Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
SatanCon 2023, an unprecedented and monumental satanic gathering, stormed into action on Friday with a highly contentious opening ritual that saw the desecration of a Bible and a “Thin Blue Line” flag symbolizing police. The fully booked, three-day extravaganza is hosted by The Satanic Temple at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston.
In a bold act of defiance during the opening ceremony, a female leader declared to the crowd, “We stand here today in defiance of their siege and destroy their symbols of oppression.” She brazenly tore pages from a Bible, casting them onto the floor, while a male counterpart ripped a “Thin Blue Line” flag in half and discarded it alongside the pages. The spectacle was met with roaring applause from attendees, who later snapped photos with the remnants.
Undeterred, the male leader pressed on, “We must build true community outside of the virtual,” before ferociously smashing a keyboard with a hammer. “Rebelling comes in many forms to each and their own within their own capabilities and their own situation. For some of us, merely existing one more day is victory, but for those of us who can, we must stand up for those who cannot.”
Asserting itself as a nontheistic religious organization, The Satanic Temple claims its mission is to “encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits.” The event has showcased a plethora of guest speakers and lectures, many of which focus on far-left identity politics.
In spite of the group’s professed objectives, the provocative opening ritual has attracted vehement criticism from Christian organizations like Intercessors for America and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, both of which have implored “intense prayer” in response to the event.
The archdiocese counseled Catholics against engaging with the Satanists, stating, “We ask Catholics not to organize or encourage others to go to the event to protest. It will only make it more prominent and give the organizers the attention they seek.” They instead urged Catholics to unite in prayer at various sites throughout the weekend.
As SatanCon 2023 unfolds, the world watches in anticipation for any further controversies and reactions that may emerge