Christian zealot who destroyed Satanic display in Iowa Capitol accepts plea deal (Livestream)
Vložit
- čas přidán 4. 06. 2024
- Michael Cassidy, the Christian zealot who vandalized The Satanic Temple’s display in the Iowa Capitol last December, will plead guilty to criminal mischief in exchange for the prosecution dropping a (much more serious) felony charge. His decision also means he’ll avoid getting charged with a hate crime and spending any time in jail.
While the consequences won’t be as severe as they could have been, it at least means the faith-based attack won’t go unpunished.
This is a clip from my recent livestream:
czcams.com/users/liveGxhy4_MYBLE
The article this is based on is here:
www.friendlyatheist.com/p/chr...
Join my channel to get access to special perks!
/ @friendlyatheist1
✔ Please support what I do: / hemant
✔ You can also make a one-time donation here: paypal.me/FriendlyAtheist
✔ Website: www.friendlyatheist.com/
✔ Contact: Mpromptu@gmail.com
✔ Twitter: / hemantmehta
✔ Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
✔ Instagram: / friendly.atheist
✔ Facebook: / friendlyatheist
✔ Amazon: amzn.to/2mMNzNs (My affiliate link)
Thank you to Yanely Del Rosario for providing captioning help!
Imagine the outrage if Satanists had vandalised the Christian displays!
Of course that goes against the ethics of the Satanic Temple.
Might start a baby Jesus collection. 😂 Not.
@@d.l.d.l.8140 😂😂
The Satanic Temple members are not even "Satanists." They Satanic Temple by its own description is non-theistic (does not believe in any god or gods). The name was likely chosen to be controversial, but that is because it actually works to preserve the separation of church and state.
They’d be jailed for 20 years minimum. A person causing DUI fatalities would get far less.
Be kind and do no harm? That's about as far from Christian values as it gets.
these are the fire and brimstone, old testament goons... act accordingly, they excuse their violence hiding behind a bible.
true true
Amen
100%
Yep. If Jesus were [hypothetically] around today, he'd probably support The Satanic Temple more than 99% of modern Christian denominations.
Christian conviction? I do think more Christians need to be convicted when they commit crimes.
Well Religious people are over-represented in America prison system for a reason atheists are far less likely to commit crimes than religious people, and globally the least religious countries have the lowest crime rates.
And even some non-Christians like Trump.
Exactly
@@nedludd7622 Trump might as well be a Christian. Both he and Jesus had the same basic message: "Only I can save you."
Christians: “Religious Freedom is for me, and not for Thee…..”
yes, they conveniently forget the idea of of the first amendment is to keep alternative religions in check too.
one day soon they will wake up and realise islam is the majority, and i bet they will still criticise humanists and atheists.
Exactly
@@HarryNicNicholaseither that or conflate entire religions with their own little nitpicks...
Yeah and that’s factually true. The founders did not separate church from state so satanist could do whatever they wanted. They were Christians themselves
Religious man “persecuted” after engaging in religious persecution! 😂
😆 funny & factual …perfect headline!
The joke is that the Satanic Temple in non-theist. In other words, they don't worship any god or deity.
Perfect reply. I couldn't have said it better on my best days!
His "Christian conviction" sounds more like he was trying to win brownie points with the voters that rejected him previously
yep.
Nailed it!
And build up that GoFundMe money
Why the fuck would they drop the hate crimes charges when he himself ANNOUNCED it was a hate crime
Hemant explained very well in the video why they would take a plea.
I agree. He did a hate crime. He said he did a hate crime. But, because our court system is trash it let him off easy giving him a smaller crime label just because he said he was guilty. Our court system sucks.
Because it's not hate when the haters include the criminal among their "loving community..."
Conservatives: We're the party of Law and Order.
Also Conservatives: Committing vandalism in the Christ, Jesus' name.
Jesus wasn't and isn't "the Christ".
Religious freedom = Christian persecution apparently.
CPC is real.
@wellhellothere6347 how about PCP 😂
@@wellhellothere6347 Christian "love" is real
I take it you mean religious freedom equals christian persecution of others who don’t agree with you?
@@katyungodly That's real too. In fact, PCP can make CPC much, much worse. 😆
Can we get a statue of Jesus and Baphomet sharing a hug?
or maybe a wafer and a glass of red...
They'd be so conflicted about it
They'd get mad if you made Jesus ethnically accurate
Probably more like a hand shake. But maybe we could get Jesus to swing by and teach Bo-Bo to properly Cross herself.
Probably need a blunt as well. Things are a little crazy lately.
