Black Mass Planned for Oklahoma City Sept 2014

A Satanic black mass will be held in the Oklahoma City Civic Center in September. Tickets are being sold. It's being billed as an 'educational event' by the Satanists. Understandably, the Catholic response is that the Satanic black mass is just a mockery of their own religious rituals and that the Church hopes people won't attend. It also is calling on people to pray for the situation. The Civic Center states that it is a public building and that the First Amendment requires them to not discriminate based upon religion. They say that, as long as the Satanists abide by the laws then they will be welcome in the building.

Questions

- Is the Catholic church correct when it says that the Satanic black mass is just a mockery of the Catholic mass and that the black mass isn't a real religious ritual? They do have a point.

- Even if the Satanic black mass is a mockery of the Catholic mass (I'm not sure if it is), does that make it any less of a religious/worship type event? Does it make the Satanic mass any less protected under the first amendment??

- Is the Civic Center doing the correct thing by allowing the Satanic black mass? (for disclosure - my position is that I think the Civic Center is correct)

- Something I don't understand ... the Satanists are selling tickets to their black mass. So is this just entertainment and not really a worship thing, or is it going to be both? (a little worship and a little money making?)

Black Mass Planned for Oklahoma City

According to the Oklahoma City Civic Center website, the event is planned for Sept. 21. Tickets go on sale Wednesday. The website announces: "The Black Mass has been a feared ritual, and now it's being brought into the light! This will be not only enlightening but educational as well. This Black Mass will [be] conducted for the public to attend with certain adaptations to allow for a legal celebration."

That includes clothing the "female altar," which is normally nude, Adam Daniels, head of Dakhma of Angra Mainyu, the satanic church in Oklahoma City behind the event, explained in an interview today. "We’re trying to bring about tolerance for our religious freedom for the satanic religon," Daniels said. "We have a legally-filed church...and bringing out the black mass as one of the rituals of satanism to educate the public."

Oklahoma City Civic Center Website

What the Catholic Church in Oklahoma says about the scheduled Black Mass
Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

“For more than 1 billion Catholics worldwide and more than 200,000 Catholics in Oklahoma, the Mass is the most sacred of religious rituals,” the archbishop said. “It is the center of Catholic worship and celebrates Jesus Christ’s redemption of the world by his death and resurrection. In particular, the Eucharist – which we believe to be the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ – is the source and summit of our faith.

“That’s why we’re astonished and grieved that the Civic Center would promote as entertainment and sell tickets for an event that is very transparently a blasphemous mockery of the Mass,” he continued. “The ‘Black Mass’ that is scheduled for the Civic Center in September is a satanic inversion and distortion of the most sacred beliefs not only of Catholics, but of all Christians.

“In a spirit of hope, I ask those who are allowing this event to reconsider whether this is an appropriate use of public space. We trust that community leaders – and, in particular, the board members of the Oklahoma City Civic Center – do not actually wish to enable or encourage such a flagrantly inflammatory event and can surely remedy this situation.

“If the event does move forward, we will have to consider other peaceful, prayerful and respectful options to demonstrate our opposition to this publicly supported sacrilegious act.

a reply to: FlyersFan

Black Mass Planned for Oklahoma City Sept 2014

I'll be there with my public access cable TV crew to document the whole thing. Complete with interviews, profiles and the actual ceremony.

I expect there to be a huge protest demonstration by OK Christians and more than likely gunplay and bloody violence. A documentary filmakers dream come true and I will be needing a few PAs if you're available. However there will probably be more "news" people there than ticketholders.

This should be bigger than Burning Man.

The Catholic Church is probably funding this event.

This is one of those cases where I honestly say I hate the speech but will defend it's right to be heard on principles we're founded on.

If the Nazis could have their parade in Skokie, then the Satanists ought to have their right to whatever it is they figure this is for them. If the numbers weren't there, it wouldn't happen. If the numbers don't show up, it'll never happen again I'd guess.

Either way, the Constitution I've learned the meaning of says they have the right to do their thing. However much we may dislike it. (Unless they commit a crime, then it's not about religion anymore anyway.)

People have just as much a right to worship Satan in this nation as people have to worship God. If people don't like it they are free to move to a country where it isn't allowed. The right to worship Satan is covered in the First Amendment because it is a religion.

The black awakening is coming.

