The Satanic Temple is a religious organization that is the subject of this documentary. The Satanic Temple consists of people who identify as Satanists. Except, the Satanists in this film aren't theistic. They are in fact atheistic and use the symbol of Satan or the iconography of Satan as a way of representing certain traits or ideological and philosophical beliefs that are either anti or post-Christian. Director Penny Lane follows the leading members of the organization in order to profile them and bring understanding or insight into what the organization is, as opposed to the misinformation and misconception that mainly exists in the media about them. How it comes across though is that it's a political activist or political protest group.
Lane basically documents how and why the Satanic Temple or TST protests various events or actions typically by the government that has religious connections. The first is a protest against the Westboro Baptist Church, which is itself an independent and highly anti-gay organization. Another protest is on the campus of Harvard University, which is for the most part a private, Ivy League school. However, other than that, Lane shows us TST's protest against local governments, municipalities like Phoenix or Portland or states like Oklahoma.
The chief protest is against a Ten Commandments monument at the site of a capital building. TST's argument isn't that the monument should be removed or taken down. The group simply wants a monument of their own to be erected next to or near the Ten Commandments monument. TST's monument would be a Satanic or demonic-looking statue known as Baphomet. TST wanted to challenge the idea of religious freedom and religious plurality that the First Amendment provides.
What we see is intolerance and prejudice against these Satanists more than anything else. The documentary lays out what they believe and what they stand for. Those beliefs aren't arguably the evil beliefs or desires that many think or has been depicted in the news and other media. In fact, TST does a lot of charitable things as part of its organization, things that benefit the community.
It's a really good platform for TST to express what it is and for the people in it to express who they are. While TST is an atheistic group, they do subscribe to some kind of faith, distinguishing themselves from the average atheist. I don't think that the group is fair when it says that atheists don't believe in anything. Atheists believe in science. The film also doesn't delve too deeply into Satanists who are theistic or making the distinction between them and TST. Otherwise, it is one of the best documentaries of the year.
Rated R for graphic nudity and language.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 35 mins.
Available on DVD and VOD.
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