Summer Outreach: June 2021
On Saturday, June 26, 2021, Devil’s Mark Ministries held its first official outreach event in Exeter, UK.
We had several goals in mind going into this. Devil’s Mark Ministries does not seek to convert or persuade others to follow Diabolism, so our aims for this event were much simpler. We wanted to get our name out in the open, to let people know we exist, to potentially reach out to anyone who might already be interested in Devil worship who might be seeking community or guidance, and to raise awareness with the general public. Given how rare it is to find a favourable depiction of Diabolism or theistic Satanism in media, we wanted to let people know who we really are and what we truly believe, and to bring some positive publicity to our religion. We wanted to promote education, awareness, and understanding above all else.
Two of our candidates set up a table in the morning, offering pamphlets and a printed copy of the first issue of the Shadow Path Journal for perusal. Initially, we didn’t get much attention, other than a few curious (and often perplexed) stares from passer-by. After about an hour and a half, we were approached by a couple who have known Brother Nero for many years, who were aware of the outreach and wanted to offer their support. They suggested that we relocate to a more prominent area of the high street for the afternoon. We had already been debating a change of venue, given the lukewarm response we’d received so far, so we agreed.
Either by serendipity or by the blessing of the Gods, the new location turned out to be unexpectedly brilliant. As we were setting up, we were accosted by two men who were also getting ready for their own display. These men turned out to be evangelical Christians, pushing a rather radical point of view. After an obligatory five or ten minutes of theological bickering, they grudgingly left us alone and set up their signs right next to us (regrettably refusing to take a proffered pamphlet, much to our editor’s disappointment).
In a hilarious twist of fate, they ended up attracting far more ire than we did. Many of the shoppers that passed the two displays followed the same pattern: after shaking their heads or shouting disparaging comments at the Evangelists, they would notice the ministry table and almost stop in their tracks. The unintentional audacity of setting up right next to the opposition (so to speak) earned us quite a few approving laughs and the occasional thumbs-up. People were markedly more proactive about approaching us, and, when they compared us to the browbeating they had just received from the Christians, they seemed to appreciate our message a lot more than they might otherwise have done.
Though most people simply took a pamphlet and went on their way, we were able to have a number of fascinating chats with interested parties. Among those who approached us were a Christian man who confided in us that he was gay and expressed frustration at the intolerance shown by other Christians, and an atheist who wasn’t entirely convinced by our faith but heartily commended our respectful attitudes towards differing beliefs and our championing of free will. Those who spoke with us overwhelmingly seemed to appreciate the way we stated our position firmly but never forced our beliefs upon them. Regardless of their own creed, people were respectful, open minded, and genuinely seemed interested in what we had to say. Rather than preach at them, we let them talk and held a conversation with them, which seemed to make us far more approachable than our neighbours.
The circumstances of the afternoon confirmed the effectiveness of the “non-interference policy” taught by Devil’s Mark Ministries. People were much more open to listening to us when we returned the favour and listened to them without denouncing their beliefs or threatening their free will. This is a lesson that we will take to heart for future events: nothing is gained by putting a potential audience immediately on the defensive. Mutual respect is far more productive than brow-beating, and though we never compromised on our position and beliefs, our openness won us quite a bit of appreciation and open-mindedness in return. In addition, the unintentional comparison between us and the evangelical Christians next to us gave us a two-fold advantage. It cast us in a far more favourable light than we might have been able to achieve on our own, and it created a bit of a spectacle that the people of Exeter will not forget in a hurry. People will certainly remember our name after this event, and one or two will definitely be regaling their friends with the tale of the Diabolists who set up a table right next to the Christians. We’re almost tempted to say that we owe the obliging street-preachers a thank-you card for their contribution to the Devil’s cause.
We all feel excited and energized after the success of this event. We will be holding at least two others over the course of the coming months, and will tentatively continue this into the next year, circumstances permitting. We learned a lot, and those of us who were nervous to begin with found their voice and their courage over the course of the afternoon. After such a long time of feeling the need to hide our religion in the shadows, being able to speak openly and proudly about it and receiving such a favourable response was a breath of fresh air, to say the least. We feel strongly that the Gods blessed us with this opportunity, and we hope to do them proud by continuing our work and continuing to raise awareness of the ministry’s goals. Satan willing, we hope to be able to make the next events even more successful than the last.
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