Culture ACLU hails first 'After-School Satan Club' meeting at Virginia elementary school 'a victory for free speech and religious liberty'

• Students at a Virginia elementary school attended their first after school Satan Club meeting on Thursday.
• The club is sponsored by The Satanic Temple.
• The ACLU called it "a victory for free speech and religious liberty."

Students at a Virginia school held their first After-School Satan Club meeting on Thursday after being put on hold for months, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia announced.

The meeting at B.M. Williams Primary School in Chesapeake, Virginia was held "despite efforts by some to shut down the club and prevent it from gaining equal access to school facilities," the ACLU said, describing it as "a victory for free speech and religious liberty."

The Virginia Pilot reported last fall that the idea of the club was requested by parents as a response to the Good News Club, another student club run by the Child Evangelism Fellowship. According to the Pilot, parents wanted the club, which is sponsored by The Satanic Temple, for their nontheistic children.

June Everett, the After-School Satan Club national campaign director previously told the Pilot that the club only operates in schools where parents request them and other religious groups are already operating.

The group said students in the club will do arts and crafts, puzzles, an science projects.

"We aren't sacrificing goats or praising the Dark Lord," Everett told the Pilot.

The ACLU said the club faced "unconstitutional challenges" over the past few months. While the Good News Club was able to meet immediately after school and did not face a "security fee," the ACLU said Chesapeake Public Schools initially requested The Satanic Temple pay a security fee over safety concerns from protestors. Additionally, the school system asked the group to meet at 6 p.m. and not immediately after school.

Those requests were withdrawn before Thursdays first meeting.

"Under the First Amendment, the government can't treat one religious group less favorably than another, and it can't give potential objectors or hecklers a 'veto' over unpopular speech by charging the speaker (here, the After-School Satan Club) a security fee," Matthew Callahan, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of Virginia said. "That the school district ultimately recognized this and is taking steps to correct these unlawful actions and policies is an enormous victory for free speech, religious liberty, and democracy."

ACLU hails first 'After-School Satan Club' meeting at Virginia elementary school 'a victory for free speech and religious liberty'

 

[Pokemon Conquistador]

This is just a club of LARPing, Dad-hating atheists who are resentful that their parents burned their D&D books. They also want to stick it to religious Christians, who are the only group that will get all puffy-chested and offended at their antics (but not offended enough to do violence, like the Muslims.)

 

[WelfareNiggerQueen]

Now some kids need to start a Christian club to piss off those fag's. Kick them back into band class where they belong.

 

[SSj_Ness (Yiffed)]

Deem it hate speech, try to twist their own clown world rules against them. It won't work out but worth a try.

 

[Dog-O-Tron 5000v5.0]

Is there anywhere online that shows what their supposed "safe" and "fun" puzzles and non animal sacrificing activities are?

I want to see what kind of propaganda they're actually using to indoctrinate kids, but when you search it's just a million news articles.

 

[X Prime]

It isn't all about the edgy shock, it is about subversion and rebellion against religious government hypocrisy. It is why they tried to do the satanic nativity scene on government land, as well as the baphomet statue in response to the 10 commandments statue on government premises. Freedom of religion is only freedom of religion if it is Christian.

I'll believe it when they regularly attack any religion other than Christianity.

 

[Overly Serious]

What are the actual values of Satanism (such as it is)? Last I heard it's hedonism, selfishness, acting on your base instincts over societal morality. Are we asked to consider it a good thing that young children be taught those are virtues?

Also, apropos of nothing, I am going to relate a personal anecdote. When talking about her ex a woman I knew said without irony: "His roommate's an intellectual. He reads Anton Lavey". More than fifteen years later I still can't recall her saying that without actual audibly laughing. Probably one of the funniest sentences I've ever heard in my life.

 

[Sargon's wife's son]

Just a reminder that Anton LaVey the founder of the Church of Satan hated these people's guts
Is on record saying homosexuality is not healthy and was just an edgy libertarian
He also hanged out with Wyatt man.

 

[Super-Chevy454]

In order to believe in Lucifer, the Morning Star, you have to believe there's a God.

Checkmate, Athiests.

That would be a good quote featuring the Third World Skeptical kid: "If Atheists don't believe there's a God, how come they believe in Lucifer?"

 

[Product Placement]

Mean they should have the right to do it but that doesn't change the fact they are huge faggot edge lords.

 

[Breadbassket]

I'll believe it when they regularly attack any religion other than Christianity.

I don't see them doing anything beyond that. Here is some information from their FAQ page and a chart they have comparing themselves to the Evangelical Christian Good News Club in particular.




An interesting bit from the end of a newsletter:


At a glance it seems to be fighting for "religious liberty" but upon closer inspection it is evident they want to do battle with an after-school Christian organization. The Satanic After-School Club is just more basic "progressive" indoctrination but with black clothes and dyed hair. If they ever gain enough ground don't be surprised if they try to push their rival out of schools entirely. They could rely on that whole "we totally don't worship the devil" bit to say they aren't technically a religious club.

