NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Satanists are upset with the way they are being portrayed in the media and are going to federal court.
The Satanic Temple on Feb. 16 filed a defamation lawsuit against Newsweek Magazine and reporter Julia Duin over an October article she wrote. The title of the article, which the Satanic Temple calls a "hit piece," is "Orgies, Harassment, Fraud: Satanic Temple Rocked by Accusations, Lawsuit."
"The article is a textbook example of an 'atrocity tale,' a term of art in the sociological community for stories of flagrant violations of fundamental values, the purpose of which is to mobilize forces against a new religious movement, and which is circulated without regard to whether the story is true," the lawsuit says.
The Satanic Temple says the article has caused it reputational harm because it claims TST has excommunicated "dozens" of members for asking for financial records, covered up sexual abuse and hosts orgies and other deviant activities.
Newsweek has refused to take the article down. TST is represented by Matthew Sheppe of Reiss Sheppe.