An ex-Navy pilot raised some hell when he decapitated a goat-headed installation at the Iowa State Capitol that was organized by the local Satanic Temple.
Michael Cassidy, a “conservative Christian” from Mississippi, said he was “offended” by the Baphomet altar and responded by taking its head.
Arguing it’s a question between “good and evil,” Cassidy encourages people to defy “such darkness” and instead “embrace Jesus Christ.”
In December 2023, Michael Cassidy – a former Republican candidate for Mississippi’s state House of Representatives – walked into the Iowa State Capitol, and was surprised the legislature allowed the Satanic Temple to display Baphomet, a creepy goat-headed statue.
Baphomet is a winged creature with a goat head, which according to Encyclopedia Britannica is a “deity” the Knights Templar “were accused of worshipping and that was later embraced by various occult and mystical writers.”
The 35-year-old Lauderdale man told Fox News that when he saw the altar, “nobody was there, and it offended me. It touched a nerve. It was, you know, righteous indignation.” Then, he “tore [the head] off” and “put it in a garbage bag.”
Instead of running from the scene, Cassidy – a “Christian conservative” who loves his country – took the head to security and in return he received a citation.
“I saw this blasphemous statue and was outraged,” Cassidy said, according to the Des Moines Register. “My conscience is held captive to the word of God, not to bureaucratic decree. And so, I acted.”
‘All religions have equal rights’
Mortimer Adramelech, a minister with the Satanic Temple of Iowa, told NBC affiliate WHO of Des Moines the Baphomet installation was there for the holidays.
@LucienGreaves Today, at the Iowa Capitol, someone vandalized our Holiday display and attempted to throw Baphomet the into trash. The statue was beyond repair, but the altar still stands. pic.twitter.com/kpDmdEhUaN
— XXV α (@TwentyFiveAlpha) December 14, 2023
“All religions have equal rights in the public forum under the First Amendment of the Constitution. As Americans we have every right to be here just like anyone else,” Adramelech told the outlet.
The Iowa Department of Administrative Services confirmed the group met the application requirements for the display.
According to a statement made by state’s attorney’s office Cassidy was initially charged with third-degree criminal mischief, a D felony under Iowa’s hate crime statutes, “for intentionally damaging a statue owned by the Satanic Temple of Iowa.”
The prosecutor’s office writes, “Evidence shows the defendant made statements to law enforcement and the public indicating he destroyed the property because of the victim’s religion.”judgement misdemeanor, which means a fine with no jail time.
“Not today, Satan,” he tweets.
‘Religious liberty’
People had a lot to say about Cassidy damaging the goat statue.
One follower of the Satanic Temple Facebook site says Cassidy’s beheading is “a hate crime” equal to spray painting “a swastika on the wall of a synagogue.” The user writes, “This conduct needs to be prosecuted as a hate crime, and since he crossed state lines with the intention to commit his crime, Federal hate crime charges should be handed down as well.”
A second, suggesting the former congressional candidate is a hypocrite, adds “Funny how those who crow [the] loudest about ‘religious liberty’ oppose it the most.”Others defended the man, praising him for taking a stand.
One netizen writes, “I admire this man for tearing it down. It is time for us to take a stand against these kinds of symbols. Bravo sir…May you be exonerated and walk away a free citizen.”
Puzzled by the legislature allowing the installation, another shares, “I can’t wrap my head around why in the world would they display this demonic entity in the first place. Every Believer in that state should have banned together and peacefully protested this atrocity.”
A third adds, “If he goes to jail or gets fined us as Christians should unite and help our brother.”
‘Reject Satan’
Speaking with CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network), Cassidy addresses the hate he’s received from Satanists, and love from fellow Christians: “I’ve received both positive and negative feedback, which has been quite remarkable. Some anonymous voices have applauded my firm stance against Satanism, recognizing the degradation in our society. That, in itself, has been heartening.”
Cassidy continues, “I’ve also received a significant amount of hate mail from Satanists and their sympathizers. It’s astonishing – when I mention ‘hate mail,’ I mean hateful messages via fake Facebook accounts and Twitter trolls.”
Emphasizing the importance of Jesus, Cassidy adds, “I want people to reject Satan and embrace Jesus Christ. This should be the central message. It’s disheartening to witness a desire to expose children to such darkness.”
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