{"id":2833,"date":"2014-09-21T23:45:22","date_gmt":"2014-09-22T04:45:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/?p=2833"},"modified":"2014-09-23T09:13:09","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T14:13:09","slug":"black-mass-wrap-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/2014\/09\/21\/black-mass-wrap-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Mass Wrap Up"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Here in Oklahoma City, a <a href=\"http:\/\/blog.oklahomaatheists.com\/2014\/08\/podcast-105-adam-daniels.html\" target=\"_blank\">handful of dedicated Satanists<\/a> managed to get hundreds of (mostly Catholic) believers in a complete tizzy over the possible incursion of demonic powers into our world via a dark ritual held on Sunday night. Prayerful processions and colorful banners and (mostly) peaceful protests, oh my! My old friend James Nimmo has an excellent\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/apollosbrain.blogspot.com\/2014\/09\/the-only-thing-missing-was-cotton-candy.html\" target=\"_blank\">collection of original images<\/a> on his blog and the Oklahoma Atheists Facebook Page has a <a href=\"http:\/\/fb.me\/4fs2hQ4I7\" target=\"_blank\">collection of images<\/a> posted up as well, if you would like to see the sights from all around the outside of the Civic Center as demonstrators of all sorts converged upon it.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2834\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2834\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/files\/2014\/09\/IMG_0247.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2834\" src=\"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/files\/2014\/09\/IMG_0247-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"A small sampling of the signage on hand\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/files\/2014\/09\/IMG_0247-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/files\/2014\/09\/IMG_0247-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/files\/2014\/09\/IMG_0247.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2834\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A small sampling of the signage on hand<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But that&#8217;s not all!\u00a0The meta-protest\u00a0behind the main protest was much like a Christian trade fair, as the sort of folk who enjoy preaching on\u00a0street corners\u00a0descended from all corners and denominations. Just to give you a sense of how crazy things got in the park east of the Civic Center, at one point atheists were spotted arguing with black-supremacist fundamentalist Protestants who showed up to help convert Hispanics of color away from Catholicism and back to the Bible. Read that part again, if it confuses you as much as it confused me.<\/p>\n<p>The ceremonial Black Mass went off without a hitch, despite various pious attempts to shut it down:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Please sign this petition calling on the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Oklahoma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Oklahoma<\/a> City Civic Center to cancel the black mass: <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/96sLkuLiCZ\">http:\/\/t.co\/96sLkuLiCZ<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/ILNayNIctw\">pic.twitter.com\/ILNayNIctw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; CitizenGO (@CitizenGO) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CitizenGO\/status\/513346041979363329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 20, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Oklahoma City can cancel satanic mass if it wants to. Satanism has no First Amendment protections. <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/C45bbYxuwP\">http:\/\/t.co\/C45bbYxuwP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Rev. Bryan Fischer &#8211; Host, Bryan Fischer Podcast (@BryanJFischer) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BryanJFischer\/status\/504577824838004736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 27, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin calls on Satanists to cancel Black Mass <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/oRB9TEO0iq\">http:\/\/t.co\/oRB9TEO0iq<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Matthew (@matthew_sede) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/matthew_sede\/status\/499955274296602624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 14, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Bishop Slattery requested novena of prayer &amp; fasting Aug. 6-14 in attempt to cancel Satanic Black Mass in OKC. <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/SbPmKBicO2\">http:\/\/t.co\/SbPmKBicO2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Fr. Kevin M. Cusick, LCDR (Ret.)\ud83c\uddfb\ud83c\udde6 (@IntroiboAdAltar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/IntroiboAdAltar\/status\/499017577562402816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 12, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>I get it, Christians. You believe that Satan is real and that <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/Yh7xfhoGiT\" target=\"_blank\">demons may well be unleashed upon the Earth<\/a> starting right here in the buckle of the Bible Belt. That&#8217;s cool, believe whatever you want. Maybe, though, you should resort to prayer and fasting \u00a0first and foremost (rather than appeals to government force) if you want anyone else to be persuaded that you <em>really believe<\/em> your God is all that powerful. Every time you call upon human authorities to shut down these sorts of\u00a0events, you look less\u00a0and less like people of faith, and more like people playing politics.<\/p>\n<p>As to the ceremony itself, it consisted of a local metal band, followed by a much-bowdlerized version of a <a href=\"https:\/\/kindle.amazon.com\/post\/qRSJT2LoQoer6S8848hSRg\" target=\"_blank\">LeVeyan Black Mass<\/a>, followed by a ritual reverse baptism, which for some reason included a stuffed doll that looked a bit like Precious Moments Jesus. No, I&#8217;m not making that part up.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2835\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2835\" style=\"width: 550px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2835 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/files\/2014\/09\/debaptism.png\" alt=\"debaptism\" width=\"550\" height=\"550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/files\/2014\/09\/debaptism.png 550w, https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/files\/2014\/09\/debaptism-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/files\/2014\/09\/debaptism-300x300.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2835\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The doll ends up on the floor, of course<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Even though these particular Satanists are not atheists\u00a0(<a href=\"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/gps\/2014\/01\/11\/dear-oklahoma-satanists-dont-actually-believe-in-satan\/\" target=\"_blank\">most of them are<\/a>) I have to point out that I&#8217;ve seen plenty of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wAo_rEgR4xU\" target=\"_blank\">atheistic debaptisms<\/a> as well, and they also feature bearded weirdos in fancy robes. Have to wonder who is borrowing from whom, at this point.<\/p>\n<p>Now that this is all said and done, I&#8217;m quite proud to say that the Oklahoma City Civic Center stood firmly for freedom of religious\u00a0expression, unlike those <a href=\"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/2014\/05\/18\/freezing-peaches-at-harvard\/\" target=\"_blank\">damnable cowards at Harvard<\/a>. If our conception of free speech doesn&#8217;t protect unpopular speech,\u00a0it doesn&#8217;t protect anything, really. Popular speech can always fend for itself.<\/p>\n<p>And with that, I&#8217;ll leave the last word to <em>Man Destroys God . . . <\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/blackmass?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#blackmass<\/a> in Oklahoma City fuck yea! <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/yaTCcQwUk7\">pic.twitter.com\/yaTCcQwUk7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; MANDESTROYSgod (@mandestroysgod) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mandestroysgod\/status\/513834209853460481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 21, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Audio of LaVeyan Lords Prayer from <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/blackmassOKC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#blackmassOKC<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/t.co\/CSiwhTfTqP\">http:\/\/t.co\/CSiwhTfTqP<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/D4M10N?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@D4M10N<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; MANDESTROYSgod (@mandestroysgod) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mandestroysgod\/status\/514297290513596416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 23, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here in Oklahoma City, a handful of dedicated Satanists managed to get hundreds of (mostly Catholic) believers in a complete&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,43,26,32,10,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-activism","category-current-events","category-free-expression","category-oklahoma","category-politics","category-theocracy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2833"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2833\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2843,"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2833\/revisions\/2843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}