{"id":1163,"date":"2023-01-06T19:26:15","date_gmt":"2023-01-07T03:26:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/queersatanic.com\/?p=1163"},"modified":"2023-01-06T19:26:15","modified_gmt":"2023-01-07T03:26:15","slug":"to-shame-the-devil-satanic-temples-lawsuit-against-ex-members-fails-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/qs.gehenna.ynh.fr\/?p=1163","title":{"rendered":"To Shame the Devil: Satanic Temple\u2019s Lawsuit Against Ex-Members Fails Again"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Federal judge in Washington State dismisses Salem, Mass., corp\u2019s SLAPP suit for the second time<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

[Read as PDF<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seattle, Wash.<\/strong> \u2014 For the second time in nearly three years of litigation, a federal district court in Washington State dismissed all claims<\/a> made by The Satanic Temple against four of its former members. The Court found that, the federal claims having been previously dismissed, it lacked jurisdiction to hear The Satanic Temple\u2019s remaining state law claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We appreciate Judge Richard Jones confirming that the First Amendment still exists in this country,” defendant David Johnson said. “Religions are not immune from public criticism.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a schism in March 2020 in the Washington State chapter, the Temple alleged that then-social media manager Johnson used what had been the local chapter\u2019s Facebook page to post criticism of the Temple and how its leaders\u2019 actions had not lived up to TST\u2019s own stated tenets and values. This criticism came in the form of news articles, other former member testimonies, and past actions by TST co-owners Cevin Soling and Doug Misicko. Misicko has also used the public pseudonyms “Doug Mesner” and “Lucien Greaves” for the Temple, while Soling initially used the pseudonym “Calvin Soling” for the lawsuit and uses “Malcolm Jarry” for the Temple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We’re not the first people The Temple has tried to bully or abuse into silence,” defendant Leah Fishbaugh said. “We were determined not to let The Satanic Temple intimidate us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In initial court filings, the Salem, Mass.-based for-profit corporation United Federation of Churches LLC dba \u201cThe Satanic Temple\u201d tried to allege they were victims of defamation. The court dismissed the defamation claim with prejudice in February 2021 citing First Amendment protections, but the remaining claims were dismissed with leave to re-file. TST did so in March 2021, adding new claims, revising others, and dropping one. In April 2022, the Temple\u2019s attempt at reconsideration failed and all remaining federal claims also were dismissed. In June, TST\u2019s lead counsel Matt Kezhaya admitted on his Reddit account that he needed to come up with \u201ca credible justification that it is not-impossible [sic] a jury could legally award at least $75,000 in damages\u201d and that he hoped legal defense costs squeezed \u201cevery last penny from [the defendants\u2019] living corpses, and anyone that gives [them] the time of day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Satanic Temple accused us of forming \u2018a competitor organization\u2019 to their religion based on a Facebook comment saying, \u2018The Satanic Temple 2: Electric Boogaloo,\u2019 so the outcome was never really in doubt,\u201d defendant Nathan Sullivan said. \u201cBut, like the old saying, \u2018You can beat the rap, but you can\u2019t beat the ride,\u2019 this SLAPP suit did what it was supposed to do for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SLAPP stands for \u201cstrategic lawsuits against public participation,\u201d frivolous lawsuits with no legal merit designed to threaten targets into not criticizing the plaintiff. Such lawsuits stifle public debate or dissent, particularly when brought by well-resourced plaintiffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis has been a strain on our families, on our personal relationships, on our financial security, and on our physical and mental health,\u201d defendant Leah Fishbaugh said. \u201cI\u2019m ready to finally have my life back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of December 2022, total legal costs for the defendants exceeded $100,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Background<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Satanic Temple began in 2012 as a prank documentary project under Cevin Soling’s corporation Spectacle Films Inc., <\/em>initially claiming<\/em><\/a> to have been founded in 2006 and that its not-existent membership worshiped a supernatural devil.  Currently, the Temple describes itself as nontheistic, meaning its members do not believe in or worship a literal Satan. TST members are said to use the mythological character as a symbol of rebellion against arbitrary tyranny. However, in practice the Temple has regularly threatened former members and other critics with legal penalties, such as violations of non-disparagement agreements or libel. In February 2022, the Temple sued <\/em>Newsweek and its reporter Julia Duin, accusing it of libel for its coverage of the Washington State lawsuit. In November 2022, the Temple sued the TikToker \u201cThe Satanic Housewife\u201d, also alleging defamation for two critical videos she recorded.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional information<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

List of The Satanic Temple\u2019s other court cases<\/strong>
https:\/\/the.satanic.wiki\/index.php?title=The_Satanic_Temple<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analysis of Washington State suit as of January 2022:<\/strong>
https:\/\/www.socialactuality.com\/post\/schism-the-satanic-temple-a-lawsuit-and-the-necessity-of-clear-minded-settlement<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newsweek<\/em><\/strong> and reporter Julia Duin SLAPP suit<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n