Ricky Scaparo – October 1, 2020
(ETH) – The Satanic Temple based in Salem, Massachusetts just announced this week that it has sued an advertising company because it refused to display some billboards promoting a ritual offered by the organization to help people bypass abortion rules in some states.
TST has sued Lamar Advertising in Arkansas state court according to a report from CBN News, accusing the Louisiana-based company of religious discrimination. The organization claims that Lamar refused to display eight billboards in Arkansas and Indiana promoting what the group is calling its “religious abortion ritual.” The group describes the ritual as a “sacramental act that confirms the right of bodily autonomy.”
The group claims that by performing the ritual, people can claim a religious exemption from mandatory waiting periods, counseling, ultrasounds, and other measures that some states require before an abortion can be performed. According to the report, The group claims that it submitted five designs to Lamar to be displayed near pro-life pregnancy centers.
In one of the images, a bowl of cake batter is shown with the text, “not a cake,” next to an image of a sperm and egg with the text “not a baby.” It’s accompanied by text saying, “Our religious abortion ritual averts many state restrictions.” Lamar reportedly rejected the billboards from the group stating that their content was “misleading and offensive,” according to the suit.
This latest report follows a recent story that was also first distributed by CBN News in August, where TST announced that it was raffling a free abortion to promote the organization’s Satanic abortion ritual while arguing that its members’ religious rights are exempt from any state laws or any regulations that might block access to abortion services during the first trimester.
This is because the organization claims that those who practice the Satanic abortion ritual are automatically exempt from being subjected to waiting periods, mandatory counseling, forced viewing of sonograms, and reading materials as required in many states.
