GREEN BAY, Wisconsin (LifeSiteNews) — The National Railroad Museum hosts an annual Festival of Trees to display a range of uniquely decorated Christmas trees, but this year’s exhibit has drawn controversy over the inclusion of Satanic and “transgender” trees contributed by Wisconsin activist groups.
CatholicVote reports on the backlash the museum has received by including in its display a tree from the Satanic Temple of Wisconsin featuring “Hail Satan” and LGBT ornaments and topped with an upside-down star, as well as a “transgender”-themed tree by the Bay Area Council on Gender Diversity featuring transgender flags and ornaments with quotes and slogans such as “Protect Trans Kids.”
“Bringing a tree inside, a tradition that began as a pagan ritual, has evolved into a cherished holiday practice that unites us with our families and communities in a spirit of togetherness and pluralism,” the Satanic group said. “We hope the media attention and articles focusing on our tree will inspire the public to seek knowledge and act with benevolence, and compassion. Our tree stands as a symbol of these virtues, as well as a testament to the freedom of religion and expression.”
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“We believe that everybody should be included regardless of their religious group, regardless of any business or organization that they’re a part of,” said Museum CEO Jacqueline Frank, defending the decision to host the trees despite negative reception from event goers. “So we don’t discriminate, since we’re not a religious group ourselves.” She added that the trees are two of 66 on display this year, the most ever for the event.
“Conservatives are often accused of launching a culture war or focusing or fixating on cultural issues,” U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, said in comments to Fox News. “But here is a perfect example of how that’s not what’s happening. What’s happening is we’re just trying to defend basic traditions or defend our children in the midst of these basic traditions, from the encroachment of woke ideology or offensive upside down cultural propaganda.”
“When parents and concerned citizens have contacted the railroad museum, they have said, well, this is an educational opportunity for kids, which is completely ridiculous, right?” he continued. “I think it’s impossible to overstate how offensive this is to Christians. It would be, in quite a literal sense, the same thing as waving a Hamas flag inside of a synagogue.”
The national Satanic Temple (TST) is a radical secular-leftist group that purports to embrace Satan’s name as a “symbol of the Eternal Rebel in opposition to arbitrary authority” while not believing that God, the devil, or other supernatural concepts literally exist, but also promotes Satanic rituals. It is known for agitating for an array of leftist causes, including abortion and LGBT “pride,” with the Satanic branding helping draw attention to its antics via shock value.
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Among its activities in recent years have been “After School Satan Clubs” in various school districts across the country, which are billed as merely to help teach “benevolence & empathy, critical thinking, problem solving, creative expression, personal sovereignty,” and “compassion” through games, snacks, and other activities.
But various statements by TST and its officials indicate a more activist, adversarial purpose, such as to stand as an “alternative to the religious clubs that use threats of eternal damnation to convert school children to their belief system”; and After School Satan Club national director June Everett framing the project as a protest against school religious clubs, saying “if the good news club packs up and leaves town then we pack up and leave town as well.”
Contact information for the National Railroad Museum
2285 S. Broadway
Green Bay, Wis. 54304
(920) 437-7623
[email protected]
READ: Anti-religion After School Satan Clubs expand to Connecticut elementary school