours as it is his.”
“Feucht is openly a theocrat who courts the attention of politicians and seeks to proselytize through his performances,” Greaves said. “He has his opinions, and we have ours, but one thing the government can not do is preference his viewpoint over ours by giving him exclusive access to perform a concert on the Capitol grounds. That stage is every bit as much ours as it is his, so, in the name of pluralism and religious liberty, there are some state capitols that are likely soon to be hosting Satanic Planet shows.”
The statement continued, “according to law, the government must remain neutral regarding religious viewpoints when granting permission to parties seeking to take advantage of public accommodations. For this reason, the fact that public representatives have allowed Feucht to perform openly Christian events within state capitol buildings, leaves little in the way of a legal rationale whereby Satanic Planet might be denied.”
The band’s first single, “Baphomet,” was released in 2021. The group also features Luke Henshaw of Planet B, Sonido de la Frontera, and Justin Pearson of The Locust, Dead Cross, Swing Kids, and Deaf Club.
WARNING: The following music video contains disturbing imagery.
During their concerts, which have drawn protests in the past, Satanic Planet performs ceremonial “unbaptisms.”
The organization has now started a crowdfunding campaign to pay for the tour.
“We will not be able to sell tickets to the capitol grounds, we will surely draw protests, the stage and sound will likely be difficult, and the cost will not be insignificant. That said, however, we can not stand by idly as theocratic extremists are given such an elevated public platform to spread their divisive message without reminding everybody that that stage is equally theirs as well. Feucht seeks to use the stage to announce a theocratic stranglehold over the United States government, and we seek to rectify that by re-establishing pluralism.”
“If Satanic Planet’s request to perform is denied, the fundraiser will be put towards the legal battle that will follow,” the press release said. “Satanic Planet has already submitted a request to perform at the Indiana State Capitol on August 12th of 2023.”
At the time of publishing, the organization had raised nearly 20 percent of its $15,000 goal.
