Christians in Michigan were outraged by a satanic display put up Sunday at the Michigan Capitol building. State senators and others made sure that they too were allowed to display a nativity scene on the lawn.

The satanic exhibition shows a snake wrapped around the "satanic" cross, presenting a book as a holiday gift. It is featured on the northeast lawn at the Capitol from Dec. 21 through Dec. 23. The satanic crucifix displays the words "The Greatest Gift is Knowledge."

"On its Facebook page, the Detroit-based group behind the display said, "just as the Nativity represents a mythology of the birth of Christ, the Snake is symbolic of the birth human enlightenment and liberation."

The Michigan State Capitol Commission approved the satanic display, as well as a traditional nativity scene symbolic of the reason for the season, the birth of Jesus. The Nativity will be on display until Dec. 25. Both displays have to be taken down every night, and put back up in the morning.

State Senator Rick Jones was not happy at all with the display, but maintained that it was their religious right. "I think this was an effort by a satanic group to hijack Christmas," he declared to WNEM TV5.

"The claim that we're trying to steal Christmas is absurd. Our display celebrates the holidays and affirmatively promotes our beliefs. We are not opposed to any other group placing a representation of their beliefs along side ours so long as the Capital accepts religious imagery on their grounds," the Detroit group responded.

WNEM TV 5