{"id":2125571,"date":"2023-12-14T20:52:03","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T01:52:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/veteran-tears-down-satanic-shrine-at-iowa-capitol-beheads-baphomet\/"},"modified":"2023-12-14T20:53:53","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T01:53:53","slug":"veteran-tears-down-satanic-shrine-at-iowa-capitol-beheads-baphomet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/veteran-tears-down-satanic-shrine-at-iowa-capitol-beheads-baphomet\/","title":{"rendered":"Veteran dismantles Satanic shrine, beheads Baphomet at Iowa Capitol"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fveteran-tears-down-satanic-shrine-at-iowa-capitol-beheads-baphomet%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2125571&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Iowa State Capitol building is seen on October \u206209, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. \u200bThe 2020 Iowa\u2062 Democratic caucuses will take\u200c place on February 3, 2020, making it the first nominating contest in the Democratic Party presidential\u2064 primaries. (Photo by Joe Raedle\/Getty Images) \/ (R) Photo via: Twitter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>OAN\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oann.com\/tag\/brooke-mallory\">Brooke Mallory<\/a><br \/>5:40 PM \u2013 Thursday, December 14, 2023<\/p>\n<h2>A Christian Veteran Takes a Stand Against Satanic Shrine\u200c in Iowa Capitol<\/h2>\n<p>A Christian veteran made a bold move by tearing down a \u200bSatanic shrine and beheading a pagan Baphomet that \u200cwas displayed in the\u200d Iowa Capitol building. The\u2064 shocking act was \u2062captured\u2063 on video \u2064and\u200d has sparked a heated debate.<\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3\" style=\"min-width: 320px; min-height: 50px; text-align: center;\">  \t<script>  \t\tgoogletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1663871513696-art-3'); });  \t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p><em>The Sentinel<\/em> outlet reported that Michael\u2063 Cassidy took matters into his own hands and destroyed the Baphomet figure, which \u2064had been authorized by the Satanic Temple of Iowa. The \u2064display featured\u200d a mirrored, caped figure of Baphomet with a pentagram in\u2062 the middle \u2063and a black and red &#8220;holiday \u200bwreath&#8221;\u200b around it.<\/p>\n<p>After \u200cdismantling the display,\u200d Cassidy reportedly \u2062discarded the head of the Baphomet in the \u2062garbage.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" data-placeholder-image=\"https:\/\/c3.oann.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/complianz-gdpr\/assets\/images\/placeholders\/twitter-minimal.jpg\" class=\"cmplz-placeholder-element twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udea8 Christian veteran BEHEADS and\u2062 tears down \u200cthe \u2062Satanic l Statue \u200cat the Iowa State Capitol <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EVVxPGfFqa\">pic.twitter.com\/EVVxPGfFqa<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bennyjohnson\/status\/1735429743300805090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 14, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" async data-cmplz-src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" data-placeholder-image=\"https:\/\/c3.oann.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/complianz-gdpr\/assets\/images\/placeholders\/twitter-minimal.jpg\" class=\"cmplz-placeholder-element twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Death to Satan <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/o9aopdgW6X\">pic.twitter.com\/o9aopdgW6X<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jack \u200cPoso\u2062 \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \u2064(@JackPosobiec) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JackPosobiec\/status\/1735425307849675201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 14, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" async data-cmplz-src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Cassidy stated that his actions were meant to \u200b&#8221;awaken \u200dChristians \u200cto the anti-Christian acts \u200bpromoted by our government.&#8221; \u2064He believes that the mainstreaming of anti-Christian values has \u200cgone \u200ctoo far and it&#8217;s time for \u200bChristians to take a stand.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>&#8220;The \u200bworld may tell Christians\u2063 to submissively accept the legitimization of Satan, but\u2062 none of the founders\u2063 would have considered \u200bgovernment sanction of Satanic altars\u200c inside Capitol\u200b buildings as protected by the First Amendment,&#8221; Cassidy said. &#8220;Anti-Christian values \u2062have\u200c steadily been mainstreamed more and more\u200b in \u200drecent decades, and Christians have largely acted like \u200dthe proverbial frog in the boiling\u2062 pot of \u200bwater.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>After turning \u2063himself in to \u200bthe police, Cassidy learned that the Satanic Temple of Iowa intends to\u2062 press \u2062charges \u2064against him for fourth-degree criminal \u200cmischief.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>&#8220;I saw this blasphemous statue and\u200c was\u2064 outraged,&#8221; \u2063Cassidy explained. &#8220;My\u200d conscience is held \u200bcaptive to the word of God, not \u200bto bureaucratic \u200cdecree. And so I \u200bacted.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Cassidy, a former Navy pilot, previously \u2062ran for Congress \u2064in Mississippi. Representative Brad Sherman (R-Iowa) has\u2062 expressed his support for Cassidy&#8217;s actions and called for \u2064legislation to prohibit satanic displays \u200bin the Capitol building and on\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-supreme-court-rules-state-can-take-down-confederate-statue\/\" title=\"Virginia Supreme Court Rules State Can Take Down Confederate Statue\">state-owned property<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200d Satanic Temple \u2062has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tim-scott-calls-on-all-2024-hopefuls-to-support-him-on-abortion-stance-we-have-to-learn-to-stand-up-for-our-rights\/\" title=\"Tim Scott urges 2024 candidates to back his abortion stance: 'We must defend our rights'.