The guy is a coward. Once the felony hate crime charge came out, he suddenly decided he wasn't so interested in playing "christian soldier".
Guess he isn't as committed to the cult as he professes on social media.
I am offended every time a cross, the 10 commandments or a nativity scene are placed on Government property.
Christian zeal is historically a bad thing.
robinhood20253. Please elaborate.
as well as any religion's zealotz. they're all the same creature
Never underestimate the violent actions of someone who worships a character from a book alleged to have suffocated to death most life on this planet with the waters from a great flood.
There are some snowflakes who think that if they're offended, they can respond by breaking the law.
Which group is that? Because you are describing a majority of Gen Z
@@willcall9431 What color is the sky in your world?
@@willcall9431 Yeahhhh, that's a pretty stupid thing to say out loud.
@@willcall9431Going to say that you don’t know a majority of gen z
John.Not-Jack.Daniels Thanks for asking. Half the time it’s Blue and the other half it’s black. So black I can see stars. Hope this helps you in your journey
The wrong thing is “make amends.”
Everybody knows Christian’s don’t believe in making amends. You simply ask for forgiveness without doing anything to right the wrong.
/mild sarcasm
Like Christian pastors do when caught doing s*xual abuse.
And worse yet: you don’t even ask forgiveness from the person you actually victimized. You ask it from “God” and then move on 😂
@@AvaEFF my word. You’re right there. Poor victims of Christian love.
i'm no satanist, but that display is way cooler and appealing than the lames of christianity.
also shouldn't be allowed a plea deal, he made a choice to destroy something out of religious bigotry. how is that something that deserves a plea deal? a non-citizen of that state, crossed state lines to commit a crime, that's mental forethought.
I know. I'm not a satanist either, but I have lived in Iowa for almost all of my life. Dude from Alabama comes up here and attacks a display at our capitol? Throw the gods-be-damned book at him!
@@SadisticSenpai61 Sounds like a two tiered system to me!
Oddly, the joke is that the Satanic Temple is not even "Satanist." It is actually non-theistic. It does not believe in any god or gods.
@@SadisticSenpai61 I don't care what the letter of the law says, and my experience has been that virtually no one else does, either. If you're openly affiliating yourself with Satan, then you have no rights. And if you're NOT....then you should find another moniker for yourself and your godforsaken friends...
Yes, it's a hate crime.
When that guy took his oath to support and defend the Constitution, he must have said except when he doesn't want to.
That's how many seem to interpret it now, especially the ones fantasizing about a civil war.
The only reason he would plead guilty is because he knows they have enough evidence to convict him on the hate crime charge. Hardly a victory.
Well,he did kinda admit to it.
For those who do not know, the Satanic temple neither worships or believes in Satan and the following Seven (7) Fundamental Tenets of the Satanic Temple, are pretty darn reasonable.
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.
Oh heck, you beat me to it.
I grew up in a Christian cult and was brought up thinking the worst things about the Satanic Temple. Things like, they are working with Satan to destroy the world. Seriously. When I finally left the cult as a young adult I met some Satanists. I was terrified at first. However, it didn't take long to figure out they were way less scary than the religious nutbags I grew up with. Honestly they were very friendly and helpful people. They all kinda gave off warm cuddly vibes.
Oh HORRORS! Satan is DECEIVING you! LOL.
(Aren't people silly? Too bad they're also dangerous...)
If Satan is not involved, why call it "Satanic Temple?"
Satanists sound rather Libertarian.
Christian fundamentalists are often so thin-skinned that whenever they see expressions of other faiths, they feel a compulsion to aggress against them. They just won't practice any self-restraint. They have strayed so far from the teachings of Jesus, they can no longer even recognise more genuine Christians in their day-to-day life.
$200,000?!!
Man, I am in a wrong business. I should probably start to vandalize things?
In the name of god!
I spent $5000 defending myself after a drug raid on my home. How does he need $200,000 to defend against a vandalism. What a scam. And then pled guilty. Does he just keep the cash now. WTF.
@@Sonic_Shroom I doubt he will send them back...
Of course, the Sentinel keeps 3/4 of that!
@@Sonic_Shroom It was a felony charge, until they offered him a plea deal to knock it down to a misdemeanor. He didn't have the "faith" of God at that point, and weaseled out.
the satanic display is not controversial or insulting to people who understand middle eastern mythology and its historical progression. it is insulting to those who have adopted that mythology as reality and adopt a tribal behaviour.
Yeah,…we don’t need those kind of easily persuaded people anywhere near the levers of power! They ARE so easily manipulated that’s why Trump has appeared he’s not a Christian, in fact he is the exact opposite but they fell for him just the same. What a bunch of blind Kooks!
