Satanic Temple sues advertising company for refusing to put up billboards claiming abortion is a ritual

The Satanic Temple is suing an advertising company after it refused to display billboards that said abortion is a "ritual."

The temple has accused Lamar Advertising of religious discrimination for not putting up eight billboards in Arkansas and Indiana that say abortion is a ritual and that its "religious abortion ritual averts many state restrictions."

The group describes a ritual as a "sacramental act that confirms the right of bodily autonomy." Performing the ritual means a woman can claim a religious exemptions from mandatory waiting periods, checkups, and counseling require by some states before obtaining an abortion.

One billboard includes a woman holding a small Adolf Hitler with the text, "What if abortion had been an option?" Another shows a bowl of cake batter with the text, "not a cake" and a sperm and an egg with the text, "not a baby."

Lamar Advertising has rejected the designs on the grounds they are "misleading and offensive." Its contract says that it may decline any designs that are not "in good taste and in line with the moral standards of the individual communities in which it is to be displayed."

The Satanic Temple argued that the advertising company is discriminating because it originally agreed to work with the temple.

"While it is understandable to be concerned with forcing a private entity to engage in speech or conduct it objects to, this scenario is different," Satanic Temple co-founder Lucien Greaves said in a news release. "Lamar initially agreed to work with us and their rejection appears to be religiously based."