Harvard allows Satanic black mass

www.weeklystandard.com...

The performance, which will take place Monday night at Cambridge Queen’s Head Pub in the basement of Memorial Hall, is organized by the Extension School’s Cultural Studies Club with help from the New York-based Satanic Temple.

The ceremony will model the script of the black mass articulated in novelist Joris-Karl Huysmans’ work “Là-Bas,” although a consecrated host will not be used. In addition, Christopher Robichaud, an ethics and public policy professor at the Kennedy School of Government, will speak at the demonstration to frame the event in terms of religious liberty and tolerance, according to the club.

Isn't Satanic black mass a religious activity? I thought religion and school didn't mix. In fact, it is a violation to permit religion in schools. I was shocked that the administration claims it is a learning tool. What has happened to Harvard? If anything else, it will permit Catholic and Christian activities. "Religious Liberty"?????????????????????????????? Any thoughts on this?

a reply to: StoutBroux

What? Skullduggery at Harvard? Nooo…

a reply to: StoutBroux

Em, you just found out?

It's been around for ages. Some people (such as LaVey) even think that mere secularism means you have to go on and call yourself a satanist.

a reply to: StoutBroux

If it's a student organization, I think it passes. There's a difference between including religion as a subject of curriculum or making religious practices mandatory as part of attendance, and allowing students to spend their free time as they want to. Besides, it's an educational experience and they wouldn't want to appear prejudiced, would they? In fact, it's something of a conundrum. Allowing religious practices because disallowing religious practices on religious grounds would be a violation of separation blah blah blah.

Bottom line: It's a glorified "casting of the circle". Big deal. What they do with their materials and their free time is not the university's concern. I'm sure they get up to their own hijinks when students aren't watching. And sometimes, when they are.

a reply to: StoutBroux

It's not an actual Mass but a performance. And it's a good lesson for current times. Recently Satanists have been challenging religious liberty by petitioning to have their religion represented at government buildings in which Christianity is represented, such as having a Satanic statue next to the Ten Commandments at court houses.

It is easy to not take up the cause of religious liberty when a religion makes you uncomfortable. If there's going to be this continuous attempt by some religious folks to break down the wall separating Church and State then people need to understand that "Church" must be all inclusive and not representing any one particular religion over others.

originally posted by: StoutBroux
www.weeklystandard.com...

The performance, which will take place Monday night at Cambridge Queen’s Head Pub in the basement of Memorial Hall, is organized by the Extension School’s Cultural Studies Club with help from the New York-based Satanic Temple.

The ceremony will model the script of the black mass articulated in novelist Joris-Karl Huysmans’ work “Là-Bas,” although a consecrated host will not be used. In addition, Christopher Robichaud, an ethics and public policy professor at the Kennedy School of Government, will speak at the demonstration to frame the event in terms of religious liberty and tolerance, according to the club.

Isn't Satanic black mass a religious activity? I thought religion and school didn't mix. In fact, it is a violation to permit religion in schools. I was shocked that the administration claims it is a learning tool. What has happened to Harvard? If anything else, it will permit Catholic and Christian activities. "Religious Liberty"?????????????????????????????? Any thoughts on this?

I do not know if you know this but, private schools can mix all the religion they want. Why entire private universities are regious based. Now in a public school if they allowed a satanic black mass or a christian prayer service they are ok as long as they allow all other religions the same opportunity.

Hooray for diversity! Lucien Greaves, who is the spokesperson for The Satanic Temple, is actually an atheist and fully admits that the reenactment is educational AND political.

“This is not a supernatural ritual,” Greaves told the Daily News. “We don’t believe in the supernatural. And I don’t think belief in the supernatural should give you any privilege, since any deeply held belief should be protected.”

This makes The Satanic Temple’s activities more of a political statement than a cohesive religious ritual — in other words, closer in theology to the Church of The Flying Spaghetti Monster than the Church of Satan.
...
As part of a series exploring different cultures, the Cultural Studies Club is also hosting a Shinto tea ceremony, a Shaker exhibition and a Buddhist presentation on meditation.

Source

Expect more of this kind of thing, as this country explores what the first amendment actually means - it's inclusive of all religious thought. The first amendment isn't just for Christianity anymore...

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Politics! Why am I not surprised? No wonder Harvard allowed it...this might be their subtle way of encouraging ingenuity and innovation. Taking our core values to the next level and all that.

Why can't they just discuss the ethical implications? They have to have a black mass performance?
These academia nuts never fail to amuse.