I was going to say the same thing about the swastika. Used long before the Nazis used it.
I find it controversial and insulting, but that's because they're 'Objectivists' - basically Ayn Rand in a Halloween mask. They should be opposed the way other harmful ideologies should be opposed. No need for bombastic proclamations of Hell, or really any opposition on religious grounds, as that aspect of the Church of Satan is really very milquetoast.
To answer the question, "what would the Founding Fatherssay!?" about the display in Iowa:
"What is an Iowa?"
Madison was the last Founding Father/Framer of the Constitution to die, June 1836. Iowa became a state in 1846. It didn't even become a territory until June of 1838.
“The legitimization of Satan” has me 💀💀💀😂 -proud member of TST
Have you seen the deep dive by Dead Domain? I lean towards Satanism myself and am not bashing on chapters, unofficial groups, or individual Satanists. But the people at the top, including Greeve's, have done some pretty heinous crap and should be held accountable. As a TST member you should at least know what is being alleged.
@@CorwinFound I have not, I’ll check it out. Thanks for the heads up.
@@CorwinFound whelp- you’re right. I watched the dead domain vid & it’s disappointing but unfortunately not surprising. Thanks for the rec 🤘
@@cherryjane3274 It's crappy to learn. But grift or not I think they hit on some ideas that have a lot of value to some people. I think humanist Satanism will go on, likely in non-TST, independent groups.
Edit: Also I appreciate your open mindedness and willingness to even check it out. But not really surprising I guess to encounter open mindedness, rational skepticism, and lack of blind faith in a Satanist. Hail Satan!
If you know anything about the criminal justice system, you know it works exactly like a modern AAA game, with multiple microtransactions thrown on top; except, these aren't voluntary. Drug tests? You pay. Probation wants to drop by your house? You pay. Having to report each month? You pay. Here's hoping he's nickeled and dimed like everyone else.
White Christian dude with a huge legal fund? That's the equivalent of just buying the season pass up front
These whiny babies are so easily offended
Sounds like a good resolution. I do hope the Temple reps meet with this zealot and force him to have a dialogue- I’d love for him to explain which of the Tenets he objects to & why.
He objects to not being the one allowed to pick and occasionally _actually choose_ which of (ostensibly) """his own tenets""" to follow for two seconds every 100 years...
He shouldn't be in jail, but he should have been charged with a hate crime.
He went hours out of his way in order to destroy the statue and it was very likely a political ploy he can campaign on the next time he runs.
Instead of facing any kind of consequences for his actions, he made a PROFIT off of the situation and only pled guilty to the charges that he BRAGGED about committing.
This is a victory for him and it incentivizes this behavior moving forward. Any Christian nationalist candidate can commit hate crimes against Satanists and then claim persecution for standing up to Christian values when he goes to court, all the while raising tons of money for their next election bid.
This was very much a victory for Cassidy. Worse, let this guy get away with no real punishment, and there will be 10 more next time. Christian hate is growing and getting more violent.
This was a hate crime. He should have been charged and tried as such. Instead, the prosecutor swept it under the rig for the sake of expediency. Would he have done the same had an atheist attacked the Nativity scene and decapitated Baby Jesus? I think we all know the answer to that one!
Let's send AronRa up to meet him!
Six foot and some change would definitely give him pause.
That and The Ming The Merciless gone goth vibe.
Where is the video? You know there is a video.
Satanic Temple, PLEASE request a dialog.
But the christians are being persecuted so much...
I know a few who would claim that your comment is ‘persecution’.
They’re THAT fragile! 🤦🏽♀️
😂
How about all the religions keep all of this mess out of the capitol and the government just do their job for the actual people who elected them.
There's a reason TST only approaches government institutions where other religions are already allowed.
That would be ideal, but Christians won't let that happen.
Wait... you mean the physical peasants who _actually voted for them?_
_not_ the legal "people, too" who _funded their election?_
Yes, Special Agent. This one right here.
Imagine serving under this guy.
Guessing he was an ROTC butter bar at best. Total lack of trigger discipline.
Texas already has pentacles all over its Capitol building 😂
These people have been taught to fear Satan. So their behavior is fear-based. Otherwise you could just walk past the Satan display and ignore it. Like I do with Christian stuff.
My view is the state should sieze the excess of the fundraiser as proceeds of a crime. Better yet, make a nice donation to the victims.
Last time I was this early, god still didn't exist.
They should make him pay for a new display and force him to put it up as well.
