Satanic Temple of Iowa Gets Permission to Read Paradise Lost at Courthouse

In September of 2025, The Times Republican reported that the Satanic Temple of Iowa had received permission to carry out a reading at the Tama County Courthouse. The Satanists are going to read “Paradise Lost” by John Milton from start to finish, and the entire process will take 12 hours. Like virtually anything that the Temple of Satan does, this move is highly controversial. What does it say about freedom of speech in the United States? 

The Church of Satan Overcame Numerous Barriers at Tama County Courthouse

It is worth noting that many people tried to stop this reading from occurring. This is a repeat of an event that happened last year, when the Satanic Temple read Paradise Lost from start to finish at the same courthouse. One of the key opposition figures was the Chairman of the Tama County Board of Supervisors, who searched for ways to prevent the Temple from returning. In the end, these efforts were unsuccessful, and the Chairman was forced to admit that the First Amendment prevented him from interfering with the planned reading. 

First, the Board of Supervisors created a new requirement for event insurance. Then, they created a $100 deposit for events at the courthouse. However, these minor issues failed to interfere with the Satanists’ plans. Eventually, the Board of Supervisors removed all of these minor barriers and simply allowed the group to conduct their reading with no interference. 

A representative from the Temple of Satan thanked the Board of Supervisors for allowing the event to occur and reminded the public of the rights afforded to them by the First Amendment. The group also reminded everyone that the Governor of Iowa recommends that all residents of the State “read the bible from start to finish” at all County Courthouse Buildings. 

Why Were the Satanists Allowed to Read Paradise Lost?

If the Governor of Iowa recommends that all residents read the Bible from start to finish, then other religions must be able to do the same with their own texts. The United States has no national religion, something most scholars accept is an integral part of the Constitution. Because the country has no national religion, no religion can receive preferential treatment from the government. So if the Governor recommends reading one holy text from start to finish, then other faiths should also get a chance to participate in similar events. 

“Bible reading marathons” are indeed real in Iowa. They have also occurred at courthouses in the past. This paves the way for other readings of a similar nature across other faiths, and this is something that governments must allow. 

Why Is Paradise Lost a Satanist Text?

Paradise Lost was never intended to be a guiding text for the Satanic faith. It was written by James Milton, who was a Puritan and a Christian. However, the poem portrays Satan in a sympathetic manner, and he is the hero of the story. As a result, many Satanists see the poem as one of the most important texts of their faith. 

The Goal of the Universal Life Church’s Blog

Each month, various lawsuits test the nature of religious rights in this country. While the basis for many religious rights is the United States Constitution, there are still countless cases that question the exact nature of these rights. The Universal Life Church’s blog is focused on documenting the most noteworthy of these cases in an objective manner that can be easily understood by readers.