Between August 4 and 6, the Facebook page ZNEOBA.GE and other Georgian-speaking users (1,2,3,4,5) shared a video claiming that the American “Church of Satan” thanked the organizers of the Paris Olympics for the magnificent opening ceremony. The video, which features the USA Today logo, includes a quote attributed to Peter Gilmore, who is referred to as the Church’s High Priest. Gilmore allegedly described the opening ceremony as “a celebration of human freedom over God” and the best mass event in the past 50 years. Additionally, according to the video, representatives of the “Church of Satan” discussed the Olympics in detail on their podcast.
Identical videos and information were also circulated by Russian-speaking Facebook accounts on August 5 and 6 (1,2,3,4,5), and the video was also published by the news agency Pravda.
The video circulating under the name of USA Today about the “Church of Satan” and the Paris Olympics is fabricated. The claim that the Church of Satan thanked the Olympics’ organizers for the opening ceremony is false, and Peter Gilmore’s quote is fabricated. Both USA Today and Peter Gilmore have denied the authenticity of the video.
The video circulating on social media features the USA Today logo, giving the impression that the information was shared by the American news agency. The video is posted in the “Reels” format, suggesting it should be available on the agency’s Instagram and Facebook pages. However, no identical or similar video can be found on USA Today’s official Instagram, Facebook pages, or website. To verify the information, Myth Detector contacted USA Today. According to a representative from the news agency, the video circulating with the USA TODAY logo is fabricated.
The spokesperson stated: “The post circulating on Facebook using the USA TODAY logo and branding is fake. Our Fact-Checking team has identified the false post and is working to mitigate the spread of misinformation.”
The video also claims that Peter Gilmore expressed his admiration for the Olympic Games opening ceremony and referred to it as a celebration of Epicureanism and freedom from rooted deities. According to the video, Gilmore made this statement on the podcast Satansplain. The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games took place in Paris on July 26, 2024, meaning that any podcast discussing the ceremony would have been released after July 26. However, the only podcast available after July 26 is Satansplain #068 – Psychic Vampires (Satanic Statement #6), which discusses the hidden meaning of one of the Satanic statements and makes no mention of the Olympic Games.
Furthermore, Peter Gilmore himself responded to the circulating video. His statement was posted on August 5 on The Church of Satan’s X (formerly Twitter) page:
“I have no interest in the Paris Olympics. Having not viewed it, I could not possibly comment on, nor endorse, the opening ceremonies. I have not been interviewed by anyone concerning this subject. Statements posted anywhere claiming otherwise, are lies.”
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What Do We Know About the “The Church of Satan”?
The Church of Satan is an organization founded in 1966 by Anton LaVey in San Francisco. It is an atheistic organization that does not believe in or worship Satan. Instead, it uses “Satan” as a symbol of individualism, pride, and rebellion against traditional religious norms. The philosophy of this organization is based on LaVey’s Satanic Bible, which outlines its principles, including the importance of self-determination, rejection of common religious and moral codes, and the celebration of earthly pleasures. Members of the Church of Satan do not believe in God, Satan, or other deities. Therefore, the concept of Satan is used metaphorically to represent pride, individualism, and personal freedom. Additionally, the Church encourages people to seek personal success, pleasure, and fulfillment without adhering to traditional religious rules. Followers of the Church of Satan perform symbolic rituals intended to strengthen their beliefs and empower members, but these rituals are not designed to invoke any supernatural forces.
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