The Satanic Temple has a devilishly clever way of supporting people who want gay cakes
Even if the Supreme Court chooses to support religious intolerance over the right of gay people to buy a cake, The Satanic Temple has your back.
This term, the highest court in the US will hear the case of Jake Phillips, of Colorado’s Masterpiece Cakeshop, who is at the centre of an anti-LGBT discrimination storm.
Phillips launched a legal challenge after being found in violation of state anti-discrimination laws for refusing to serve gay couple David Mullins and Charlie Craig.
The baker refused to make a cake for the couple after he found out they were celebrating their wedding, and continues to insist his religion requires discrimination against gay people.
After 86 members of Congress signed an amicus brief to the US Supreme Court supporting the baker’s right to discriminate, the Trump administration also backed the baker.
Phillips clearly also thinks he’s got God in his corner – but same-sex couples can take some comfort in the knowledge that the Devil is firmly in theirs.
The Satanic Temple has come out in support of gay couples – in the most ingenious way.
The activist group, which is based in Salem, Massachusetts – the city where the 17th century Salem witch trials took place – explained that it had a devilish angle to exploit.
The Temple’s co-founder and spokesperson Lucien Greaves said: “Our organisation has received a lot of concerned messages from people who are upset by the prospect of an environment in which the LGBTQ community are openly and legally treated as second-class citizens.
“The laws of the United States require that no one may discriminate by way of refusal of service against an evangelical theocrat for their religious beliefs, but the evangelical theocrat may discriminate against LGBTQ people because of who they are,” he pointed out.
“Because religion is a protected class, a baker may refuse service to LGBTQ people, but they may not refuse service based upon someone’s religion.”
And then, the pièce de résistance.
“If they aren’t willing to make a cake for same-sex unions, let’s have them make a cake to honour Satan instead,” he said.
And he extended an offer to all same-sex couples who are denied the cake which should rightfully be theirs.
“If you can’t get a cake for your same-sex union,” Greaves said, “we’ll host a party in your honour at The Satanic Temple headquarters in Salem, and order a cake that praises Satan from your offending discriminatory ‘religious liberty’ enthusiast.”
And he suggested that any other couples who feel “alienated or oppressed by the privileged status that religion holds over sexual orientation,” should also request that their baker make a cake to honour Satan.
