We brought the new Satanic addition to the Oklahoma State Capitol to your attention a few months back when it was merely an idea with an Indiegogo campaign, but now it has entered the realm of reality. Jonathan Smith at VICE got an exclusive first look at the new statue and things are looking very interesting. From VICE:
The statue is a direct response to the state’s installation of a Ten Commandments monument outside the Capitol in 2012. State Representative Mike Ritze paid for the controversial statue with his own money, and therefore it was considered a donation and OK to place on government property. Following that line of reasoning, the Satanic Temple submitted a formal application for their monument.
As Trait Thompson of the Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission told CNN last December, “Individuals and groups are free to apply to place a monument or statue or artwork.” The applications are then approved or rejected by the Commission. Unfortunately, the state has placed a halt on issuing permits for any other monuments until a lawsuit filed by the ACLU against Ritze’s Commandments monument is settled.
Nonetheless, the Satanists are building this thing, and I was offered an early peek at the work in progress by Temple spokesperson Lucien Greaves. Greaves told me he has received numerous threats from people who want to attack the sculpture, but that he “wouldn’t expect these outraged and nearly insensible reactionaries to actually know how to assault a bronze monument without severely hurting themselves in the process.” Still, he’s not taking any chances. The Temple is building a mold of the sculpture so they can pop these things out like evil, terribly expensive action figures whenever they need a new one.
The entire thing just looks amazing and I’m not a religious guy at all. I just like seeing goat people get their proper due in the public eye. It takes a village to raise a child, but with Satan involved, it’s a whole lot easier. The music is a lot better in the village too.
Of course I give it a month or two before someone destroys the entire thing and replaces with a boring cross. Having recently driven through the South, I can say that the last thing we need is more giant crosses.
Why not a giant rock and roll Jesus? Or maybe kung fu Jesus with a sweet round house kick action. I might drive my car in a ditch when I stare the awesomeness, but it’ll be worth it.
(Via Jonathan Smith / VICE)