Black awakening

Tickets on sale...? Maybe SATAN needs the money for his PR campaign that will showcase a softer, friendlier, guy next door type of SATAN. LOL

Seriously though, Great find and SnF for you for this find. If they ARE recognized as a religion then they have protection under the constitution to do this. So, as long as they aren't sacrificing any virgins or bringing the dead up from their graves, I say let them celebrate in peace; even if it is for NATAS.

a reply to: FlyersFan

well i can't find a good source for it, but if irrc in 1978 the army started providing training and guidelines for satanic worship in the army's chaplains handbook.

if that's not the federal government recognizing satanism, i don't know what is.
so it's their right to have a service.




ETA: look here i found the army chapains handbook on google books. and here is a link for the church of satan chapter.
Church of Satan Religious Requirements and Practices: A Handbook for Chaplains
edited by U. S. Department of the Army

It's chapter V11-17

a reply to: FlyersFan

If they really wanted it to be a non-event, and prevent free expression, why wouldn't they just buy up all the tickets? That would be a better statement than just whining about it.

Well good for them. Was this supposed to make us Christians angry?

*que crickets chirping *

I live in the area, while I expect protests... 99.9% of it will be peaceful.

I know folks like to paint Okies as some horribly intolerant people but when the USAF brought me here I found a place I want to retire, while they may disagree vehemently most okies are going to shrug and go about there day like they would any other.

Least that's my opinion.

originally posted by: Bone75
Well good for them. Was this supposed to make us Christians angry?

No .. I think it's supposed to make you give up some $$$ to go to the black mass and get educated on satanism.

My opinion is (and I'm a Christian). That if Christians can hold Christian concerts and other events there. Then the satanists can have theirs too.....

I might not agree w their ideology but they have a right to it as much as we do

a reply to: FlyersFan

- Is the Catholic church correct when it says that the Satanic black mass is just a mockery of the Catholic mass and that the black mass isn't a real religious ritual? They do have a point.

Not really. Black masses have, do, and will take place all over this country all the time.

Come spend a couple of weeks in Astoria, Oregon. You'll see what I mean.

- Even if the Satanic black mass is a mockery of the Catholic mass (I'm not sure if it is), does that make it any less of a religious/worship type event? Does it make the Satanic mass any less protected under the first amendment??

It shouldnt. Protection of religion should extend to ALL religions, not just the handpicked.

- Is the Civic Center doing the correct thing by allowing the Satanic black mass? (for disclosure - my position is that I think the Civic Center is correct)

I dont know if "correct" really comes into play, but it darn sure is their right, and good on them for doing it.

- Something I don't understand ... the Satanists are selling tickets to their black mass. So is this just entertainment and not really a worship thing, or is it going to be both? (a little worship and a little money making?)

To me, doing something like this can only really be a recruiting tool. I dont see many other options. Its an attempt to show some people what satanism is, really, and what is myth.

Everyone is like," They are just expressing their religious beliefs" But aren't their religious beliefs (by their own admission) mainly having to do with pure and absolute evil? And if they act out 99% of their beliefs, wouldn't they be committing crimes against humanity?
So how can people be so blindly and liberally naive, and think this is just another wacky religion? I dunno. If I'm way off base here, please educate me.

Considering the Catholic Church has been making a mockery of Jesus' teachings for centuries, they'd not have a leg to stand on with their argument. In fact it sounds down right mafia "ish" the way they made their statement about it. Also lastly because it's been said (still needs driving home) its their right. It's the truely American way.

reply to: PinealJockey
Im pretty sure that they believe the church is the lie and it is they who are evil. You know like the other side of a coin...an opposite.

So why is this news?

Why can't they just be left alone to do their thing?
There are calls for it to be banned,Archbishop asking for centre to reconsider it... Utter crap.
America and The Right especially always go on about free speech, America is the greatest because you can do what you want, express yourself, religion is protected blah blah blah.... all BOLLOCKS.

It's only all ok if it's something that the Christian Family Values morons approve of.

These people want to have a meeting/mass or whatever, let them get on with it... nobody would have even HEARD about the damn thing if Christian loons wouldn't have been running around with "The end is NIGH!!" signs on... having a fit.

FFS

Grow up.

originally posted by: blupblup
So why is this news?

It's in the news so we are discussing it. It's in the news because it's a social issue. And honestly ,I think it's a good thing that it's in the news. The civic center is educating people on equal rights ... equal rights for everyone even if you disagree with whatever their religion is doing. So as much as it would be nice if it wasn't news, at this time in world history, it needs to be discussed.

To each his own I guess.... But these people are stupid. What is the point of all this? The shock factor of people being satanist died out a long time ago. Now they just look stupid as hell