Satanists Offended Over Ted Cruz Comparison To Lucifer: ‘Ignorant and Thoughtless’

Satanists have taken exception to Former Speaker of the House John Boehner’s comparison of Sen. Ted Cruz as “Lucifer in the flesh,” a dark distinction the Ohioan bestowed upon the Republican presidential candidate while speaking at Stanford University earlier in the week. In fact, one sees Boehner’s words as “besmirching the positive, heroic aspects” of Satan and another finds the former Speaker’s Cruz comparison “thoughtless and ignorant.”

ABC News reported April 30 that prominent Satanists were offended at John Boehner describing Texas senator and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz as “Lucifer in the flesh.” Wanting to set the record straight, The Church of Satan’s high priest Magus Peter Howard Gilmore and Satanic Temple co-founder Lucien Greaves have spoken out to defend the image of Lucifer.

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Gilmore noted the following in a statement.

“Having a conservative Christian likened to Lucifer — one who opposes equal rights for same sex couples and promotes the ability to deny services to any with different values — we Satanists see as besmirching the positive, heroic aspects of that character as portrayed by Milton in his epic ‘Paradise Lost.’ “

Greaves, labeling Boehner’s comparison as “thoughtless and ignorant,” went on to tell ABC News the following.

“Christians can’t just push Cruz off on Satanists… All he’s trying to say is that Ted Cruz is some type of embodiment of evil. I think that’s a rather destructive, backward mindset, because when you take clearly Christian individuals, clearly Christian activities, and things go sour, you pass them off as the influence of Satan. It really prevents you from thinking clearly.”

Greaves was quick to reach out and address the attack on Satan, telling the blog, “The Friendly Atheist,” the following the day following Boehner’s comments.

“Boehner’s comment is illustrative of how well past time it is to adjust our mythologies to reflect our realities. Cruz’s failures of reason, compassion, decency, and humanity are products of his Christian pandering, if not an actual Christian faith. It grows tedious when pedophile priests and loathsome politicians are conveniently dismissed as satanic, even as they spew biblical verse and prostrate themselves before the cross, recruiting the Christian faithful. Satanists will have nothing to do with any of them.”

So what was it that John Boehner had said — exactly — that had the Satanists all fired up? According to the Stanford Daily, the university’s campus newspaper, the former Speaker of the House had discussed politics and his time in office during the first part of a town hall-like interview-and-question session. During the second segment, he fielded questions from the audience. Given the ongoing presidential nomination races, the inevitable questions about the current candidates began. When Ted Cruz’s name was mentioned, Boehner made a face that evoked laughter from the crowd.

Said Boehner, “Lucifer in the flesh. I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a b***h in my life.”

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While Speaker of the House, John Boehner had occasion to run into Sen. Ted Cruz, especially when the Texas senator started currying favor in Congress to allow the government to shut down last year. On CBS’s Face The Nation, he called Cruz a “jacka**” and labeled Tea Party hardliners attempting to force a shutdown “false prophets.” And then there was the time in 2013 when he attempted much the same thing, going so far as to mount a 21-hour filibuster to deny a vote on funding the federal government. That exercise in futility ended in extremely bad public relations for Republicans, and funding for the government was passed anyway.

Unfortunately for Sen. Cruz, he seems to be almost universally disliked, which makes it difficult to find anyone that might come to his defense. And now, even Satanists are refuting a comment that Cruz is actually Lucifer incarnate.

Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves also spoke with Huffington Post on Thursday. He thinks Boehner is self-deceptive and misleading others with seeing things that he deems evil as an aspect of Satan or Lucifer. Greaves told the Post, “It is past time we stop blaming the activities of the upholders of the Christian faith on a Satanic philosophy.”

As far as Ted Cruz is concerned, Greaves notes the following.

“I think he is a real disaster. I think he is possibly one of the worst. I think we have been on a race to the bottom for a long time now, and you keep thinking it can’t get worse and people would wise up after a clown like [Sarah] Palin or George Bush. But then you see people lining up around Ted Cruz.”

[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]