satanic-temple-monument-oklahoma-statehouseHold the phone gentle readers, the persecuted christian majority in the United States is once again in crisis mode.  Why? Satanists want to put up a religious monument of their own, just like the pious Christians have done on the capitol grounds.  The threat of Satan beckoning to them, on the grounds of the Oklahoma state legislature no less, is causing the usual conniptions among the faithful (you know, the usual conniptions, where they get called on their abject duplicity and refuse to back down while accusing others of persecuting them).  Amanda Marcotte from alter.net writes about the christian stupidity and the highlights are quoted here.

“Christian fundamentalists in Oklahoma managed to get a Ten Commandments monument placed on capitol grounds in 2012. Though the supporters of the monument deny it, it’s an obvious attempt by fundamentalists to get the state government to endorse Christianity above all other religious beliefs, in a direct violation of the Constitution’s ban on state establishment of religion.”

This should be no-shit-sherlock material.   Narnian American christians tend to shit all over their venerated Constitution when it suits their needs.  However, when other groups attempt to get their idols onto the capitol grounds then – dear reader –  the problems begin.

“After receiving requests for monuments not just from Satanists, but from Hindus and animal rights activists, the legislature decided to place a moratorium on the building of monuments. The message is crystal-clear: The Oklahoma state legislature is not interested in reflecting the diversity of Americans, but only wants to elevate Christians above everyone else.”

Here is where we can delve into the murky depths of the persecuted majority complex that makes up so much of the mendacious superstructure of the reactionary christian right.

“Which is why prank-minded groups like the Satanists are doing such an important public service: They are able to challenge religious fundamentalists in their attempts to stomp out freedom of religion and religious plurality without having to worry overmuch about enduring the oppression real religious minorities face. When a Muslim or Jewish group objects to the religious right’s attempts to enshrine Christianity as an official or endorsed state religion, they run the risk of provoking the exact fear of religious pluralism that leads conservative Christians to do things like build Ten Commandments monuments in the first place. Ugly prejudice against minority religions is why Christian conservatives want the government to affirm their belief that theirs is the one true religion. When religious minorities push back, many Christians use that pushback as evidence that “they” are out to destroy Christian America.”

Interesting how that works, no?

Chalk this up as reason #239482 illustrating why the separation of church and state is a necessary feature of civilized societies.