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.

  • Jaysyn@kbin.social
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    11 months ago

    They can’t without getting rid of all other extra curricular activities & I love that for them.

      • ExLisper@linux.community
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        11 months ago

        Don’t underestimate the evangelicals, they will ignore the laws and act like martyrs when punished for it. Then they will run for office as defenders of the constitution and church, get elected, push even more evangelical agenda on everyone, be exposed as homosexuals, retire and live comfortably ever after.

          • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            If SCOTUS did that then I’m sure there would be (checks notes) no consequences whatsoever.

          • Facebones@reddthat.com
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            11 months ago

            Yeah, I’m not convinced they aren’t itching for the right case to come along to strip seperation of church and state to declare an official state religion.

            • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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              11 months ago

              Please tell me that’s sarcasm? The GOP literally just refused to confirm anyone he nominated.

              • IHadTwoCows@lemm.ee
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                11 months ago

                And he should’ve gone to war with them over it instead of assuming that he would win support at next election. McConnell’s “rationale” was “let the American people decide!”

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Usually the way it works if the school district digs in it’s heels is, TST sues the district. The district realizes it cannot win in court because there is a staggering amount of precedent and law against them. Then the district itself shutters all after school programs officially. Except of course the teacher running the Christian club invites kids to off campus gatherings that occur after school. Then the district gets sued again.

        • player2@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          11 months ago

          The Satanic temple is a non-theistic religious group, that’s the entire point. They use religious groups’ own tactics against them. If the school allows the Christian church to host a club, then they must allow the Satanic temple to host a club. TST doesn’t have anything against after-school clubs and the school could simply choose to ban activities funded by religions.

          • Herbal Gamer@sh.itjust.works
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            11 months ago

            This isn’t a Temple though, it’s an After School Satan Club.

            Satanic after-school clubs are usually established in a school district in response to the presence of religious clubs, such as the Christian evangelical Bible group the Good News Club. The temple says it “does not believe in introducing religion into public schools and will only open a club if other religious groups are operating on campus”.

            It’s more of an anti-religious club really.

            • player2@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              11 months ago

              Right, because they’re not evil, but it is still a club organized by a group that is recognized as an organized religion by the US government and has all the protections that come with it. The school will have to choose between allowing all religious groups into schools or none.

              I’m just pointing that out since other commenters are insisting that they will have to ban all after school activities as a result which isn’t true