The Satanic Temple is a Church for Imperfect People

~ Stephen Bradford Long ~ 1 Comment

I recently co-authored a piece with Murphy Fawkes for Free Inquiry responding to some common criticisms of the Temple.

The Satanic Temple is far from perfect. It is made up of human beings and is therefore a profoundly flawed institution. But, as we argue in the article, that’s also the point. TST has enshrined imperfection and growth in the 6th Tenet, which reads, “people are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one’s best to resolve any harm that might have been caused.”

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Sacred Tension: Sibling Rivalry | Elizabeth Schultz

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In this episode of Sacred Tension, I’m joined by my sister Elizabeth Schultz. Elizabeth is a classical educator, homeschooler, conservative, and homesteader. We debate the truth claims of Christianity, whether a truly pluralistic society is possible, and if Christian revelation is necessary for a functional society. We also discuss healthy ways to engage people we love across profound differences.

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The Ravenous Need For Religious Order

~ Stephen Bradford Long ~ 5 Comments

Several weeks ago, a dear friend of mine told me, “I thought I could handle being an atheist. But I just can’t. The world is too terrifying without a religious structure. So I’ve chosen to go back to church, and go back to believing.” He said it with a downcast look of shame as if he was confessing something terrible. I didn’t think he was. I appreciated his honesty.

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Sacred Tension: Theology for Nontheists | Jack Holloway

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In this episode of Sacred Tension, I’m joined by author, theologian, and musician Jack Holloway to discuss his new book Hands of Doom: The Apocalyptic Imagination of Black Sabbath. We discuss what theology means for the nontheist, how to relate to people with radically different spiritual beliefs, the significance of Biblical stories, and much more. 

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Sacred Tension: Online Gurus and New Religious Movements | Helen Lewis

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In this episode of Sacred Tension, I’m joined by journalist Helen Lewis to discuss her new BBC series The New Gurus. We discuss the rise of advice-giving gurus online, whether social justice is a new religion, her confrontational interview with Jordan Peterson, how online cancelation radicalizes people, and much more. 

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