Senator vs. Satan: Nativity scene and haloed goat head to display at Michigan's Capitol

An earlier version of this story misidentified the West Michigan Friends of the Satanic Temple's statue. It is the "Star of Reconciliation."

LANSING — A haloed goat head will replace the "snaketivity" on the Capitol lawn this year, marking another round of the near-annual showdown between Satanist displays and Sen. Rick Jones' nativity set.

A new group, this time from the Grand Rapids area, has stepped in to represent Satanism in Lansing this holiday season. No Satanic display was erected last year.

"We realized that if we were going to do it, we needed to make our own monument," said Renard Seir, spokesperson for the West Michigan Friends of the Satanic Temple.

Members of the West Michigan group, which has yet to become a bonafide temple chapter, wanted to help the Detroit chapter with the "snaketivity" display last year, Seir said. Nobody could track down the snake-wrapped effigy, so they decided to strike out on their own this year.

A representative from the Detroit chapter could not be reached for comment. The chapter is no longer listed on the Satanic Temple's website.

The west Michigan group's monument, dubbed the "Star of Reconciliation," was designed by Technically Timeless LLC, a New Hampshire studio. The statue is the haloed head of a Baphomet, an occult symbol, with a star on its forehead. LED lights will shine upward from the statue's base. 

It is scheduled to be erected on the capitol lawn on Dec. 21, just a day after the legislature is expected to end its hellishly paced lame duck season.

As much as it is a display in celebration of the Satanism — which values science, individual freedom, common sense and empathy, according to the Satanic Temple's website — the Star of Reconciliation is a celebration of Satanists' rights to publicly observe their religion, Seir said.

"This is a celebration," he said. "It is recognizing that the state welcomed us here as equals, it said 'Yes, we recognize and will support your First Amendment rights just as we will recognize and support everyone else's.' There is really a joy in being able to see our symbols in the public sphere."

But as one group marks its first year at the lawn, the other marks its possible end.

Jones, R-Grand Ledge, said he promised his constituents that he would set up a nativity scene at the Capitol as long as he is in the Senate.

He is term-limited and leaves office at year's end.

"I'm hoping that a church or a Christian group will come forward and consider doing it next year," he said. "I've kept my commitment and a lot of people are very happy about it."

Managing the nativity is a lot of work. To comply with Capitol rules, Jones has to take it down every evening and set it up again the next day. His display is scheduled to start Dec. 17, according to the Capitol events calendar.

Jones, a Christian, said it's worth the work to keep "Christ in Christmas." While he supports other religious groups efforts to celebrate holidays with Capitol lawn displays, he cast barbs at the timing of the Satanic group's exhibit.

"I do feel, however, this Satanic Temple group doesn't really have a holiday they’re celebrating, they’re just doing it to taunt Christians," he said. "My advice to everyone is to simply ignore them."

The Baphomet  display is no "taunt," Seir said.

"We do appreciate [Sen.] Jones' commitment to supporting the First Amendment," Seir said. "It is disappointing, but not surprising, that he does not wish to recognize the Satanic Temple or Satanism as a legitimate religion."

Although he rankled at the description of their display as a "taunt," Seir acknowledged an inherent challenge because "the default status quo seems to be that December belongs only to Christians."

"This statue, this display, isn't about them," he said. "It's about us."

Contact Carol Thompson at (517) 377-1018 or ckthompson@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @thompsoncarolk.