Satanic Colorado is now an Independent Congregation

Thank you to those who have thoughtfully engaged with our May 23rd announcement that our congregation has separated from The Satanic Temple and its Society of Congregations. That announcement was highly focused on what this change would entail, but we shouldn't be surprised that left many of you replying with another important question:

"Why?"

To provide the long answer would involve re-litigating weeks of events we are all ready to move on from, so please accept us glossing over much of the drama and focusing on the takeaways. There is also a ministerial note at the end of this newsletter with some relevant philosophical musings, so it's a good month to read from start to finish.

As one of the longest-standing and most successful congregations, we are no stranger to conflicts and scandals which pop up semiannually. These are usually related to a decision by TST's top leadership which the significant portions of the broader organization considers misguided, tone-deaf, or otherwise failing to live up to the values to which this religious movement aspires. As a matter of internal policy, we structured ourselves as an operationally independent religious community affiliated with, and severable from, the larger organization, so in such times we would consult our membership to determine our path forward. In every such case leading up to this, we made our decision to remain with TST not out of mere loyalty to a brand, a person, or a single project within the organization, but to continue contributing to the broader Satanic community working on a diversity of projects to foster a multifaceted religious movement in keeping with our principles.

May's internal uproar, mass departures, and TST's Executive Team's handling thereof made it clear that previous reasons for staying no longer applied. When our congregation leadership became aware of the mounting tensions, we did our best to be agents for good within TST in the face of this difficulty. By the time Lucien had made an appearance on a podcast presenting a one-sided interpretation of the inciting events, the writing was on the wall. He publicly characterized his critics as somehow selfishly disloyal usurpers of the entire project and insulted the many tireless contributors focused on good work within the organization (but not trying to earn his personal favor) as "internal nobodies." Several high-profile removals and resignations had already gutted key portions of the community we had previously stayed for, their hard-fought and valued projects had been diminished and demolished, and Lucien had declared in so many words that our choice was to fall in line or get out of his organization.

Leadership called a meeting of Colorado's vetted membership (and a follow up meeting for those who missed the first) to create a safe space for open discussion. A clear consensus emerged. The matter proceeded to a vote which remained open for 48 hours, and the decision to seek our independence prevailed. A flurry of planning, design, administrative work, and technical problem solving ensued. We launched our new social media assets, announced the change via our newsletter, rebuilt our website, and notified the appropriate internal bodies of TST all in one fell swoop. 

I'd say that's all there is to it, but of course there's more work ahead. We won't denounce those who still admire or appreciate what remains of TST's noble pursuits, and we won't diminish those congregations who choose to stay in TST with noble intentions just as we had several times before. We still wish them the best in their future endeavors. Our best path towards uplifting our deeply held values and a religious community for Satanists in Colorado, however, is in our independence. We hope you'll stick around for this next chapter of our congregation's growth. Hell, maybe this moment of rebellion can be an inspiration to you in it its own right.

With our newly asserted independence, Satanic Colorado has a bright future ahead. Differences in philosophy, priority, and praxis are the root issues which created the need for this independence, and this seems like the right time to ruminate on some of the guiding principles I've found relevant in the recent turmoil and for the path we've chosen. The future of our congregation is not mine alone to decide, so this is not intended as some new charter for our path forward. This is also not meant to be some grand thesis on "true" or "correct" Satanism, just to share my own insights, inspirations, and lessons learned.

Satan is not in the business of making martyrs

I developed this motto in the specific context of my time on TST's Society of Congregations' Recognition and Onboarding committee. During that time, the committee received inquiries from far and wide about establishing local congregations. We had processes in place to support new start-ups, connect those who already had congregations nearby, and to declare successful efforts as official congregations. We also saw many inquiries fail to catch on, drop out of contact, or otherwise not work out.

But some of the most difficult inquiries were those coming from jurisdictions with little to no assurance of religious freedom. Blasphemy laws, prohibitions against causing religious offense, and protections only for a narrow range of religious beliefs and identities created a real risk that applicants could be jailed, persecuted, or victimized for attempting to openly advocate for a Satanic congregation. We had to be realistic about the potential dangers and our ability to aid and protect those in these positions: we could not travel there to physically protect them from harassment or harm; we could not promise them legal protection from across the globe; we could not promise that, should tragedy arise, it would lead to some new revolution for religious freedom in their communities. Our only real option was to compassionately advise them that we all encounter times where it is best to tuck our horns.

This principle is not limited to martyrdom at the hands of others. It is also important that we not make martyrs of ourselves. There are certainly good causes worth suffering hardship for, but also a danger in taking this to an extreme. If we unrealistically appraise our project in pursuit of freedom or justice as the weight of the world on our backs or if we overburden ourselves to the extent our own lives or welfare become neglected, we have not only deprioritized ourselves inconsistent with Satanism, but we have also set ourselves up to fail as stewards of the project. Zealous self-martyrdom breeds distorted thinking, possessiveness, and resentment that lead to fatal flaws in our ability to advance the very goal of the self-sacrifice.

Atomizing individualism is not self-empowerment

Satanism is a religion of self-empowerment and individual autonomy. While the pursuit of this is something that should be similarly self-directed, we should be aware of common cultural illusions of individualism. Myths like that of the self-made man or of rugged individualism frame trust in or reliance on others as weaknesses to be avoided.

We must not neglect the empowerment of a community, of our relationships, of our support networks, or of keeping good counsel. Beyond this empowerment, a good and healthy social life should be one of the pursuits to which we apply our empowerment. What value would there be in the strength to create paradise without friends and loved ones to share it with?

Live deliciously

A noble pursuit of justice is a worthwhile endeavor, and a positive impact on our world is a legacy worth striving for. We should not view this effort in a vacuum, however. The struggles of our day were preceded by struggles of generations past, and will be followed by new struggles for the next generation. We can reasonably expect this lineage of progress to be perpetual. What then, would the labor be worth if generation after generation were to commit itself to toil, never stopping to enjoy its fruits? It seems to me a sacred duty not only to carry on the effort, but to meanwhile revel in the liberties and advances past generations fought hard to secure.

Victory is a spirit

You'll recognize this one if you've read Revolt of the Angels, but I'll try to express my interpretation here instead of resorting to a quote.

There are surely some efforts where victory is a discrete outcome, but many of our greatest struggles are ephemeral, complex, or amorphous. Reforming a system, exorcising fear and ignorance from society, and securing the truest forms of liberty are not achieved by check-mating an institution of government, in the altering of the legal status quo, or in launching a new flagship.

The dangers and inadequacies of these institutions are a mere reflection of greater forces of fear and ignorance dwelling in the hearts and minds of ourselves, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our compatriots. Even were we to conquer or reform the institutions, such victories would be fleeting without addressing the root cause. To this end, our greater praxis is to embrace the Luciferian impulse to eat the fruit of knowledge, cultivate a culture in line with these values, and free ourselves and each other from the fear and ignorance which give corrosive institutions their power.

Thanks for considering this anthology of mine. I hope you'll find it food for thought.

Hail Satan!

Rev. Legz Fi Daisy

Congregation Head, Satanic Colorado