Satanic Temple Says IRS Has Designated it a Tax-Exempt Church

The Satanic Temple says it’s been designated a tax-exempt church by the Internal Revenue Service. The Salem, Massachusetts-based organization said Wednesday it recently received notice from the federal agency of its new tax status. The organization says the designation will help in its legal battles against religious discrimination, allow it to pursue faith-based government grants and guarantee the same access to public spaces as other religious organizations. The IRS didn’t comment. The Satanic Temple says it’s a "non-theistic" group and members are not literal devil worshippers. The group temporarily placed a statue of the goat-headed creature Baphomet at the Arkansas State Capitol last year after a Ten Commandments monument was installed. It also sued Scottsdale, Arizona after members weren’t allowed to deliver the opening prayer at a City Council meeting.