Christian zealot who destroyed Satanic display in Iowa Capitol accepts plea deal (Livestream) 

Imagine the outrage if Satanists had vandalised the Christian displays!

Be kind and do no harm? That's about as far from Christian values as it gets.

Christian conviction? I do think more Christians need to be convicted when they commit crimes.

The guy is a coward. Once the felony hate crime charge came out, he suddenly decided he wasn't so interested in playing "christian soldier". Guess he isn't as committed to the cult as he professes on social media.

Christians: “Religious Freedom is for me, and not for Thee…..”

Why the fuck would they drop the hate crimes charges when he himself ANNOUNCED it was a hate crime

Religious man “persecuted” after engaging in religious persecution! 😂

Religious freedom = Christian persecution apparently.

Conservatives: We're the party of Law and Order. Also Conservatives: Committing vandalism in the Christ, Jesus' name.

I am offended every time a cross, the 10 commandments or a nativity scene are placed on Government property.

His "Christian conviction" sounds more like he was trying to win brownie points with the voters that rejected him previously

Can we get a statue of Jesus and Baphomet sharing a hug?

The wrong thing is “make amends.” Everybody knows Christian’s don’t believe in making amends. You simply ask for forgiveness without doing anything to right the wrong. /mild sarcasm

For those who do not know, the Satanic temple neither worships or believes in Satan and the following Seven (7) Fundamental Tenets of the Satanic Temple, are pretty darn reasonable. I One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason. II The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions. III One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone. IV The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one's own. V Beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one's beliefs. VI People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one's best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused. VII Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.

i'm no satanist, but that display is way cooler and appealing than the lames of christianity. also shouldn't be allowed a plea deal, he made a choice to destroy something out of religious bigotry. how is that something that deserves a plea deal? a non-citizen of that state, crossed state lines to commit a crime, that's mental forethought.

Christian zeal is historically a bad thing.

Never underestimate the violent actions of someone who worships a character from a book alleged to have suffocated to death most life on this planet with the waters from a great flood.

The only reason he would plead guilty is because he knows they have enough evidence to convict him on the hate crime charge. Hardly a victory.

When that guy took his oath to support and defend the Constitution, he must have said except when he doesn't want to.

Christian fundamentalists are often so thin-skinned that whenever they see expressions of other faiths, they feel a compulsion to aggress against them. They just won't practice any self-restraint. They have strayed so far from the teachings of Jesus, they can no longer even recognise more genuine Christians in their day-to-day life.

the satanic display is not controversial or insulting to people who understand middle eastern mythology and its historical progression. it is insulting to those who have adopted that mythology as reality and adopt a tribal behaviour.

These whiny babies are so easily offended

There's no hate like Christian love

To answer the question, "what would the Founding Fatherssay!?" about the display in Iowa: "What is an Iowa?" Madison was the last Founding Father/Framer of the Constitution to die, June 1836. Iowa became a state in 1846. It didn't even become a territory until June of 1838.

He shouldn't be in jail, but he should have been charged with a hate crime. He went hours out of his way in order to destroy the statue and it was very likely a political ploy he can campaign on the next time he runs. Instead of facing any kind of consequences for his actions, he made a PROFIT off of the situation and only pled guilty to the charges that he BRAGGED about committing. This is a victory for him and it incentivizes this behavior moving forward. Any Christian nationalist candidate can commit hate crimes against Satanists and then claim persecution for standing up to Christian values when he goes to court, all the while raising tons of money for their next election bid.

They should make him pay for a new display and force him to put it up as well.

They demand respect for their religion, but have zero respect for others.

Everyone calling it a satan display when it’s Baphomet really shows they have no clue what they’re even mad about

If you know anything about the criminal justice system, you know it works exactly like a modern AAA game, with multiple microtransactions thrown on top; except, these aren't voluntary. Drug tests? You pay. Probation wants to drop by your house? You pay. Having to report each month? You pay. Here's hoping he's nickeled and dimed like everyone else.

I was working at a gas station years back and a guy flipped out cause his change came to $6.66…he would not take the coins and proceeded to tell me all about satan…

$200,000?!! Man, I am in a wrong business. I should probably start to vandalize things?

There are some snowflakes who think that if they're offended, they can respond by breaking the law.

Sounds like a good resolution. I do hope the Temple reps meet with this zealot and force him to have a dialogue- I’d love for him to explain which of the Tenets he objects to & why.

