If I understand your position, it is that:
The majority of Christians put up their decorations to show their joy and sincerity in their beliefs, and not to be exclusive of, or put down other religions.
Yes, mostly. But I don't think many do it to show sincerity. Most I think do it in celebration of the season, just like the seculars.
The Satanists, on the other hand, have made up a set of beliefs and imagery out of whole cloth. These beliefs are not designed to represent their actual beliefs, but specifically to give the finger to Christians.
Again, close. I think their beliefs are genuine, and sound. Their public persona is a put-on, for various reasons (legal angles, edginess, etc).
And although you have no problem with their right to do so and would actually defend that right, you think they are actually hurting their cause by being dicks by purposely taking a dump in the punchbowl, as it were.
In the OP case, pretty much. They are right to challenge christian cultural dominance. They are not so wise to throw that in the faces of celebrants who are maybe just taking their kids to see the holiday lights. This puts them in the position of being killjoys. Picture the moms with their kids: 'see the pretty tree? Ooooh, look at the lights! Oh, there's a snakey handy thing. That's put there by some creepy people.' I don't think many people are going to spark a socio-political debate about religious expression and cultural dominance when they are looking at the holiday lights.
If that's a fair representation of your position, then I largely agree.
All except the part about them hurting their own cause. I think that some people will certainly feel that way, but perhaps not all. And I think that's the reason to do it, and to do it this situation.
Christians (some at least) have been taking advantage of being the dominate belief in this country. Deliberately or not they have been trampling on the rights of minority beliefs to a greater or lessor extant since the beginning. They've assumed they always had the right to use public property for their religious purposes but have fought against others. They've assumed their holidays should be the government's holidays and have fought against others. They've assumed their prayers should be used in government meetings and fought against others. And so on. This may be better in recent years (I believe it is) but it does still go on.
That's a good point. I think for many christians, both nominal and devout, they don't even realize how deeply entrenched their way of life is in the public sphere. They may have fought against others in the past, but during my lifetime, I only see the welcoming and inclusiveness. My current town is something ridiculous like 93% white Irish-Catholic. There is a big lighted public Menorah, though. I seriously doubt a single Jewish family lives here.
The Satanists are trying to point out this continuing suppression of minority rights. And there is no "good" time to do it. When was the good time to sit at the front of the bus? When was the good time to sue for marriage equality? When was the good time to march and protest for equality in housing, jobs, and education?
You do it when you can get some eyeballs on it and then hope you get at least some people thinking. And that will always be a bad time in someone's eyes. But hopefully not all.
Yeah, I get your point. but these guys don't seem to be doing that, if Senex's video and linked website are any example. They have specific social agendas they are pushing, all actually pretty standard fare, women's right to choose and other progressive causes, that they are using the religious angle to create new exemptions for. I applaud working the system for a good end. But I'm still not on board with anything about this particular sect being a religion. The Church of Satan (different group), maaaaaaybe. Mostly posers, I think.
I think my bottom line is that for many christians/seculars, the feeling of the season is inclusive. Mommy and daddy taking the kids to see the lights aren't the ones trying to force their religion on others; hell, many don't even do religion at home. So the Satanists' challenges seem more like just trying to take something away from the revelers. Importantly, the ones celebrating are not necessarily the ones pushing the cultural dominance. They are just having fun. And that is my time and place issue with the snakey handy thing. Their message will be falling on deaf, or at least the wrong, ears. While people are giving money to charities and exchanging gifts, some guy in a goat head telling them all to stop is not going to be given a fair hearing. Poor timing.
