Adorned with red lights and pro-abortion messaging, a Satanic-themed “Christmas” tree was on full display during one of the most popular family holiday events in Fairbanks this past weekend.
Each year, nonprofit groups partner with area businesses and local government to put on the Winter Solstice Festival, which is billed as a “free, family-friendly event to brighten up the darkest days of Alaska’s winter.”
In addition to the annual fireworks show, craft bazaar, photos with reindeer and other events, the Winter Solstice Festival includes a Winter Lights Walk in Griffin Park, along the Chena River. The trail includes decorated and brightly lit Christmas trees, sponsored by various community groups.
This year, one of the approved trees was decorated in honor of Satan. Ornaments included Satanic pentagrams, and various upside-down crosses emblazoned with the words, “Your Body, Your Choice,” “Hail Satan,” “Hail Yourself,” “Satan Santa,” and “Satan Loves You.”
The Winter Lights Walk is intended to be an opportunity for local Fairbanks businesses to sponsor and decorate a tree along the downtown portion of the Chena River Walk to fundraise for area charities.
It’s unclear how the Satan tree was approved for this year’s event, but an organizer for the display indicated that approval of the Satan tree application was likely a mistake. It was paid for by a private individual who did not disclose how the tree would be decorated, or that it would advocate Satanic themes.
A local Fairbanks resident, Sami Migs, sent out a Facebook post on Dec. 19 to promote the Satan tree.
“Come see the Satanic-themed tree!” Migs wrote. “Join your local Satanists as we view the tree together and then walk to Lavelle’s Taphouse for a drink!” Migs added, “Enjoy new Satanic friends, the Sol Invictus spirit, the winter solstice, and a beer!”
The Fairbanks Borough Parks and Recreation is responsible for processing applications from groups who wish to sponsor and decorate trees for the river walk display.
Over the past few years, Satan “Christmas” trees have cropped up in various communities around the country. The movement appears to be a coordinated effort by the group to inject Satanic themes in what would otherwise be traditional Christmas celebrations that include a focus on the Nativity of Jesus Christ.
The Satanic Temple has taken similar approaches with regards to establishing after school Satan clubs, and offering opening prayers at local government meetings. These tactics are typically directed towards attacking expressions of Christianity in the public square. After school Satan clubs, which have been launched around the country in response to after school Bible clubs, include the stated goals of attacking Christian faith and promoting the idea that God does not exist. While there are no school Satan clubs in Alaska, the Satanic Temple has repeatedly made a mark in the state.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Nationally, The Satanic Temple is notorious for demanding to “pray” during borough, city and school board meetings if the gatherings also allow for Christian prayers. One of the group’s representatives in Alaska did this during several Kenai Borough meetings over the past few years, before the borough changed its policy regarding prayers from outside groups.
Nationally, The Satanic Temple also runs an online telehealth abortion clinic and firmly aligns itself with the LGBTQ political and cultural agenda. Last June, a group of Satanists sponsored an LGBTQ entry for the Anchorage Pride Parade.
50 Comments
Hello All, Hail Satan! Thank Satan that we live in a country where all can worship freely as they choose including Pantheists, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Zoroastrians, Radical Faeries ) or not ( Atheists, scientists, Confucionistd, Daoists, etc. ) I say this with gratitude knowing the full history of our ugly country and the suppression of knowledge in the dark ages by the greatest abomination in human history AKA the Roman Catholic Church. The Salem.witch hunts will happen again unless informed people put a stop to being enslaved by the superstitious nonsense of others. May you all have a joyful,.Satanic holiday season whether you are lighting a menorah, a blunt or a candle. Always resist the ignorant!
^^ THIS 100%.
Church of Satan, thank you for continuing the good work of promoting the message of freedom and equality! I appreciate efforts such as these that help to highlight the absurdity of the overreaching Christian influence in our society. The article stating the approval of the tree was likely a mistake also goes to point out the clear bias of city and government officials. If you allow the representation of one religion then you must allow representation of all. And to those who believe this is a Christian time of year, I would urge you to read and learn about how pagan traditions, the winter solstice, and Saturnalia greatly influence our current winter traditions. Again, thank you to the church of Satan, keep up the good work!
“After school Satan clubs, which have been launched around the country in response to after school Bible clubs, include the stated goals of attacking Christian faith and promoting the idea that God does not exist.”
