The Temple of Satan, an organization aiming to become the first Satan-worshipping group with legal religious status in Latin America, is gaining popularity in Chile as faith in traditional religions declines, according to the Associated Press. It is said that reported Thursday.
The Associated Press said in a report that the Satanic Temple, which was founded in 2021, has 100 members, but in the past few weeks has added “400 members,” according to a statement released by a spokesperson for the alleged group. He said he had received membership applications from “more than 1,000 people.” In an interview with The Associated Press under the pseudonym “Haborim,” he cited “increasing threats” against its members, some of whom are said to hold public office.
“You are the owner of your present and future, and there is no god making decisions for you,” Haborim said, adding that the figure of Satan is purely symbolic and that the group's rituals are “emotional”. “It is done to elicit emotions.” Let's put intelligence aside. ”
“We don't want people to kill in the name of Satan,” the spokesperson added.
According to the report, the Satanic Temple was founded by a person named “Azazel” who claims to have left Judaism four years ago.
“We acknowledge that there are certain grounds, both academic and esoteric, that give meaning to our existence and reality,” “Azazel” said.
Applicants must go through a lengthy process that includes “filling out forms, providing evidence of no criminal history, being interviewed by a task force, and finally being evaluated by a psychologist,” the Associated Press reported.
The Associated Press further explained that, if accepted, members will be able to choose a new name for their identity within the Satanic organization, “usually the name of a demon or fallen angel.” and related matters.
Like its founders, some turned to the Satanic Temple out of “disillusionment” with traditional religions such as Catholicism, Judaism, Protestantism and evangelical Christianity, the report said.
“There is no solution or absolute truth in devil worship. You are your own god and you are creating your own reality,” said a person identified by the Hindu name Kali Ma. the individual said. goddess It was also revealed that he was a dental student with a family of Jehovah's Witnesses.
“If you compare both, Jehovah's Witnesses are the true sect,” she continued. “Instead of making them do certain things, they tell them how to dress, what to do, how to behave, whether to grow a beard or not.”
In July, the satanic organization began legal proceedings and filed a formal report. request Requests the Chilean government to legally recognize it as a religious organization. If accepted, the Satanic Temple would be the first organization of its kind to have legal status in Latin America.
The request immediately drew criticism from Chile's conservatives. Mauro González, a member of the conservative National Renewal Party called Chile's Ministry of Justice rejected the Satanic Temple's request. “Chile cannot be the cradle of Satanism in Latin America,” González said.
“No region in Latin America has been able to achieve that, and Chile is no exception. That is why we play a role in providing all information to the Ministry of Justice and urging governments not to open the door to Satanism.” ,” González said.
At the time of writing, Chilean authorities have not issued a ruling on the status of the request.
“We comply with everything that is required of us as a religious organization,” said Haborim. “Therefore, there is no reason to reject us other than the fact that we are controversial figures.”
As in other Latin American countries, the majority of Chileans are Catholic. Approximately 70% of Chile's population of 18.5 million identify An estimated 18% identify as Catholic and as practitioners of other Christian denominations.
In recent years, the Catholic Church has become a target of violent left-wing mobs during a years-long left-wing uprising against the late center-right president Sebastián Piñera's government. of deadly Protests began in 2019 over a $0.04 public transportation fare increase and escalated to demands that the constitution be scrapped and replaced with a new far-left core legal system.
Left-wing mobs broke out in violent protests that caused widespread damage across Chile destroy In October 2020, a Catholic church was covered in satanic graffiti and left-wing and anti-Catholic messages. Two churches in Santiago burnt down By violent left-wing protesters.
The late President Piñera gave in to the demands of the demonstrators and began the constitutional process, which continued under the current far-left president Gabriel Boric's government. The constitution-making process produced an overwhelmingly far-left constitution. rejected In 2022.
Chile's leftists tried to rewrite the constitution soon after their first attempt failed, but their plan failed. backfire When the conservative Constitutional Council elected a majority in May 2023, it created a new core legal proposal that Chilean voters also supported. rejected In December.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
