Is Satan violative of Clearly Defined Public Policy or Not?

There is a short piece in yesterday’s WAPO describing the Satanic Temple’s recently acquired determination letter confirming its status as a tax  exempt church.  On its website, the Satanic Temple declares that “for the very first time in history, a satanic organization has been recognized by the United States federal government as being a church.  The Satanic Temple recently received notice from the IRS affirming our status.”  Ok so if Satan, at least as conceptually understood in the Judeo-Christian tradition, can establish a tax exempt charity, then surely the  whole notion that exempt organizations not violate “clearly established public policy” is another one of Satan’s jurisprudential deceptions.  Fortunately for those of us who  continually seek rhyme or reason in tax exemption jurisprudence, the Satanic Temple is more benevolent than its name sounds.  By its mission statement, the group seems intent on presenting a kinder and gentler “Satan” who only wants to rescue humankind from its own folly:

 The mission of The Satanic Temple is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical  common sense and justice, and be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will. Politically aware, Civic-minded Satanists and allies in The Satanic Temple have publicly opposed The Westboro Baptist Church, advocated on behalf of children in   public school to abolish corporal punishment, applied for equal representation where religious monuments are placed on public property, provided religious exemption and legal protection against laws that unscientifically restrict women’s reproductive autonomy, exposed fraudulent   harmful pseudo-scientific practitioners and claims in mental health care, and applied to hold clubs along side other religious after school clubs in  schools besieged by proselytizing organizations.

So I guess Satan isn’t such a bad guy after all.  Or is that just what Satan wants me to believe . . . 

Have a great weekend!

Darryll K. Jones