TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - Florida officials have allowed the Satanic Temple to place a holiday display in the rotunda of the State Capitol.
Officials previously labeled the display as "offensive." However, after Americans United for the Separation of Church and State threatened to file a lawsuit on behalf of the Satanic Temple, Capitol officials allowed for the Temple to participate.
Americans United says that the Satanic Temple filed an application to present a display in October, giving officials plenty of time to make a decision.
Americans United also says that they wrote a letter to the Capitol, saying that "rejection of the Temple’s proposed display would violate the Satanic Temple’s freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and right to equal protection under the law."
While the Temple is allowed to put up the display, Americans United says that their fight to get the display up still presents problems. Americans United Senior Litigation Counsel Gregory M. Lipper says that "the state can't give itself the authority to decide whether certain religious messages are 'offensive' - it needs to allow everyone's speech or no one's speech."
The Satanic Temple's display shows an angel falling from the sky into flames. The display also shows Bible verses and says "Happy Holidays from the Satanic Temple."
The display will be in the Capitol from December 22 to 29.