“The legitimization of Satan” has me 💀💀💀😂 -proud member of TST

Sounds like he doesn't take his religious convictions seriousl. Otherwise he would go to jail for them

**punches baby** Alas, yet again The World is ganging up on me. I am the victimest victim here. That baby's face was harder than I expected. ... Not buying it? Did I mention Jesus? There we go

These people have been taught to fear Satan. So their behavior is fear-based. Otherwise you could just walk past the Satan display and ignore it. Like I do with Christian stuff.

And Christians wonder why more and more people are not that religious or leaving religion altogether.

I am sure that in the US there are thousands of families who struggle to make ends meet, and those people gladly throw away thousands of dollars for the legal defense of a vandal. If there is a logic in this, it's beyond me

This was very much a victory for Cassidy. Worse, let this guy get away with no real punishment, and there will be 10 more next time. Christian hate is growing and getting more violent. This was a hate crime. He should have been charged and tried as such. Instead, the prosecutor swept it under the rig for the sake of expediency. Would he have done the same had an atheist attacked the Nativity scene and decapitated Baby Jesus? I think we all know the answer to that one!

But the christians are being persecuted so much...

Texas already has pentacles all over its Capitol building 😂

Unfortunately, since I stopped drinking every day, I remember everything. Let's just hope voters do for this coming election. If I tore down their religious statue, they'd want me charged with a hate crime! And no, the United States is becoming more secular, not less. The minority has become louder, more radical, and even violent as power started slipping through their fingers.

My view is the state should sieze the excess of the fundraiser as proceeds of a crime. Better yet, make a nice donation to the victims.

Let's send AronRa up to meet him!

I am a Christian and I am liberal. I believe everyone has the right to freedom of religion. While I do not support or condone a satanic temple, I also do not support any religious influence in any capital building within the United States. Separation of church and state PERIOD. Worship as you choose in the privacy of your own home, church or Temple

A beautiful piece of art and a symbol of peace and humanism was destroyed based on pure emotion. This man is no better than an animal.

Imagine serving under this guy.

Freedom of worship. Even if you despise the other’s beliefs.

To believe in supernatural beings is nuts. That the right longs for the NeoDark Ages is terrifying.

DISCO SATAN LIVES!!!

Criminals for Jesus

How about all the religions keep all of this mess out of the capitol and the government just do their job for the actual people who elected them.

Isn't the cross an idol?

Grifters gonna grift

The lack of accountability is disturbing.

It needed a conviction for a felony, a hate crime. For setting an example, and because it would make him nationally prohibited from owning firearms (just to ad insult to it), and it would affect any security clearances he might get in the future, including if he actually did win an elected office.

I am former military, WTF does that have to do with anything? This former military NCO supports the TST, so take that! 🙄

4:08 "Conscience is held captive" What a weird and oddly self aware phrasing...

If your god is so powerful, why so fearful of others?

Last time I was this early, god still didn't exist.

I'm not a Satanist. I have zero beliefs and find any religion useless but I love they keep Christians in check when it comes to religious "freedom"

I WISH I could see a Baphomet holiday display!!! I’ve never seen any off these things.

Yeah, the same thing happens often in our little community. At Christmas time, a creche is put up by some local group on the lawn in a communal space, and another group puts up a secular display. Nothing Satanist, even, just a tree and non-religious "happy holidays to all". And as often as not, it will get kicked down. Mind you, this is a senior gated community. Theoretically, we've all learned to live peacefully by now. But now there are some self-righteous assholes here. And the thing is that I would never kick their display down. It offends my sensibilities, and I'd like to kick it down - especially after ours has been desecrated -, but it's their right; I just wish they'd allow me mine...

Today I'm wearing a baby Baphomet tee shirt that says "Not today jesus" and has a rainbow on it.

This is why the law should force people found guilty of a crime that they then fund raiser for to hand over all the gained money to the victims on top of any punishment from the courts.

Cassidy should have been charged with the FELONY and he needs to be called back to active service, given a court martial, busted down to E-1 and awarded a DISHONORABLE Discharge!

I'm a christian, but mad respect to the builder of the statue. Shame some people can't respect art that conflicts with their views

How do you know what "Evil" is if nobody explains it! 😂😂😂

It's the DON'T LIE that would destroy the entire Republican party.. they would have to be silent 95% of the time!! 🤣

Well if he wants to run for office again he can't have a felony conviction

I live here in Iowa (I was born here and lived all but 4 or 5 years of my life here) and I can tell you right now that the Iowa Government would have zero problem with refusing to let other religions a seat at the table this year with regards to religious displays. Our governor is a horrible person who does not care at all about the law except when it can serve her. Our Legislature is compromised and we have been all but abandoned by the Democratic Party. I give it a 50/50 shot that they refuse anything other than Christian displays this Christmas.

