PLUMSTED, NJ – The Satanic Temple of New Jersey has taken up roots in this remote part of Ocean County, nestled at the edge of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, home of no other than the Jersey Devil.
At this week’s town meeting, the township asked if there was a chaplain in the house.
A chaplain reportedly for the Satanic Temple led the invocation, at one point stating, “Hail Satan” during his sermon.
It appeared to catch many in the room off guard.
How did a Satanic Temple end up in Plumsted?
It’s not every day that a small town in Ocean County, New Jersey, finds itself at the center of a fiery debate about freedom of religion, pluralism, and, yes, the Satanic Temple. Welcome to Plumsted, where things got real interesting when a seemingly ordinary mayor gave a nod to one of the most controversial groups around: the Satanic Temple.
Here’s the deal: Plumsted Mayor Dominick Cuozzo, who also happens to be a pastor at the Bible Baptist Church, found himself in the crosshairs of some intense criticism after allowing the Satanic Temple’s New Jersey chapter to host an “unbaptism ceremony” at the town’s Ron Dancer Memorial Town Hall.
Yep, you read that right. An unbaptism.
For a town as small and tucked away as Plumsted, it’s no surprise that this event slipped under the radar until the Asbury Park Press started digging into it. It all happened back in January, when the Satanic Temple—a non-theistic religious group that doesn’t actually worship Satan—came together for their ceremony.
And before you could say “Hail Satan,” the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, showed up to protest.
The tensions? Electric.
But here’s the twist: This wasn’t just some secret Satanic ritual cloaked in darkness. In true New Jersey style, the event featured a question-and-answer portion aimed at clearing up misconceptions about what the Satanic Temple actually believes. The Temple’s New Jersey leader, Michael Silvestro Jr., also known as Reverend Leviathan (because why not lean into it?), made one thing clear: They’re not devil worshippers.
According to Reverend Leviathan, Satan is “a literary character with admirable qualities” who represents rebellion against authority. For the Satanic Temple, it’s not about worshiping a literal devil, but rather about rejecting oppressive systems, with Satan symbolizing that rebellious spirit.
But the real shocker? Plumsted’s own Mayor Cuozzo, who you’d expect to throw up his Bible and wave “not in my town,” was…pretty chill about the whole thing.
Despite being the pastor of a Christian church, Cuozzo was seemingly unbothered by the Satanic ceremony. Maybe it’s because, like Reverend Leviathan pointed out, America was founded on the idea of religious pluralism. In other words, no one religion should dominate, and everyone should be able to practice their beliefs freely—even if that means holding an unbaptism.
The Mayor’s calm acceptance has left some of Plumsted’s more conservative residents scratching their heads, but it’s sparked a larger conversation about what freedom of religion really means in a town like Plumsted, and by extension, America as a whole.
One thing’s for sure: This won’t be the last we hear about the Satanic Temple in Ocean County. It’s a symbol of the ongoing cultural clash between modern-day pluralism and traditional values. And in a small, seemingly quiet town, that clash can feel louder than ever.
So, whether you’re on Team Bible or Team Rebellion-Against-Authority, Plumsted’s brush with the Lord of Darkness has made one thing clear: even the smallest towns can be battlegrounds for the biggest questions about freedom, faith, and what it means to truly be American.
