Minister Riley Phoebus: The Satanic Temple Illinois
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/11/04
Riley Phoebus is a Minister in The Satanic Temple Illinois (TSTIL). Phoebus discusses how it was founded by Adam and Dante (Satanic pseudonyms) as a revival of TST Chicago, expanding statewide. Inspired by Satanist principles, TSTIL promotes knowledge, pluralism, and intellectual freedom. Its public displays, such as the crocheted serpent and Copernican reference, highlight themes of resistance to arbitrary authority and book bans. TSTIL emphasizes that it is a legitimate religion, not a publicity stunt, and fosters dialogue through community events like “Meet A Satanist” and charity initiatives.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Who were the founders, and what was the original inspiration for The Satanic Temple Illinois?
Minister Riley Phoebus: The original founders were Adam and Dante (Satanic pseudonyms). The Satanic Temple Illinois (TSTIL) emerged as a rebirth of TST Chicago, intentionally expanded in this iteration to include the entire state, rather than just the city. The inspiration was to form a community of Satanists organized around the principles and Seven Tenets of TST.
Jacobsen: What inspired the crocheted serpent at the Illinois Capitol?
Phoebus: The crocheted serpent is a direct representation of the serpent depicted in the 3rd chapter of Genesis. While Abrahamic followers of the text view the serpent as a nefarious, deceitful entity, we see the interaction between the serpent and Eve as an act of compassion and the sacred offer of knowledge. Furthermore, we reject the popular, misogynistic interpretation that Eve was a temptress to Adam, as Genesis 3:6 records that Adam was with Eve when the serpent revealed the truth about the fruit of knowledge and chose to eat the fruit freely. As Satanists, we view the pursuit of knowledge and the practice of free will as our innate rights, deserving of celebration. The plush, snuggly iteration of the serpent featured in our holiday display symbolizes the benevolence of The Adversary.
Jacobsen: The most creative activism I have seen in the North American freethought spaces have been The Satanic Temple – funny, good-hearted, dramatic, effective upon sentiments. How does The Satanic Temple of Illinois differentiate itself from other religious or secular organizations advocating for pluralism and free expression?
Phoebus: Thank you for your appreciative recognition. While there are other groups engaged in like-minded pursuits, some of which we periodically collaborate with, The Satanic Temple approaches this work from a unique perspective. We are not simply an activist organization, instead we are a religious community whose deeply embedded beliefs are inherently an act of resistance against arbitrary authority. As non-theistic Satanists, we are not only underrepresented, but disproportionately misrepresented in both social and political landscapes. The name “Satan” and its related terminology is so extensively vilified, that we rarely get the platform to even dispute the misconceptions widely circulated about us. However, we are able to leverage this baseless prejudice to make our voice heard and our message clear: if you want to allow religions to be represented in public administration, while adhering to the First Amendment, this is what that looks like – Satan in the Capitol.
Jacobsen: What significance does the Copernican reference hold in the display?
Phoebus: In the early 1600’s, Copernicus’s text was banned by the Catholic Church because it challenged the church’s stance by proposing that the Earth revolves around the Sun. We chose to use this book as a focal point of our display to highlight the value of Tenet 5. It is our belief that science, with its use of evidence and logical reasoning, should be the tool used to shape our worldview, rather than faith in the unprovable, or in this case, demonstrably false. “That which will not bend, must break, and that which can be destroyed by truth should never be spared its demise (The Satanic Temple’s Invocation).”
- Jacobsen: What has been the impact of your displays on promoting awareness about book bans and intellectual freedom in Illinois?
Phoebus: Including the Copernican text was a deliberate choice made to illuminate the dangers of book bans. Banning books that challenge the reasoning of the elite and/or social majority limits our intellectual freedom, restricting knowledge and curiosity under the guise of assumed morality. By drawing attention to the historic banning of such a powerful, transformative text, we hope that people will see the parallels to modern book bans and the dangers of oppressing innovative thought.
Jacobsen: What are some of the key misconceptions about The Satanic Temple? TST is entirely transparent and clear on the messaging. Yet, we’re constantly – as non-theist Satanists – misunderstood, cynically deliberately and ignorantly not.
Phoebus: There are two major misconceptions about The Satanic Temple, existing on opposite sides of the spectrum. On one hand, there’s the assumption that we worship a literal Satan. A quick glance on our website will dispel this myth rather quickly. We are non-theistic; we do not believe in any supernatural entities. On the other hand, a handful of people will jump to our defense by claiming it’s a publicity stunt or a political movement, that it’s just to rile people up. This is also not the case. The values of the archetype of Satan, The Adversary, especially as depicted in romantic literary works such as The Revolt of the Angels, informs our beliefs and practices. We are a legitimate religion with a strong community, a thriving ministry, common set of values (The Seven Tenets), ritual practices, services, and congregations. The dramatics and the dark humor are simply a pleasant byproduct.
Jacobsen: How do you view the intersection of religious freedom and public expression?
Phoebus: You can’t have religious freedom without protected public expression. This is particularly important for minority religions, especially in the context of the rising presence of Christian nationalism. The First Amendment protects not only the free practice of an individual’s religion, but also prohibits the US government from endorsing or favoring a particular religion with regards to the Establishment Clause. Pluralism is a fundamental value of our nation and must be protected at every level.
Jacobsen: What is the process behind designing and selecting specific themes or messages for the annual Capitol display?
Phoebus: The driving force behind our annual holiday display theme is identifying an intersection between our core beliefs and current events affecting minority religion and the fight for pluralism, both locally in Illinois and nationally. Our Holiday Display Committee works together to develop the design and message, then the entire congregation comes together as a whole to implement it.
Jacobsen: How do you encourage inter belief dialogue in Illinois?
Phoebus: Our mere presence often causes conversation, and we can use that as an opportunity to make connections with folks of other religions. We’ve held a casual coffee and conversation event titled, “Meet A Satanist,” where folks could sit down with some of us and chat about whatever they wanted. Our annual Menstruatin’ with Satan charity drive – where folks can donate period products into collection boxes at local businesses – puts our efforts to help our community front and center; we hope that it inspires folks to look more closely into who we are and what we do. We have applied for membership in a few interfaith local groups, but have not been accepted into any as of yet. Our ministers serve our local community through important rituals like Unbaptisms, officiating weddings, and providing information to curious individuals or groups. It’s important to note that we do not proselytize.
Jacobsen: What future projects or initiatives does The Satanic Temple of Illinois plan to promote pluralism and intellectual freedom?
Phoebus: We will continue to work with The Satanic Temple’s national campaigns such as After School Satan Club to bring religious pluralism efforts to Illinois. On a local level, we plan to continue our very successful annual charity drives and holiday displays in the Capitol building. Our incredible congregation is always coming up with new ideas to fulfill the needs of our community and continue the fight against Christian nationalism by exercising our fundamental rights.
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