Satanic clubs, whose members do not worship the devil, usually formed in response to presence of religious groups in schools

Community members in a Tennessee school district want to banish Satan from their children’s halls after the formation of a new club was announced.

The After School Satan Club (ASSC) wants to establish a branch in Chimneyrock elementary school in the Memphis-Shelby county schools (MSCS) district.

The ASSC is a federally recognized nonprofit organization and national after-school program with local chapters across the US. The club is associated with the Satanic Temple, though it claims it is secular and “promotes self-directed education by supporting the intellectual and creative interests of students”.

The Satanic Temple makes it clear its members do not actually worship the devil or believe in the existence of Satan or the supernatural. Instead Satan is used as a symbol of free will, humanism and anti-authoritarianism.

  • computerscientistI@lemm.ee
    222·
    7 months ago

    If the founders didn’t just want to stir the pot, they would call the club “free-will humanitarian anti-authority club”.

    After a bit of prodding ChatGPT suggests: “Free Spirits for Global Empowerment and Liberty” (FSGEL), which is a million time better then invoking satan, just to get on people’s nervs.

    • urist@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      16·
      7 months ago

      Isn’t pot-stirring the whole point?

      1. Highlights religious indoctrination doesn’t really belong in schools. I can’t really speak to the organization ASSC and what they do, but that’s the point of including Satan in school. Trying to make a club for (just an example here) your Jedi church doesn’t have the same punch because Jedi haven’t been a part of culture for hundreds/thousands of years. Maybe I’m off base here, but it’s easier to make a legal argument in court that your religion is real if it’s been a part of culture for a while.

      2. Gives kids who are athiest/nonreligious an outlet away from all the christian stuff. Christianity can feel very oppressive in school, depending on the location. Calling it the “free spirit” club or atheist club isn’t enough. Christians tend to go out and find non-believers to bother, so designing your club as a big metaphorical middle finger can help with that. It’ll keep the young evangelists out, and it’s a reasonable outlet for feeling rebellious.

    • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
      121·
      7 months ago

      Missing from the article is this group’s primary, unstated motive: they only attempt to create such clubs in schools that actively promote similar, religious clubs. This tactic only works in schools that have previously demonstrated their intent to promote religion.

      Any school can insulate themselves from this tactic by not becoming a church.

    • JohnDoe@lemmy.myserv.one
      36·
      7 months ago

      I don’t quite understand, Satan is a contentious figure in Christianity (and maybe other Abrahamic religions? idk, not knowledgeable about it) and it’s reasonable to be worried or concerned as an adult about what interests the youth might have. And it really seems the opposition is simply speaking platitudes. They haven’t demonstrated 1. it is not a faith, and 2. it causes harm. The folks who are opposed surely can’t have their preferred beliefs determine the beliefs of others in areas where it’s clear there is not immediate harm.