Also does anyone else find it fascinating the proclaimed non-theistic Satanists who keep saying Satan isn't real likes using imagery involving Baphomet and other demonic motifs on everything such as their clothing. What would you think of a person who goes around wearing John 3:16 shirts and cross necklaces but also keeps saying "God and Jesus aren't real they are just archetypes"?

 

[X Prime]

It's no different from how many parts of Antifa don't attack synagogues.

Some who are off the plantation a bit might, but most know better.

 

[Dog-O-Tron 5000v5.0]

Also does anyone else find it fascinating the proclaimed non-theistic Satanists who keep saying Satan isn't real likes using imagery involving Baphomet and other demonic motifs on everything such as their clothing. What would you think of a person who goes around wearing John 3:16 shirts and cross necklaces but also keeps saying "God and Jesus aren't real they are just archetypes"?

The idea that they claim to use those words and iconography but not the meaning is laughable. Imagine instead they did this:

Students at a Virginia elementary school attended their first after school Hitler Club meeting on Thursday.The club is sponsored by The Hitler Temple. ACLU called it "a victory for free speech and religious liberty."

June Everett, the After-School Hitler Club national campaign director previously told the Pilot that the club only operates in schools where parents request them and other religious groups are already operating.

The group said students in the club will do arts and crafts, puzzles, an science projects.

"We aren't rounding up Jews or conquering Europe," Everett told the Pilot.

OR from their website:

The After School Hitler Club Is An After School Program That Promotes Self-Directed Education By Supporting The Intellectual And Creative Interests Of Students.

EDUCATIN’ WITH HITLER
The After School Hitler Club does not believe in introducing religion into public schools and will only open a club if other religious groups are operating on campus. ASHC 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 Hitler Club program focuses on science, critical thinking, creative arts, and good works for the community. While engaged in all of these activities, we want clubgoers to have a good time.

AFTER SCHOOL HITLER CLUB MISSION
Proselytization is not our goal, and we’re not interested in converting children to Nazism. After School Hitlet Clubs will focus on free inquiry and rationalism, the scientific basis for which we know what we know about the world around us.

We prefer to give children an appreciation of the natural wonders surrounding them, not a fear of everlasting other-worldly horrors.

See, it's totally harmless parents! It's educational and NOT about converting kids! It's safe and you should support it!

After all, if they're just trying to protest the harms of organized religion by using the name Satan to be edgy, is there anything more edgy than Hitler?

 

[A Grey Cat]

Is it 2006, where this would actually be edgy?

No because if it was 2006 the world would make a lot more sense and this would something youd see on the onion or maybe mad magazine.

 

[Kosher Dill]

They may be laughing now, but one day they'll tip a fedora so huge that it'll crush them all.

 

[Phalanges Mycologist]

Also, 99% these Satanists are the types to start sacrificing animals and people if given the chance. Considering that the current system is pro-Satan, it may just happen.

Oddly there was a pole on the Satanist subreddit where the majority where Vegetarian or Vegan, as far back as the 80's this was the case most of them are posers who just want to be edgy.

 

[Michael Wade]

Also does anyone else find it fascinating the proclaimed non-theistic Satanists who keep saying Satan isn't real likes using imagery involving Baphomet and other demonic motifs on everything such as their clothing. What would you think of a person who goes around wearing John 3:16 shirts and cross necklaces but also keeps saying "God and Jesus aren't real they are just archetypes"?

You know it's fascinating you say this. I was playing a game where a character compulsively quoted the bible and wore crosses but confessed to not believe. He just admired the wisdom and the structure it brought into his life and other people. I respect that.

I don't think it's correct, but if a dude wants to be Christian without being Christian, doesn't try to subvert things and still helps people? Good for him.

I can't say that for satanism. What "good works" do they promote? Best case your a selfish poser who wants to look "cool". Worst case your actually ruining lives and hurting people. You can't turn true evil power against itself for your benefit. That's not how it works.

 

[Starved Artist]

Funny you say that

View attachment 4573366

/r/ conspiracy not allowing real conspiracies again? Jesus.

 

[Coptakhenaten]

At best Satanists are neo-Gnostic edgelords, at worst they are literal Satanists and are a few boundary-shatterings away from pedophilia and zoophilia.

 

[Naes]

Well, that is IT!!
People need to demand that a club or whatever is created for the

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster​

 

[Agamemnon Busmalis]

I'll believe it when they regularly attack any religion other than Christianity.

You could say the same thing about the American "evangelicals" admittedly. Personally I'd rather get rid of both the Good News Club and the ASS Club from school grounds. Don't need either of them there, religion leads to nothing but trouble in these cases...if they want to meet find their own spots.