This is a blatant lie. After school Satan clubs put on by the The Satanic Temple only seek to “promote self-directed education by supporting the intellectual and creative interests of students.” Nowhere in there materials is there anything about any deity and whether or not any deity exists. In fact, there materials are very explicit that that they do not proselytize ever. It’s just a safe place for kids to go after school to explore their interests.
No deity?!? Do you even hear yourself? You worship “Satan”. That means by definition that “Satan” is your deity. Evil worshipers sure are dense yet transparent. Vapid tools.
‘Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” I Peter 5:8
Gods words not mine. All the freedom you enjoy comes from God, not Satan. Satan is bondage and eternal death.
This is not acceptable! This is the holiest time to celebrate the birth of a child, this is disgusting! Many people are not going to attend because of this!
It’s not the holiest of time, Jesus wasn’t born in the winter, the christians integrated the winter solstice into there myths to make the pagans into christians
Walgreens is having a 2 for no 1 sale on pearls.
Great !!! … Clutch a few for us next time you visit.
snowflake. go cry about it. free country. get over yourself and stop being so offended by everything.
You seem offended. By opinions. The irony.
I wonder why she turned off the comments?
It’s a sad sad day in Alaska when a certain group responsible for this cant do tgeir job and see what they ok’ed. I think it’s time to replace some members of that group upin Fairbanks!
That did a wonderful job.
There’s a bad case of that going around, Neil. For some reason this year seems to have brought out a number of the very worst elements in society working to soil the season with their toxic gall.
Yes, I think they could use some more Satanists
freedom is wonderful. Satanism is not.
Satanism is the choice that brings true freedom
God will not be mocked.
Imaginary thing can’t be affended
Are you suggesting that Satan, and Christ are “imaginary” ?.. Which one ?.. Or is it both, for you ?.. If GOD is imaginary, why does someone else’s beliefs “Offend” you.. I’m not sure what “affended” means.
Your mommy has your lunch ready junior. Time to hustle upstairs and eat.
yes he will. and he is every day. youre an adult with an imaginary friend…. grow up.
Either “the public square” MUST be open to ALL religious beliefs, including ones that upset you, or it must be open to NONE.
We live in a pluralistic society, folks. If you don’t believe the Satanists or any other group should be “allowed” to do something, then don’t demand the right to do it yourselves. Otherwise, what you’re asking for is religious privilege, not religious freedom.
The First Amendment prohibits local government agencies, including public schools, from discriminating against speech based on viewpoint. It applies in this case since local government is involved. The First Amendment right to free speech generally protects private speech from governmental restrictions. It doesn’t protect against speech restrictions imposed by private entities.
SO if the event were to be sponsored in the future by ONLY nonprofit groups partnering with area businesses, then the SATANIC-based tree can be excluded. It is interesting that the winter solstice celebrations were more pagan in origin than more recently (relatively speaking) adopted by the christians. SEE https://agwaycapecod.com/history-of-the-winter-solstice/
Winter solstice celebrations occurred several centuries BC. Scandinavian history shows that the Norse began their Yule traditions at winter solstice. In honor of the returning sun, large logs were set afire. These could take as long as two weeks to burn, during which people feasted (and presumably drank copious amounts of grog). The Norse believed that each spark from the fire was a sign that a new pig or calf would be born in the coming spring.
During this time, people in Germany were not quite as joyful. They honored the pagan god Woden (Odin in Norse mythology) during mid-winter. Woden was terrifying – he was said to fly through the town in the night to decide who would prosper or perish. Most people wisely chose to stay indoors to avoid being seen by Woden, who rode an eight-legged horse by the name of Sleipnir and kept company with dead warriors. SEE: https://www.caringtreechildrensdentistry.com/blog/winter-solstice-holiday-celebrations-history/
The Seven Tenets of Satanism:
I: One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.
II: The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.
III: One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.
IV:The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one’s own.
V: Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.
VI: People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one’s best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.
VII: Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.
Satan, disguising himself as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14
The great immitator.
Nice. Sign me up.
Real Alaskans don’t like people telling them how to run their lives. Don’t like abortion? Then don’t have one. Mind your own darned business.
Notice that “Your Body, Your Choice” is tied to these Satan goons?
