American Christians protest against ‘Greater Church of Lucifer’

Despite being vandalized, a controversial church in Old Town Spring is opening its doors Friday night.
It’s called the Greater Church of Lucifer, and protesters have already started to gather ahead of the grand opening.
“It’s wonderful to see this come to fruition and be a manifest, a literal building,” Michael W. Ford, co-president of the church, said.
Just outside the church doors, though, more than 50 people are protesting its opening. About a dozen Harris County sheriff’s deputies are also there to make sure things don’t get out of hand.
“America, wake up. This is freedom of religion and look where it got us,” church opponent Christine White said.
“Lucifer is a fallen angel. They have to believe in religion if they believe in Lucifer,” church opponent Mike Frazier said.
The church has been in the works for two years and its co-founders said members will practice Luciferianism.
“It’s a philosophy around self-excellence and attaining wisdom,” Ford said.
A day before the church’s grand opening,members said vandals damaged their building. Church leaders suspect someone intentionally cut off a tree branch that landed on top of the building.
“We do not worship the devil. We do not recognize any deity,” Ford said. “We have the responsibility to do the things in our life that we want to.”
The mess from the toppled tree branch has been cleaned up and the church will open as planned, despite many in the community who’d rather not see it there.
“God doesn’t not allow religion and neither should we. We are in trouble now,” White said.