From 1949 Rogers and Hammerstein ‘South Pacific’ “You’ve got to be carefully taught” lyrics: You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear, You’ve got to be taught from year to year, It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear- You’ve got to be carefully taught! You’ve got to be taught to be afraid Of people whose eyes are oddly made, And people whose skin is a different shade- You’ve got to be carefully taught. You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late, Before you are six or seven or eight, To hate all the people your relatives hate- You’ve got to be carefully taught! You’ve got to be carefully taught! I was cheated before And I’m cheated again By a mean little world Of mean little men. And the one chance for me Is the life I know best. To be on an island And to hell with the rest. I will cling to this island Like a tree or a stone, I will cling to this island And be free-and alone.

That's why we are a country of Laws and not Feelings. No one should be let off easy for such bigoted and hate related crimes. What do they truly learn if there is little to no consequence. He should have been charged with the felony.

The gofund me money should be considered, proceeds of crime and be given to the owners of the display.

If a Muslim or someone from any other religion would get the same treatment for vandalizing a Christian display, then it's fair treatment. They are setting a precedent for when the hate crime statute can be applied. If a law is not enforced, it does not provide the deterrent it was designed for, and thus is a useless law.

I thought they really hated cancel culture?!

This is a travesty of justice!

I thought funding a hate crime is a crime

I wonder... are these Christians mad about the display because they haven't read the loving and acceptable messages inscribed on it, or because they _did_ ....?

It would've been nice to see him get at least one to six months behind bars

Press charges! That’s a hate crime!

Hail satan.

Our friend crossed state lines to commit a crime? That sounds like our friend broke a federal law.

Jesus says “surrender unto God that which is Gods, surrender unto Caesar that which is Caesars” which means “follow Gods laws but respect those of the people living around you.”

As a Christian I... honestly prefer the OG Baphomet statue they created more impressive IMO. That said it didn't deserve to be vandalized if one religion gets to do it EVERY religion should. Also gotta say given Ben Franklin's membership in the Hellfire club and his general hedonistic nature I'm not so sure he'd denounce TST.

If I remember right - was Satan not even a character in the Bible? Wasn't it a translation error and people ran with it? How is it blasphemy?

“Pride goeth before a fall.” This is doubly so on social media, where you can demonstrate your mens rea and state of mind for the crime you just boasted about committing.

Before and during early Christianity, there were temples to various Gods, and one was able to pick and choose. Mithras, the Bull God, was one. Once Christians obtained the majority by being anointed by the Roman Emperor's, then then went after all the other religious 'idolaters,' burning, looting, and killing. They wiped out the Mithraic temples. Intolerance continues to this day 😢

Having a nod to Satan is actually supporting the delusion of the black book

Here are the Satanic Temple's Seven Tenets: I One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason. II The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions. III One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone. IV The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one's own. V Beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one's beliefs. VI People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one's best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused. VII Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.

Doesn't it create a *massive* conflict of interest when a legislator is facing a felony hate crime charge, but he talks to the prosecutor and it gets knocked down so much? Shouldn't elected officials and law enforcement be held to a *higher* standard, not a lower one? Shouldn't we prohibit or heavily restrict such sweetheart deals?

My wife has Buddha statues in the garden. 3 of them, she's not fully Buddhist, but thinks on the peace it is supposed to mean, and Buddha statues do look kinda cool in a garden. I do swear that I have no objection to that. I have beheaded all 3 statues on accident. I'm not particularly clumsy, but one by accident... luckily she saw the second one was an accident, and then the third.... I swear, hon! I am very fortunate that she doesn't hold these things sacred, just sad they were broken. I am at a loss for explanation of how I happened to behead them, and not damage other delicate things. But I'm no hero in my own Mr Magoo war against idolatry. Or maybe she needed to be unattached from material things, and the chaos she married is a step closer to nirvana, and courting love.

They would call this a hate crime if it happened to them.

Sometimes, i feel sympathy for the roman emperors like nero, decius, and diocletian persecuting the Christians.

$130k for legal defense isn't really that much.

Christians like that guy make me remember Hypatia of Alexandria and how the Christian Bishop Cyril made vandalism and murder of non-christians.

When I hear the term "Christian conviction," I imagine something very different, which we need to see more of.

The only thing satan ever did was invent rock music.

Our country was founded by attorneys for attorneys! We the people, is a myth!!!