Schools Settling For Satan

As more than 50 million kids head back to school this week, school districts are being pressed to allow The Satanic Temple to operate after-school Satanic Clubs---just like the Christian ones.

After all, the satanic advocates say, the First Amendment gives us the same rights it gives the LGBTQ+ Clubs and others. 

I mentioned a school in Dillsburg Pennsylvania last week on our radio program that is being pressed hard to approve an after-school Satanic Club.

Despite significant pushback from parents, the school has decided to settle for Satan---under the threat of a lawsuit.

This is happening in schools across the country.

Be informed, not misled.

The leader of The Satanic Temple says the First Amendment protects his organization’s right to host a back-to-school event at a Pennsylvania high school.

The After School Satan Club at Northern High School in Dillsburg will be allowed to meet after approval by officials with the Northern York County School District.

Steve Kirkpatrick, superintendent of schools for Northern York County School District, said in a statement released last week that the school board approved an application from TST to use school facilities for an event on Sept. 24.

Lucien Graves, the co-founder of TST, told Fox News that allowing a prayer event at the school while rejecting a satanic event could pose “a serious problem.”

Like a lawsuit.

"We don’t decry or begrudge anybody having a prayer event or anything like that," Graves was quoted as saying. "It does become a problem, a serious problem, when you allow a back-to-school prayer event, but you don’t allow any other religious representation."

"We’re talking about upholding fundamental pillars of democracy and the First Amendment," added Greaves.

The parents are very upset. One parent said they remove God from public schools, but welcome Satan.

However, others see it very differently.

Dallas Theological Seminary professor thinks it could be a positive thing.

Some theologians, such as professor Darrell Bock of the Dallas Theological Seminary, believe that addressing religious freedom protections afforded by the U.S. Constitution could actually end up educating more people about biblical truth — and offer more outreach opportunities.

For Bock, the example of the people of Ephesus honoring the name of Jesus in response to the demonic interactions with the "Seven sons of Sceva" in Acts 19:11-20 comes to mind.

“Yes, promoting satanic elements does not make sense and can be problematic. However, we know Satan is alive and well (though many people doubt that and even doubt he exists, just as some doubt God exists), and to the extent, this is about spiritual reality, the more we can engender conversation about that reality and how to think well about it, the better,” Bock says.

With all due respect---and I do respect Dallas Theological Seminary, I profoundly disagree with the professor on this issue.

He is making two very naïve assumptions in my view.

First, does Bock really think any teacher in this situation would make an honest case for the Constitution and its freedom protections?  Any Christian who would take a stand would be silenced under the "separation of church and state" misrepresentation. And there would certainly be those activist educators who would seize the opportunity to push their secular, humanistic, atheistic agenda.

Secondly, I do see his point in noting Acts 19:11-20, but that involves adults, whereas this school episode involves young, to very young impressionable kids. Not adults.

Both Josh McDowell and Lee Stroble have written extensively about preparing kids with a biblical worldview in preparation to face the hostile cultural resistance to Christianity.

The Satanic Temple claims to be a religious organization.

The mission statement of the Satanist organization reads in part: "The mission of The Satanic Temple, a religious organization, is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, reject tyrannical authority, advocate practical common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits."

It continues: "We have publicly confronted hate groups, fought for the abolition of corporal punishment in public schools, applied for equal representation when religious installations are placed on public property, provided religious exemption and legal protection against laws that unscientifically restrict peoples' reproductive autonomy, exposed harmful pseudo-scientific practitioners in mental health care, organized clubs alongside other religious after-school clubs in schools besieged by proselytizing organizations, and engaged in other advocacy in accordance with our tenets."

They boast 750,000 members and claim they are growing exponentially. They have "congregations" in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Arizona, Colorado, and across the nation.

They are very focused on making inroads into public schools.

According to the Satanic Temple’s website, Satan Clubs "meet at select public schools where Good News Clubs also operate.” 

A video on the After School Satan Club’s website features a song titled, “My Pal Satan,” which includes lyrics declaring, “Satan’s not an evil guy/ He wants you to learn and question why/ He wants you to have fun and be yourself/ And by the way, there is no Hell.” The song also claims that “Satan’s not a scary guy/ He wants you to share and to be kind.”

“When all is said and done, Satan doesn’t actually exist,” the song continues. “He’s an imaginary friend who can teach us how to live.”

Takeaway.

Satan is real and is often defined in the Bible as the deceiver.

Paul said in II Corinthians 11:14, "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."

I Peter 5:8 warns us to "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

Parents, be informed, sober and vigilant lest we inadvertently throw our children to the lions.

Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.