Interview with Michael Stewart of the Satanic Grotto
In a personal interview with Satanism Today, Michael Stewart, head of the Satanic Grotto, talked about where his organization started and where it’s headed now.
The Satanic Grotto is an organization for Satanists and allies who follow the Left hand path. They are dedicated to improving our community through fellowship, religious expression, shared education, artistic projects and social activism.
Michael, a long-time Satanist who started exploring Satanism in the late 90’s, was exposed to fundamentalist Christian teachings while growing up. During Church meetings, one of his pastors would hold up a copy of the Satanic Bible, and preach against it, which of course led Michael and his classmates to be curious about what was in it. It was from this that Michael and his friends rebelled and found Satanism. Throughout his struggles with breaking free from Christianity, he eventually found himself on the Left-Hand Path, and with the leadership of the Satanic Temple.
As a resident of Kansas, Michael found that the Satanic Temple did not have chapters for his area, but as time went on, he found his purpose, and stepped up and volunteered his time and effort to bring Satanism and Satanic activism where it was most needed, in his home state of Kansas.
Over time, he found that the leadership of the Satanic Temple wasn’t enough; he felt it wasn’t headed in a positive direction, and was more of a cult of personality. Deciding that he could do better on his own, he gathered his friends and created the Satanic Grotto. It’s mission was to remain positive influence in Satanism and a vocal opponent of those who would deny our (first amendment) rights and freedom of speech here in the United States. His group spent months protesting at planned parenthood, and any other place where Christians were known to confront citizens exercising their rights.
A series of protests eventually lead his group with a confrontation at the Kansas statehouse, where a large group of at least 300 Catholics gathered. Inside the statehouse the stakes were high. The freedoms and rights that are afforded to Christians were taken for granted. Christians were allowed to hold prayer at the statehouse, but when a Satanist group wanted the same treatment, the battle for religious freedom would come to a head.
During a confrontation and in a crowd of people, a Christian preacher that traveled from several states over, who had already been arrested and convicted of making bomb threats at LBGTQ events, tried to slap the documents out of Michael’s hand as he read aloud a benediction for Satan. While the police stood by and did nothing, Michael stepped up, defended himself and was tackled by the police that were present and taken down. The charges that were filed were eventually dropped, but the door was open for his group to keep protesting when they could. It was trouble, but the good kind of trouble, where news outlets took notice and a conversation was started about peoples freedoms and rights here in America.
The Catholics also had their own response and tried to sue, but the case was dropped on it’s merits. What they didn’t seem to understand, and what Michael explained, is that they shouldn’t have even been there. Our government buildings, which are paid for by the public, should be a place where religion is left at the door. Our country fought for those rights when it was first formed. And as Michael explained, the state of Kansas fought for similar rights too, when it stood between the line of slavery and freedom for it’s people.
In one of his interviews, Michael said that the protests were inclusive and meant for others in the occult community who are often marginalized by Christian society. We discussed how, back in the day, Satanists would not be willing to be so vocal about their rights, and they certainly wouldn’t want to work together to achieve a goal.
Not many Satanists would be willing to vouch for other’s rights, but eventually, someone has to do it. Times have changed, and our representation in the public eye has changed as well. He talked about reclaiming the negative history of Satanism through co-opting the hashtag #SatanicPanic, for the purpose of turning the discussion into something positive.
I appreciate the work Michael and the Satanic Grotto are doing for Satanism and for society in general. We shouldn’t be subject to the rule of a singular religion here in the United states, so the work that they are doing to fight for our constitutional rights is commendable and important.
Looking forward, Michael told me about his new plans for the Grotto. He explained that the Grotto holds two main events yearly – a Walpurgischnat High Sabbat event at the end of April, and their annual Samhain High Sabbat event. Their upcoming Samhain High Sabbat event this year will be recorded by Axel in Amerika. The Satanic Grotto will build a giant effigy and burn it in the name of freedom.
Axel in Amerika is hosted by Axel Daeseleire, a Dutch traveler who goes to the far corners of America to speak with and experience communities that are underrepresented and often not known to a European audience. We hope this brings them positive world-wide attention.
So, keep up the good work, Satanic Grotto, we need Satanists of your kind in this world – anyone who is curious about this group and how they can help represent Satanism through their network can contact them at FaceBook, Youtube, and their main website, TheSatanicGrotto.com. In addition, enjoy this video of the Satanic Grotto’s recent High Sabbats posted from their Satanic Grotto YouTube account.