Aunt Been, Is it my responsibility as an adult to protect a child from a child-beater? So, then what’s the difference between a child-beater and a child-eliminator?
What is pretty ironic about satanism, is that it would not exist without Christianity. Christianity in it’s purest form, is only one side of the coin. The duality of Christianity and Satanism is that they perpetuate each other. Without one, there would not be the other. In all honesty, they are one being. One representing the illusion of God’s Light and the other representing the illusion of the absence of God’s Light.
Eventually both religions will die out as the truth is revealed that all is one and that any representation of religion is but an illusion of separation.
While hardcore Christianity is just as guilty as the depths of Satanism in that they have both spilled blood in the name of God.
Each expression has it’s beauty in the art that is formed from each ray, and it’s ugliness.
Learn to expand consciousness and you will be free of the labels of division. I pray that we all one day see past the illusion. That illusion, is that we are just thinkers confined to the physical vessel. No, we are much more than just the human perspective.
Merry Christmas to All.
I’m not sure why anyone would be mad about this. I’m not religious, but I’m not a satanist. I’m also a staunch constitutional conservative. Why can one group express their beliefs, but not another? Is the 1st amendment not relevant anymore? I have my beliefs, but they do not agree with this AT ALL. Who are we to decide what can be seen in public? Everyone needs to relax and accept other people’s opinions. Let them express themselves, we are winning and there’s nothing these idiots can do about it.
There’s no reason to be excited about this. I’m a staunch constitutional conservative but I am also a firm believer in the 1st amendment. Let them express their beliefs, but understand we are winning this fight between good and evil.
God will not be mocked! Jesus is my Savior and King.
That’s funny since you christians are the ones that stole the holiday from the pagans. If it’s that easy to offend your god, then your god is not worth following
Burn it down
snowflakes gonna snowflake. go cry about it.
Yet here you are. Whining.
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
So-called Satanists are worshipping the created instead of the Creator. Idolatry is as old as man. Noticing the unpleasantness of the various folks commenting here to defend their idolatry, but also noting the unpleasantness of those condemning them. I should think, as a Christian, we were above this name calling and vitriol. We are commanded to pray for everyone, particularly those who seperate themselves from the love of God, and I for one believe that He will call them home in His time. It is perhaps a blessing that they so clearly identify themselves so that we can pray more fervently for their souls. I expect St. Michael is still quite capable of defeating Satan, and that he does so every day.
You’ve provided stellar vitriol and name calling in the past Tamra. Christians like to pretend piety, but, in the real world, they are just as nasty as the rest of us.
Perhaps since you come here to poke the eyes of people with whom you vehemently disagree, you assume that calling something what it is constitutes vitriol and name calling. What I do is hold bigots accountable. If that offends you, I’m sure you could go find a place that feels much more welcoming. But of course, that isn’t your goal at all. It is much easier to tear down than to build up. Whoever wronged you in the past, forgiveness is a much more efficacious path than slinging your angst here. Merry Christmas.
SANCTE Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen
In the beginning, God originated love and compassion. In the garden , Satan the imitator, has twisted and attempted to re-define fairness ever since. Small wonder many commentators here insist all religions should be dealt with equally. I can’t say I love people who blaspheme my Lord Jesus, but I DO feel a sense of loss over the fact that so much of His creation choose eternal separation from a loving, forgiving God. Emphasize FOREVER.
Tamra. You say that you hold bigots accountable. Lofty claim. I won’t call you a bigot but you possess bigotness. You howl against trans and gays, pointing out their alleged wickedness. That’s the definition of bigotry – condemning others that don’t share your world view. And it’s arrogant of you to assume someone has wronged me in the past. That, because I’m a critical thinking, evidence based atheist, that I’m spiritually tormented. I am not emotionally hobbled by the supernatural like a belief in demons and ghosts and fairies and talking snakes.
Alma 30:60
And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.
Yes, we who are believers of Jesus Christ and God, the Father believe we need to pray for those who do not believe in them. We are also to be lights shining in darkness.
Satanists may have lofty tenets, but those tenets will not lead one to righteousness and God if one does not worship God, the Father, and His Son.
“Mind-forg’d manacles” is a metaphor in William Blake’s poem London that symbolizes the self-imposed limitations that people place on themselves.