I was working at a gas station years back and a guy flipped out cause his change came to $6.66…he would not take the coins and proceeded to tell me all about satan…
I had a total come out to $6.66 at a gas station fairly recently, I giggled at it, while the lady behind the counter seemed... not as happy 😂😂
It needed a conviction for a felony, a hate crime.
For setting an example, and because it would make him nationally prohibited from owning firearms (just to ad insult to it), and it would affect any security clearances he might get in the future, including if he actually did win an elected office.
Isn't the cross an idol?
There's no hate like Christian love
If your god is so powerful, why so fearful of others?
**punches baby**
Alas, yet again The World is ganging up on me. I am the victimest victim here. That baby's face was harder than I expected. ... Not buying it? Did I mention Jesus? There we go
I am sure that in the US there are thousands of families who struggle to make ends meet, and those people gladly throw away thousands of dollars for the legal defense of a vandal. If there is a logic in this, it's beyond me
From 1949 Rogers and Hammerstein ‘South Pacific’ “You’ve got to be carefully taught” lyrics:
You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught from year to year,
It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear-
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a different shade-
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate-
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
I was cheated before
And I’m cheated again
By a mean little world
Of mean little men.
And the one chance for me
Is the life I know best.
To be on an island
And to hell with the rest.
I will cling to this island
Like a tree or a stone,
I will cling to this island
And be free-and alone.
I am a Christian and I am liberal. I believe everyone has the right to freedom of religion. While I do not support or condone a satanic temple, I also do not support any religious influence in any capital building within the United States. Separation of church and state PERIOD. Worship as you choose in the privacy of your own home, church or Temple
Sounds like he doesn't take his religious convictions seriousl. Otherwise he would go to jail for them
How do you know what "Evil" is if nobody explains it! 😂😂😂
If a Muslim or someone from any other religion would get the same treatment for vandalizing a Christian display, then it's fair treatment. They are setting a precedent for when the hate crime statute can be applied. If a law is not enforced, it does not provide the deterrent it was designed for, and thus is a useless law.
4:08
"Conscience is held captive"
What a weird and oddly self aware phrasing...
Grifters gonna grift
A beautiful piece of art and a symbol of peace and humanism was destroyed based on pure emotion. This man is no better than an animal.
I am former military, WTF does that have to do with anything? This former military NCO supports the TST, so take that! 🙄
Unfortunately, since I stopped drinking every day, I remember everything. Let's just hope voters do for this coming election. If I tore down their religious statue, they'd want me charged with a hate crime! And no, the United States is becoming more secular, not less. The minority has become louder, more radical, and even violent as power started slipping through their fingers.
That's why we are a country of Laws and not Feelings. No one should be let off easy for such bigoted and hate related crimes. What do they truly learn if there is little to no consequence. He should have been charged with the felony.
DISCO SATAN LIVES!!!
Freedom of worship. Even if you despise the other’s beliefs.
Christians like that guy make me remember Hypatia of Alexandria and how the Christian Bishop Cyril made vandalism and murder of non-christians.
Who were Hypatia of Alexandria and Christian Bishop Cyril?
@@Neku628 Hypatia was a female Neo-platonic Scholar who lived in the time Christianity became a national religion of the Roman Empire. She accommodated Christians and Pagans students and basically a secular school teacher. St. Cyril of Alexandria was your typical misogynist anti-Semitic Christian bishop that think Women should stay in the kitchen and ordered the capture and death of Hypatia. Watch the movie Angora which is the movie about Hypatia.
The lack of accountability is disturbing.
Criminals for Jesus
As a Christian I... honestly prefer the OG Baphomet statue they created more impressive IMO. That said it didn't deserve to be vandalized if one religion gets to do it EVERY religion should.
Also gotta say given Ben Franklin's membership in the Hellfire club and his general hedonistic nature I'm not so sure he'd denounce TST.
Yeah, the same thing happens often in our little community. At Christmas time, a creche is put up by some local group on the lawn in a communal space, and another group puts up a secular display. Nothing Satanist, even, just a tree and non-religious "happy holidays to all". And as often as not, it will get kicked down. Mind you, this is a senior gated community. Theoretically, we've all learned to live peacefully by now. But now there are some self-righteous assholes here. And the thing is that I would never kick their display down. It offends my sensibilities, and I'd like to kick it down - especially after ours has been desecrated -, but it's their right; I just wish they'd allow me mine...
“Pride goeth before a fall.” This is doubly so on social media, where you can demonstrate your mens rea and state of mind for the crime you just boasted about committing.
Today I'm wearing a baby Baphomet tee shirt that says "Not today jesus" and has a rainbow on it.
