Elementary School allows Satanic Church sponsored club to meet along with Christian Club

[Anonymous]

What do you think? Is this a proper application of the first amendment?

https://deadstate.org/elementary-school-that-allowed-christian-after-school-programs-must-now-allow-after-school-satan-club

“We do not believe in a supernatural Satan as a symbol because legend has it that Satan was the first to start asking questions and was cast out of heaven for that reason,” ASSC’s June Everett said. As WTKR’s report points out, the club’s flyer insists it’s not looking to convert children into any sort of religion and only wants to encourage them to look at the world scientifically.

“The School District has long held policies and procedures in place which allow varied community groups to use our publicly funded facilities outside of the school day. This is common practice among school districts around the state and nation. Over the years, different religious groups have requested and been allowed to rent our facilities after hours. By law, CPS cannot discriminate based on beliefs among groups wishing to rent our facilities,” the statement read. “Consistent with the law as detailed above and the criteria set out in the CPS Board policy regarding community use of facilities, the School District has approved a building use request from an organization known as the ‘After School Satan Club’ (ASSC) to host gatherings after school hours at B.M. Williams Primary School.”

[Anonymous]

I'm a Christian and I have no problem with this. I think atheistic Satanists are wrong theologically, but I also think that about Muslims, Pagans, and plenty of other Christians. If we're going to let groups use public spaces, it's going to include lots of people, whose beliefs I think are wrong.

[Anonymous]

I think its fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Christian and I have no problem with this. I think atheistic Satanists are wrong theologically, but I also think that about Muslims, Pagans, and plenty of other Christians. If we're going to let groups use public spaces, it's going to include lots of people, whose beliefs I think are wrong.

I think of those others you’ve mentioned as “different”, not “wrong”. Literally worshipping evil counts as “wrong” in my book. I get that the school is backed into a corner based on their desire to provide space for the Christian club, but no, I would not be okay with that.

[Anonymous]

I'm a Christian and I have no issues with this. My experience with Satanists has been largely positive and I've seen them do a lot of good in the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Christian and I have no problem with this. I think atheistic Satanists are wrong theologically, but I also think that about Muslims, Pagans, and plenty of other Christians. If we're going to let groups use public spaces, it's going to include lots of people, whose beliefs I think are wrong.

I think of those others you’ve mentioned as “different”, not “wrong”. Literally worshipping evil counts as “wrong” in my book. I get that the school is backed into a corner based on their desire to provide space for the Christian club, but no, I would not be okay with that.

Do satanists "worship evil"? That's not what the quote from the article says they do. What constitutes worshipping evil?

Sincerely asking, I have no experience with satanists other than reading a few things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Christian and I have no problem with this. I think atheistic Satanists are wrong theologically, but I also think that about Muslims, Pagans, and plenty of other Christians. If we're going to let groups use public spaces, it's going to include lots of people, whose beliefs I think are wrong.

I think of those others you’ve mentioned as “different”, not “wrong”. Literally worshipping evil counts as “wrong” in my book. I get that the school is backed into a corner based on their desire to provide space for the Christian club, but no, I would not be okay with that.

That seems like an odd distinction to me. Muslims think Jesus was a prophet, I think he was literally God. I think they're wrong. We have different opinions, for sure, but they're mutually exclusive; we thik the other person's belief is wrong (as a factual matter, not morally wrong). That's not meant disrespectfully, people have different opinions and they're going to think other people are wrong.

In any event, I don't think atheistic Satanists do worship evil, literally. They don't believe in God. They're atheists, they just adopt a provocative mascot for their disbelief.

[Anonymous]

It seems like Christians pushed hard to get religion into public schools and then are outraged when a religion that they don't like walks through the doors they opened

[Anonymous]

Ha that’s funny. The idea of elementary school Satanists cracks me up.

According to my understanding of the first amendment they actually shouldn’t allow either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha that’s funny. The idea of elementary school Satanists cracks me up.

According to my understanding of the first amendment they actually shouldn’t allow either.

You'd be wrong. Courts have upheld the consitututionality of afterschool religious clubs. They're allowed.

[Anonymous]

I’m Christian and I, too, have no problem with this, of course diversity of opinion is important. Although let’s call it what it is, it’s an atheist club trying to convert kids to atheism (not Satanism). Who said atheists never proselytize?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ha that’s funny. The idea of elementary school Satanists cracks me up.

According to my understanding of the first amendment they actually shouldn’t allow either.

Your understanding of the first amendment is wrong. The first amendment on religion says that the government shall not establish a religion, e.g. there is no official religion that the government shall follow encourage or support. The clause has also been interpreted to mean that the government shall not give preference to one religion over another. So the school cannot promote or accept one religion as an establishment, but when it comes to renting out the facilities, any organization, religious or not, that meets all other criteria for public facility rentals, can rent the space. So as long as the school is not sponsoring or promoting any particular religion, they can accept a rental request from any organization. And they should do so equally. So if they allow a Christian Bible group to rent the facility, then the atheistic Satanic organization can also rent the facility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m Christian and I, too, have no problem with this, of course diversity of opinion is important. Although let’s call it what it is, it’s an atheist club trying to convert kids to atheism (not Satanism). Who said atheists never proselytize?

You can't be "converted to Atheism". You can release your beliefs and not take up new ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a Christian and I have no problem with this. I think atheistic Satanists are wrong theologically, but I also think that about Muslims, Pagans, and plenty of other Christians. If we're going to let groups use public spaces, it's going to include lots of people, whose beliefs I think are wrong.

I think of those others you’ve mentioned as “different”, not “wrong”. Literally worshipping evil counts as “wrong” in my book. I get that the school is backed into a corner based on their desire to provide space for the Christian club, but no, I would not be okay with that.

Worshipping a supernatural being that is evil in your religion does not necessarily mean that the supernatural being is evil for another religion. Christianity essentially considers worshipping any deity other than the Judeo-Christian God to be evil. Idolatry is consider to be one of the gravest sins in Christianity. But, for the government and school's purposes, the Satanic club is not in, and of itself, worshipping evil. If they are promoting evil or criminal acts or actions, then there is a concern to be addressed, but if they encourage peaceful and lawful worship of a supernatural being that is anathema to another group, that is not, by itself, sufficient cause to refuse them rental.

That said, the quoted group is more an atheistic group bearing the name of the devil, rather than an actual devil-worshipping group. They are encouraging their members to think outside of religious teaching and constructs. That's not evil or evil-worshipping by any stretch of the imagination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m Christian and I, too, have no problem with this, of course diversity of opinion is important. Although let’s call it what it is, it’s an atheist club trying to convert kids to atheism (not Satanism). Who said atheists never proselytize?

You can't be "converted to Atheism". You can release your beliefs and not take up new ones.

Phrase it like you want, the goal is to pull people away from religion. This is, in fact, proselytizing, and this school group proves that atheists do it too.

Which, again, is fine.