Satanic Temple tree at National Railroad Museum draws condemnation from Green Bay Bishop

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (WBAY) - A tree featured in the National Railroad Museum’s Festival of Trees that was decorated by the Satanic Temple of Wisconsin is generating controversy.

On Tuesday, Bishop David L. Ricken, of the Diocese of Green Bay, issued a statement condemning the tree.

“Allowing a traditional understanding of Christmas to be usurped and desecrated by an organization/cult is divisive during a time of the year that we come together in unity as a community. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ,” said Bishop Ricken. “Displaying a Christmas tree with bright red lights, inverted crosses, pentagrams, and other satanic symbolism, with a snake wrapped around the tree where our savior belongs, is not something families and children should be exposed to at any time, but most especially during this Christmas season. The tree is offensive and harms the unity and joy that the Christmas season brings.”

The Green Bay Bishop isn’t the tree’s only critic. Congressman Mike Gallagher has also expressed outrage at the presence of the tree. In a recent interview with Fox News, Representative Gallagher equated the tree to, “waving a Hamas flag inside of a synagogue.”

Action 2 News sent a request for comment from the Satanic Temple; they issued this response:

“The Satanic Temple of Wisconsin is proud to have our Sol Invictus tree displayed among the other holiday trees at the National Railroad Museum. Bringing a tree inside, a tradition that began as a pagan ritual has evolved into a cherished holiday practice that unites us with our families and communities in a spirit of togetherness and pluralism. We hope the media attention and articles focusing on our tree will inspire the public to seek knowledge and act with benevolence, and compassion. Our tree stands as a symbol of these virtues, as well as a testament to the freedom of religion and expression.

We would like to thank the National Railroad Museum for displaying our tree, as well as our many members who contributed ornaments and helped with the decorating. We look forward to our Sol Invictus tree becoming an annual favorite in the National Railroad Museum’s holiday display, sure to delight local families every year!

-The Satanic Temple of Wisconsin.”

When Action 2 News reached out to the National Railroad Museum for comment, staff pointed to previous statements made by the museum’s CEO, Jacqueline Frank, in an interview with the Green Bay Press Gazette. Frank stated that the museum doesn’t discriminate against any organization wanting to put up a tree, so long as the decorations don’t promote violence, sexual content, and alcohol and drugs.

On the Satanic Temple’s official website, the organization says its mission, “is to encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits.”

The National Railroad Museum’s Festival of Trees features dozens of decorated trees displayed among the historic trains and exhibits at the museum. The museum’s website says it brings in more than 20,000 visitors each holiday season and runs through December 31.