I'd rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University.
William F. Buckley Jr.

originally posted by: MrSpad

originally posted by: StoutBroux
www.weeklystandard.com...

The performance, which will take place Monday night at Cambridge Queen’s Head Pub in the basement of Memorial Hall, is organized by the Extension School’s Cultural Studies Club with help from the New York-based Satanic Temple.

The ceremony will model the script of the black mass articulated in novelist Joris-Karl Huysmans’ work “Là-Bas,” although a consecrated host will not be used. In addition, Christopher Robichaud, an ethics and public policy professor at the Kennedy School of Government, will speak at the demonstration to frame the event in terms of religious liberty and tolerance, according to the club.

Isn't Satanic black mass a religious activity? I thought religion and school didn't mix. In fact, it is a violation to permit religion in schools. I was shocked that the administration claims it is a learning tool. What has happened to Harvard? If anything else, it will permit Catholic and Christian activities. "Religious Liberty"?????????????????????????????? Any thoughts on this?

I do not know if you know this but, private schools can mix all the religion they want. Why entire private universities are regious based. Now in a public school if they allowed a satanic black mass or a christian prayer service they are ok as long as they allow all other religions the same opportunity.

I was going to say this, but you beat me to it.

originally posted by: StoutBroux
Isn't Satanic black mass a religious activity? I thought religion and school didn't mix. In fact, it is a violation to permit religion in schools. I was shocked that the administration claims it is a learning tool. What has happened to Harvard? If anything else, it will permit Catholic and Christian activities. "Religious Liberty"?????????????????????????????? Any thoughts on this?

It's not a public school, it's a university. It's not being held for Satanists but for students. This is no different than having an indigenous tribal rain dance being performed for an anthropology class.

i thought this was very strange. i used to work at harvard as an audio/visual technician there and i've never seen any student group do anything satanic. they have a lot of student organizations as you can imagine a bunch of them obviously are religious so that's nothing out of the ordinary.

what strikes me the most about this is that the event is being held in memorial hall. which is a huge main building on campus, usually used as a dining hall. apparently it was built back in the day in memory of harvard alumni who had died in the civil war. odd place to have a black mass, even if it is just for educational purposes, to show people what goes on.

the fact is that reenacting something like this still has energetic consequences. they are still reciting the words and doing to motions. what i'm wondering though is if they will actually go so far as to replace the holy water with real urine etc. or will they just use a fake substitute. very odd. normally, as their a/v technician we would video tape most every event held at harvard. i'm wondering if this event will be taped as well because then it would be possible to view a copy...


(memorial hall @ harvard)

a reply to: StoutBroux

As a few people already said Harvard is a private school. The idea of separation of church and state only applies to public / state funded institutions.

Harvard could allow virtually any type of event as long as it doesn't break the law.

Look at BYU or Notre Dame both are church based schools.

a reply to: StoutBroux

My thoughts on this are...the secret lives of many who attend and run Harvard...are perhaps going to be revealed...and also who really runs Harvard.

I guess next we will be doing human sacrifices again, and some nut job will be saying hurrah for diversity.
And I'm not ignorant when it come to satanism, my son practiced for years.

originally posted by: Stormdancer777
some nut job will be saying hurrah for diversity.

Jesus! Nut job?

Anyway, this is a private school. It's a demonstration and it's religious freedom.

originally posted by: Stormdancer777
I guess next we will be doing human sacrifices again, and some nut job will be saying hurrah for diversity.
And I'm not ignorant when it come to satanism, my son practiced for years.

Nice slippery slope fallacy you employed there.

I can understand the arguments for it being displayed.

Legally, they have every right to do so.

But I personally, am against it.

My reasoning?

As William Shakespeare once said, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
(Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio )

Esoteric sciences, the occult, whatever you want to call it, scares the snot out of me simply because there ARE things that go bump in the night. There are things we really don't want to attract the attention of.

This "free expression" may be legal, but just because it is "legal" doesn't always make it right to do.

Just my personal opinion of the matter. It holds no legal standing what so ever.

The whole thing is fairly ridiculous and it has the air of some college kids trying to be edgy. If they really just wanted to learn more about Satanism, they could organize an Ayn Rand book reading.

"I give people Ayn Rand with trappings" —Anton LaVey

originally posted by: beezzer
Esoteric sciences, the occult, whatever you want to call it, scares the snot out of me simply because there ARE things that go bump in the night.

If Satanism is an esoteric science or occult, then so is Christianity (which I believe it is). Where do you think Satan came from?