Elementary schoolchildren in Moline, Illinois, were invited last week to an after-school Satan club with five different meeting dates planned for 2022. The first meeting was scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 13.
“The superintendent of Moline-Coal Valley Schools said in her online note to parents that the flyers were 'not distributed' to all students. The flyers and promotional materials were sent to the school by the organization 'to be placed in the lobby. There, flyers were made available for children to peruse and pick up if they chose to do so,” Fox News reported.
The superintendent made these other points in her memo:
- “Board of education policy allows for community use of our facilities.”
- “The district approves many facility use agreements with local churches.”
- “Since we have allowed religious entities to rent our facilities after school hours, we are not permitted to discriminate against different religious viewpoints.”
- “To illegally deny their organization (viewpoint) to pay to rent our publicly funded institution, after school hours, subjects the district to a discrimination lawsuit, which we will not win, likely taking thousands upon thousands of taxpayer dollars away from our teachers, staff, and classrooms."
Some parents are angry about their children's exposure to information about the club, apparently prompting the superintendent of schools to weigh in. The Satanic Temple says on its website that it operates the clubs "at select public schools where Good News Clubs also operate."
“Patti Garibay, founder and executive director of American Heritage Girls, a Christian alternative to the Girl Scouts, told Fox News Digital in an email, "At a time when youth are experiencing a mental health pandemic, it is outrageous that a school district would allow a club based on the master of confusion."
What is the Church of Satan?
“Founded on April 30, 1966 c.e. by Anton Szandor LaVey, we are the first above-ground organization in history openly dedicated to the acceptance of Man’s true nature—that of a carnal beast, living in a cosmos that is indifferent to our existence. To us, Satan is the symbol that best suits the nature of we who are carnal by birth—people who feel no battles raging between our thoughts and feelings, we who do not embrace the concept of a soul imprisoned in a body. He represents pride, liberty, and individualism—qualities often defined as Evil by those who worship external deities, who feel there is a war between their minds and emotions.”
“As Anton LaVey explained in his classic work The Satanic Bible, Man—using his brain—invented all the Gods, doing so because many of our species cannot accept or control their personal egos, feeling compelled to conjure up one or a multiplicity of characters who can act without hindrance or guilt upon whims and desires.”
“We Satanists are thus our own “Gods,” and as beneficent “deities” we can offer love to those who deserve it and deliver our wrath (within reasonable limits) upon those who seek to cause us—or that which we cherish—harm. Magus Gilmore’s essay “What, The Devil?” from The Satanic Scriptures discusses this in greater detail.”
What does the Satan club propose to teach children?
The promotional flyers placed in the lobby, offered to educate youngsters on compassion, critical reasoning, solving problems, artistic output, and “personal independence.” This is to happen through science projects, riddles, sports, arts & crafts initiatives, and natural activities.
The Satanic Temple declares on its website that although the courses are designed to encourage emotional and intellectual growth in line with TST’s ideals, no religious teachings or religious education takes place.
“We have no intention of proselytizing and we have no desire to convert minors to Satanism.”
The organization states, “After School Satan Clubs will concentrate on free inquiry and rationality, the scientific underpinning for how we know about the world surrounding us.”
“Rather than instilling in youngsters a fear of eternal other-worldly horrors, we seek to instill in them an appreciation for the natural beauty that surrounds them.”
However, the Satanic Temple sees itself as a “non-theistic organization that considers Satan as a legendary character symbolizing individual liberty.”
Questions posed
As parents, would you be fine having an after-School Satan Club at your elementary school?
As parents, would you want your child to participate in such a club?
Comments are appreciated.
