A satanic altar put up in the Iowa Capitol has been physically torn down and beheaded by a former military officer.
Erected on December 8, the shrine only lasted a few days until it was torn down on Thursday and beheaded by former military officer Michael Cassidy.
The ghastly idol depicted Baphomet holding a pentacle and surrounded by electric candles, with a fake goat’s head covered in mirrors.
The idol was erected after a petition was launched by the Satanic Temple of Iowa, which had actually lobbied for the idol to be displayed with a real goat’s head.
As reported by The Sentinel, Cassidy pushed over the statue, and tore the head off, disposing of it in a garbage can.
Cassidy, a Christian, told The Sentinel “Anti-Christian values have steadily been mainstreamed more and more in recent decades, and Christians have largely acted like the proverbial frog in the boiling pot of water.”
He also said that Christians must not accept the legitimization of Satan, adding that the founding fathers never would have protected this under the First Amendment.
Cassidy immediately turned himself into the police who were present at the Capitol, and has been reportedly charged with fourth-degree mischief.
“I saw this blasphemous statue and was outraged,” he said, adding, “My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree. And so I acted.”
Cassidy cited 1 John 3:8 as part of his motivation in the destruction of the statue: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil,” also adding that, “Scripture exhorts us to think and act like Jesus Christ.”
Republicans divided over application of First Amendment
Despite the satanic shrine receiving massive backlash from social media users, state Republicans are divided on the issue. Those such as state representative Jon Dunwell, who’s also an ordained minister, defended the display, saying, “I don’t want the state evaluating and making determinations about religions.” He further said it serves as a teaching opportunity for families, showcasing the difference between Jesus and Satan.
However, others such as conservative lawmaker Brad Sherman lambasted those in support of the altar, saying that the Iowa state constitution was founded on belief in God.
“It is a tortured and twisted interpretation of law that affords Satan, who is universally understood to be the enemy of God, religious expression equal to God in an institution of government that depends on God for continued blessings,” Sherman said.
