Christian Pastor Vows To Destroy Satanic Holiday Display
Florida is a Religious Battleground
Florida has been the battleground for several federal anti-religious displays in recent times. One such ongoing case is the Satanic Holiday display in Sanborn square. Located in Boca Raton, an upscale suburb of Florida, it seems an unlikely place for a religious battleground, but that is what it has become for the second year in a row.
Beginning in 2016, a giant 300 lb red painted pentagram, with a picture of the Baphomet, was installed next to a nativity scene in Sanborn park. Boca Raton officials allow for the public to display their religious scenes after they carefully considered the matter. The council decided that they would allow free speech for those who wanted to display their own version of the holidays in the park, including those who wanted to display a creche and a menorah, and other holiday themed items.
People of the Boca Raton council decided that government should not control what kind of religious displays are put out in public view on government land, and rightly so. But it was not after a long battle that began last year in 2016 with the installation of the giant pentagram display.
The pentagram display was created and sponsored by a middle school language arts teacher from Boca Raton. Preston Smith had petitioned the city council to display his art in 2016, which they approved. During the display, other Satanists gathered in support of Smith’s Satanic holiday display, with signs and banners stating “In Satan we trust, one nation under the anticrhist”.
Another activist group, the Freedom from Religions Foundation, a groups that fights to keep religion and government separate, also had their own atheist holiday display as well.
During the week long display, Christians gathered and protested against the Satanists. Unfortunately, the peaceful Christian protests rose to a boil when someone eventually had vandalized the display, knocked it over one night and running it over with a vehicle. The perpetrator of the crime still has not been caught.
Had the same incident happened to a Christian nativity scene, there is no doubt that they would have considered it to be a crime and charges would have been pursued. There is still no word on what the police plan to do about it.

Once again this year, Preston is setting up his Satanic themed holiday display in Sanborn Park. Since the city council decided that people could display whatever they wished, other similar groups have decided to join in. This time, however, Smith faces threats from a Christian preacher who claims that as soon as the display is put up, he plans on destroying it.

Pastor Mark Boykin in Protest of the Satanic Holiday Display
Pastor Mark Boykin of the Boca Raton Church of All Nations is vowing to ‘take a sledgehammer’ to the holiday display. He claims that it is the ‘essence of evil’, and that he is willing to take responsibility for it’s destruction. He claims that it is an insult to the city of Boca Raton, and that he has his sledgehammer waiting for the moment the pentagram monument goes on display.
In response, the owner of the Satanic Display, Smith, plans on creating an additional ‘freedom from religion’ nativity scene to accompany the 300 lb pentagram display. Smith, a Satanic atheist, believes that religious freedom should come with the right to disagree. Religious freedom shouldn’t mean that the majority has the right to decide what is right, as well.
The City of Boca Raton is obviously afraid of a lawsuit by several organizations like the ACLU and Freedom From Religion, who would be glad to stand up for the rights of others who are not Christian, or who have no religious affiliation at all. The new holiday display will be installed on December 1st and will be on display through January 6th, 2018.
Incidentally, Pastor Mark Boykin, who is also an activist, petitioned the city council to include a nativity scene at city hall. Boykin stated about the nativity scene: “It’s not just discrimination against Christians, this is undercutting and aggregating our first amendment rights.” Pastor Boykin seems to forget that the first amendment does not apply to religious symbolism on federal or government property. Satanists are guaranteed the same first amendment rights that he wants to claim as well.
We can only hope that Pastor Mark Boykin reconsidered his act, if for the sake of his own ‘Christian kindness’. Other than that, we live in America, where we are guaranteed freedom of religion, and even freedom from religion. A pentagram is not an offensive symbol to a Satanist. It represents many things, but offending others is not it’s purpose, in general. It is understandable that a Christian preacher wants to speak out about Satanism, but when he threatens to destroy property, that is taking it a step too far.
Let us hope, that unlike last year, the holiday display will be protected, and if something happens to it, they will pursue charges.
References:
Public backlash swayed Boca on keeping ‘Satanic’ display, but now what? http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/local/public-backlash-swayed-boca-keeping-satanic-display-but-now-what/fPe4nuPO9qhqlWwSFN3tJM/
After Satanic controversy, Boca rejects ban on all displays http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/boca-raton/fl-pn-boca-sanborn-square-displays-20170822-story.html
Satanic Holiday Display in Florida https://hubpages.com/politics/Freedom-of-Religion-for-Satanists
Boca Church Protesting No Creche At City Hall http://miami.cbslocal.com/2010/12/21/boca-church-protesting-no-creche-at-city-hall/
Florida pastor vows to tear down teacher’s satanic holiday display http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/09/29/florida-pastor-vows-to-tear-down-teachers-satanic-holiday-display.html