In a move school officials say is a bid to “cancel all faith-based organizations” working with public schools, the Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple caused a stir by announcing its first “After School Satan Club” chapter in Tennessee, where they will teach children things like there is no Hell and “Satan is not an evil guy.”
“The After School Satan Club does not believe in introducing religion into public schools and will only open a club if other religious groups are operating on campus,” The Satanic Temple states on its website.
“ASSC exists to provide a safe and inclusive alternative to the religious clubs that use threats of eternal damnation to convert school children to their belief system. Unlike our counterparts, who publicly measure their success in young children’s ‘professions of faith,’ the After School Satan Club program focuses on science, critical thinking, creative arts, and good works for the community,” the group added. “While engaged in all of these activities, we want clubgoers to have a good time.”
In a two-minute promotional video for the After School Satan Club called “My Pal Satan,” featuring a goat as their mascot, The Satanic Temple also offers up a jingle presenting Satan as a friendly lover of truth.
“Satan’s not an evil guy. He wants you to learn and question why. He wants you to have fun and be yourself. And by the way, there is no Hell,” it goes in part. “Satan looks for truth, let’s help him, boys and girls.”
The Satanic Temple told WMC there is a Christian club at Chimneyrock Elementary in Memphis, and legally, they have every right to have a club at the school after hours.
Some parents and grandparents aren’t happy about the school’s new club.
“I think it’s B.S.,” parent Courtney Dennis told the outlet. “I think it needs to be held somewhere else and not a school.”
At a press conference last Wednesday supported by faith-based organizations, community partners and members of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board, Interim Superintendent Toni Williams explained why she couldn’t avoid renting space to the After School Satan Club despite significant opposition from the community.
“I, too, am a woman of faith. That’s no secret. And as a graduate of this district, I have witnessed firsthand the great work of our faith-based communities,” Williams said in a statement.
“As the Superintendent of Memphis-Shelby County Schools, my sole focus is our students, families, and community. I’ve championed their needs, rallied support, and never shied away from tough conversations to advocate for my students’ needs.
“Like many of you, I have strong beliefs and resonate deeply with the questions and concerns in our community surrounding a club’s upcoming rental of school space. I want to assure you that I do not endorse or support the beliefs of the organization at the center of the recent headlines. I do, however, support the law. As superintendent, I am duty-bound to uphold our board policies, state laws, and the Constitution.”
Williams further contends faith groups that disagree with the message of the After School Satan Club should not try to keep them out of public schools.
“Let’s not be fooled. What we’ve seen in the past 24 hours is an agenda initiated to ensure that we cancel all faith-based organizations that partner with our school district. Because the law says what you do for one organization, you must do for all,” she said.
“In the wake of recent news stories, some have demanded that we ban all faith-based organizations, but that penalizes thousands of children, feeds fear, and bends to outsiders’ agendas,” the superintendent added.
“Schools are more than just places for academics. They are safe havens where staff and volunteers develop the extraordinary potential of tomorrow’s leaders. Today, this is a call to action. I challenge you not to push away in fear but rather to push in with support. Memphians are smarter than simple narratives. We can support the First Amendment and support our students at the same time.”
In recent years, After School Satan Clubs have been launched at public schools that allow Good News Clubs, an afterschool ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship that seeks to share the Gospel message with children. The Satanic Temple has pursued legal action against school districts that have rejected parents’ requests to launch After School Satan Clubs in their children’s schools.
Contact: leonardo.blair@christianpost.com Follow Leonardo Blair on Twitter: @leoblair Follow Leonardo Blair on Facebook: LeoBlairChristianPost
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