'A Battle of Good and Evil': Satanists Hold Convention Targeting AZ City That Did Not Allow Satanic Invocation

The Satanic Temple (TST) is holding its first convention in Scottsdale, Arizona this weekend in the city's Old Town district. 

According to the Temple's website, the three-day "SatanCon" is sold out. 

Events scheduled for Friday include "Satanic Jeopardy" and an off-site "Impurity Ball."

Lucien Greaves, the temple's co-founder, and spokesperson is set to deliver the keynote speech of the conference Saturday morning.   

Other scheduled sessions include "Devil's Food" with The Satanic Chef, using the Freedom of Information Act and other public records to Fight Satanic Panic, and "Abortion as a (Religious) Right."

TST has long argued its members' religious rights are exempt from any state laws or any regulations that might block access to abortion services during the first trimester.  

The satanic group claims its abortion ritual as practiced by its members is exempt from any existing abortion regulations on the basis of religious liberty. They point to the 2014 Supreme Court ruling that declared Hobby Lobby as a business had the right not to cover birth control, including abortifacient drugs, as a part of its health care program for employees, because of its religious beliefs that viewed such a practice as immoral. 

TST says all abortions by its members are religious acts of Satanism and protected under the ruling. 

In 2021, the group entered the fray against the Texas heartbeat law, not by claiming a woman's right to abortion, but by alleging the law restricts the group's freedom of religion. TST argued the law imposes an "undue burden" on any of its members to undergo its "satanic abortion ritual."

Satanists Target Scottsdale

The Satanic Temple had announced it would hold its first convention in Scottsdale after it lost a lawsuit against the city in 2018 for not being allowed to give an invocation at one of the city council meetings in 2016.

The group was approved by the Scottsdale City Council to give a less than three-minute invocation at the beginning of one of their meetings in 2016. However, after facing public backlash the city council withdrew their offer on the grounds that The Satanic Temple is not based in Scottsdale, but Tucson instead, CBN News reported at the time. 

However, TST argued it was religious discrimination and sued the city.  But a U.S. District Court judge ruled in the city's favor in early 2020 saying the temple had not proven it was discriminated against because of its religious beliefs, according to AZ Central. 

The temple announced on its website that the conference "will be dedicated to Mayor Lane and Councilmember Klapp who took pride in depriving The Satanic Temple of their civil liberties by refusing to allow one TST member the opportunity to utter a brief, solemn message." 

Christian Ministry Responds

A Christian ministry called Intercessors for America (IFA) is responding the satanic convention in AZ saying, "It is not an understatement to call this a battle of good and evil. It literally is."

"The organizers of the satanic conference say that they want people to think of Satan when they think of Scottsdale. This gathering of satanic followers is more than just payback to Scottsdale," IFA said. 

This convention in Scottsdale is just the latest move by The Satanic Temple to push its dark agenda for America. The group has not only been trying to battle against pro-life measures, but it has also been aggressive in attempts to undermine Christian groups in schools by launching After School Satan Clubs at numerous locations.

"This is not just a prayer request for Scottsdale Christians–or even just Arizona believers. This is a call to pray against this blatant and brazen gathering and all their intentions," IFA stated.

Click Here to Find Out More About the IFA's Prayer Strategy.