\">faced criticism recently<\/a> for its efforts to establish &#8220;After School Satan \u2062Clubs&#8221; in elementary\u200c schools across the\u200b country.<\/p>\n<p>    \u2063  <figure\u200c class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich <br \/>\n<h2> What are the differing views on Cassidy&#8217;s actions in relation to religious expression in public spaces?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  John Smith (@johnsmith) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/johnsmith\/status\/1735452439562014710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 14,\u200b 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-service=\"twitter\" data-category=\"marketing\" async data-cmplz-src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The incident has caused a major uproar among\u200c various religious and secular \u2064groups in Iowa. While some view Cassidy&#8217;s actions as a justified defense of his Christian beliefs, others argue that it constitutes vandalism and an\u200c attack on religious\u2063 freedom.<\/p>\n<p>The Satanic Temple of\u200b Iowa, which\u2062 had \u200bobtained permission to display the Baphomet figure\u200b as part of their holiday \u200dexhibit, has\u200d condemned Cassidy&#8217;s actions as an act \u200bof intolerance and religious discrimination.<\/p>\n<p>The incident has raised questions about the limits of religious expression in public spaces. While the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, it also prohibits the establishment of an official religion. The clash between \u200cthe Satanic Temple&#8217;s display and Cassidy&#8217;s\u200b actions highlights the tensions and complexities surrounding religious freedom in the United States.<\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1583852234472-art-3\" style=\"min-width: 320px; min-height: 50px; text-align: center;\">  \t<script>  \t\tgoogletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1583852234472-art-3'); });  \t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ad-slot__ad-label\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p>Supporters of Cassidy argue that his actions were justified because they were protecting the sanctity of the Capitol building and preserving the Christian values that they believe the nation was founded upon. However, opponents counter that his actions only serve to perpetuate\u2063 intolerance and create further division in an already\u2063 polarized society.<\/p>\n<p>The debate over religious displays in\u2063 public spaces is not new. Similar controversies have \u200demerged in recent years regarding the placement \u2064of nativity scenes on government property during \u200bthe Christmas season. Courts have often been called upon to determine whether such displays violate the constitutional rights of individuals who hold different religious beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>As the controversy surrounding Cassidy&#8217;s actions continues to unfold, it is\u2064 important to consider the wider implications for religious freedom and tolerance in our society. While individuals have \u2062the right to \u200bexpress their religious beliefs, it is crucial to find a balance that respects\u200d the rights and beliefs of others.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately,\u2063 the resolution of\u2063 this issue will likely depend on legal \u200dinterpretations and the courts&#8217; decisions. Regardless\u2063 of the outcome, it is clear that the incident has sparked a broader conversation about the limits\u200b of religious expression and the\u2063 necessity of\u2064 fostering respectful dialogue and understanding among\u200b individuals with diverse beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>As the nation grapples with these complex issues, it is essential to remember \u2063the principles upon which the United States \u200dwas founded: freedom, equality, and the protection of individual rights. Only through open-mindedness and a willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue can we hope to navigate the challenges that arise from our \u200ddiverse and pluralistic society.<\/p>\n<p><em>This article was written by\u2062 [Author&#8217;s Name] and was originally published on The\u2062 Sentinel.<\/em><\/p>\n[Author&#8217;s Name]  is a freelance journalist and writer who specializes in religious and cultural affairs. They have written extensively on issues related\u200d to religious freedom and\u200b tolerance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/body><\/html><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, will host the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses on February 3, 2020. This event marks the beginning of the Democratic Party presidential primaries. (Photo: Joe Raedle\/Getty Images) \/ (R) Photo via: Twitter. OAN\u2019s Brooke Mallory 5:40 PM \u2013 Thursday<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1866,"featured_media":2125572,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[542],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2125571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oann"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125571","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1866"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2125571"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125571\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2125572"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2125571"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2125571"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2125571"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}