On Saturday the Michigan chapter of The Satanic Temple placed a traditional Yule goat display outside the state capital building in Lansing in close proximity to a nativity scene, WILX10 reports. Members noted that if it’s okay for other religions to display holiday symbols or scenes, then all religions should be able to do so, whether it offends others or not.
“With beliefs comes conflict and there’s nothing you can do about it other than go through it,” said Marr Duck, Media Liaison for The Satanic Temple. The Yule goat is a Scandinavian tradition with ancient roots that were well-established long before Christianity came about. Celebrating the winter solstice marks the symbolic death and rebirth of the sun.
“Today is the winter solstice and originally when this nativity went up years ago it was on the winter solstice and that’s a tradition we’ve tried to carry forward,” said Temple member Renard Seir, who noted the organization doesn’t idolize or follow the biblical version of Satan. Instead, “we follow a literary version.”
Legally the display must come down each night and can only be shown for seven days.
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