I have a similar T-shirt with the same message, but with a more traditional Baphomet bust surrounded by roses.
@@DrachenGothik666 I like mine because it's cute.
Having a nod to Satan is actually supporting the delusion of the black book
$130k for legal defense isn't really that much.
I live here in Iowa (I was born here and lived all but 4 or 5 years of my life here) and I can tell you right now that the Iowa Government would have zero problem with refusing to let other religions a seat at the table this year with regards to religious displays.
Our governor is a horrible person who does not care at all about the law except when it can serve her. Our Legislature is compromised and we have been all but abandoned by the Democratic Party.
I give it a 50/50 shot that they refuse anything other than Christian displays this Christmas.
It would've been nice to see him get at least one to six months behind bars
Everyone calling it a satan display when it’s Baphomet really shows they have no clue what they’re even mad about
The gofund me money should be considered, proceeds of crime and be given to the owners of the display.
And Christians wonder why more and more people are not that religious or leaving religion altogether.
Fuerstien would get out of breath walking up to it!🙀
I WISH I could see a Baphomet holiday display!!! I’ve never seen any off these things.
This is a travesty of justice!
Being from Iowa, I was surprised that someone would come all this way to the middle of bum-f' nowhere to engage in some juvenile kick and stomp on a holiday display.
This is also the state that made it a hate crime to assault child rapist and sex offenders
Cassidy should have been charged with the FELONY and he needs to be called back to active service, given a court martial, busted down to E-1 and awarded a DISHONORABLE Discharge!
Well if he wants to run for office again he can't have a felony conviction
Does this mean we can put up an FSM display next year? With our "I would rather wish you woulds"?
It's the DON'T LIE that would destroy the entire Republican party.. they would have to be silent 95% of the time!! 🤣
Here are the Satanic Temple's Seven Tenets:
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.
This is why the law should force people found guilty of a crime that they then fund raiser for to hand over all the gained money to the victims on top of any punishment from the courts.
16:05 Don't make that distinction between 'Christian' and 'Christian Extremist'. This man has not been condemned in any way be the mainstream Church- he has even been widely praised- and by refusing to do so they are all showing that they support his "extremism".
A couple hundred dollar fine vs over a hundred thousand dollars in donations to him?
When I hear the term "Christian conviction," I imagine something very different, which we need to see more of.
Sorry, the hate-crime enhancement was key. Too bad.
Hail satan.
Sometimes, i feel sympathy for the roman emperors like nero, decius, and diocletian persecuting the Christians.
My wife has Buddha statues in the garden. 3 of them, she's not fully Buddhist, but thinks on the peace it is supposed to mean, and Buddha statues do look kinda cool in a garden. I do swear that I have no objection to that. I have beheaded all 3 statues on accident. I'm not particularly clumsy, but one by accident... luckily she saw the second one was an accident, and then the third.... I swear, hon! I am very fortunate that she doesn't hold these things sacred, just sad they were broken. I am at a loss for explanation of how I happened to behead them, and not damage other delicate things. But I'm no hero in my own Mr Magoo war against idolatry. Or maybe she needed to be unattached from material things, and the chaos she married is a step closer to nirvana, and courting love.
The display would have been taken down in 2 weeks, and it wasn’t scary at all, he should have just viewed it laughed and left it untouched; no blood no foul
I hope damages end up being all the fundraising money after the lawyers are paid off.
To believe in supernatural beings is nuts.
That the right longs for the NeoDark Ages is terrifying.
"......Christian conviction and ZEAL!"
Do these people really think that Jesus was a Zealot?
Republican Jesus was 😉.
Well, Jesus the Zealot is a fairly popular version of historical Jesus among people who are not Christians.
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." - Jeezy Chreezy
I'm not sure people who _aren't_ zealots would bother braiding their own scourge to attack people they feel are violating their hallowed ground, and one can easily draw parallels between driving out the moneychangers and destroying this statue -- it's obvious he felt just as entitled to the statehouse as Jesus was to the temple.
Before and during early Christianity, there were temples to various Gods, and one was able to pick and choose. Mithras, the Bull God, was one. Once Christians obtained the majority by being anointed by the Roman Emperor's, then then went after all the other religious 'idolaters,' burning, looting, and killing. They wiped out the Mithraic temples. Intolerance continues to this day 😢
I wonder... are these Christians mad about the display because they haven't read the loving and acceptable messages inscribed on it, or because they _did_ ....?
If it had stayed as a felony he could go 10yrs before beinb allowed to own a fire arm...
It’s totally fine until I see it in the hallway on my two o’clock bathroom run.
Thank you, I enjoy your work