Setting its sights on public schools across the country, the “Satanic Temple” group is drawing the concern of many parents and churches by looking to establish Satanic after-school clubs for students.

After a closer look at the website for the proposed “After School Satan Clubs” (ASSC), its teachings appear to be more based on naturalistic thinking, rather than Satan worship.

“[ASSC’s teaching is [based upon a uniform syllabus that emphasizes a scientific, rationalist, non-superstitious world view,” the site explains. “Satanism is a religion that endorses scientific rationalism as our best model for understanding the natural world.”

Family Research Council’s (FRC) Travis Weber says the title of the club is misleading.

“From the group’s name, one would presume these clubs are teaching about demonic activity,” FRC’s Weber insists. “[But], they don’t actually believe in Satan.”

The pro-family advocate suggests that a more suitable title should be designated to the clubs.

“So why not name the clubs ‘humanist’ or ‘atheist’ clubs?” Weber pondered. “Perhaps these activists realized this would not draw the public attention like the name ‘Satan’ would (the actual Church of Satan rejects the ASSC’s rationalism).”

Marketing an anti-Christian worldview

Weber wonders why the atheist organization is looking to stir up more negative publicity than it already has.

“The Satanic Temple has already agitated in the name of its ‘religion’ by ‘creating a gigantic bronze statue of Baphomet for the lawn of the Oklahoma State House, opening city council meetings with Satanic incantations, [and] distributing coloring books featuring the dark lord to schools across the country,’” Weber noted. “So why do they want to draw public attention and provoke?”

Apparently, the motive behind the ASSC push is little more than a desire to purge schools of every Christian influence.

“These atheist and humanist activists simply don’t like the fact that children could be exposed to the message of Christianity, and appear to want to pick a fight with Christians,” Weber explained. “They say they want religion totally eliminated from schools, and the group’s homepage prominently displays: “DONATE TO HELP US COUNTER EVANGELISM IN SCHOOLS.” Their main purpose appears to be to try to shut down Christian clubs in schools. How would they accomplish that?”

According to the United States Supreme Court, the ASSC has the right to set up its clubs in schools right alongside Christian clubs and other clubs, such as the Chess Club or Scrabble Club.

“In Good News Club v. Milford Central School, the Supreme Court held that when a school opens up a limited public forum to a certain type of speech, it cannot discriminate against groups looking to use that forum based on the viewpoint of their speech,” FRC’s expert on the matter shared. “The ASSC organization seeks to use these forums for its clubs.”

Ulterior motive …

However, instead of touting its own beliefs, the ASSC’s apparent goal is to ultimately tear down the beliefs and clubs of another group … Christians.

“If the ASSC merely wanted the same opportunity as everyone else to speak their viewpoint, that would be understandable,” Weber conceded. “But their whole purpose seems to be driven by an animosity toward Christian clubs; hence the provocative name.”

And the Satanic Temple reportedly is staging its proposed clubs not to provide a venue to market its beliefs with students, but to eradicate Christian clubs from the public school setting.

“They are aiming to do that by provoking school administrators into shutting down the limited public forum entirely,” Weber asserts.

Instead of propagating an atheistic worldview, it has become evident that the Satanic Temple’s clubs are merely chess pieces set up to counter and challenge ever student Christian club in America’s public schools.

“Our goal, ultimately, is to place an ASSC in every school where the Good News Clubs, or other proselytizing religious groups, have established a presence,” ASSC’s website reads.

Members of the Satanic Temple acknowledge that they are looking forward to taking advantage of the progress Christian legal groups have made to allow God back into public schools … so that they can reverse it.

“We would like to thank the Liberty Counsel specifically for opening the doors to the After School Satan Clubs through their dedication to religious liberty,” ASSC group members sarcastically expressed, according to the Washington Post. “So, ‘the Satanic Temple leverages religious freedom laws that put after-school clubs in elementary schools nationwide.’ That’s going to be the message.”

And the tactic to lure concerned parents to cause enough of a stir so that public schools end up putting an end to every type of student-led club seems to be well under way.

“The ASSC organization appears to be trying to upset enough parents that school officials would close the forum to all groups (the fact that the group is based in Salem, Massachusetts, seems designed to aid its publicity stunt),” Weber maintains. “If the forum is not open at all, then no clubs get to speak. Though this would include the ASSC clubs, these activists appear to be fine with this as long as that puts an end to the Christian clubs, too.”

In fact, the head of the Satanic Temple’s push inside public schools revealed the underlying motive.

“If they would get rid of the Good News clubs, there wouldn’t be a need for the After School Satan program,” ASSC’s founder told PEOPLE magazine.

Weber broke down the atheists reasoning this way:

“In other words, the very purpose of the ASSC is to shut down the Good News Clubs,” the Christian activist stressed. “The ASSC organization, presuming parental outrage, is hoping school administrators take the bait and close the forum rather than allow the ‘Satan clubs’ to operate.”

Cause for concern?

There are two key takeaways concerned parents and other pro-family Americans should glean from ASSC’s well-thought-out stunt:

“First, school administrators should not be deterred,” Weber insisted. “The ASSC organization would love nothing more than for the school forum be shut down to all groups, including Christian groups. The forum should not be shut down out of concern for this group’s presence (its name does not even line up with what it is teaching anyway). It can be given a place among other student groups, and we can let the battle in the marketplace of ideas play out. Ultimately, neither rationalism nor demon worship can provide the hope and healing offered by Jesus.”

Weber continued in his reasoning …

“Second, we should not look at this as a set-back, but as an opportunity, in at least two areas: 1) The ASSC organization is using a forum which is open to all under the Good News Club case. Why not use this opportunity to make sure that children are aware of their right to start Christian clubs if they don’t exist? As one Family Research Council event recently highlighted, let us also make sure school officials, administrators, and teachers are aware of the legal protections for religion in the public school. The forum is open—make sure we are using it! … 2) If the ASSC organization wants to start a spiritual discussion, whether on the national stage or local school, let’s welcome such a discussion. The group’s use of the term ‘Satan’ gives everyone an opportunity to discuss...Satan. Let’s explain his role in the Bible, his power to tempt humans away from God to our own detriment, and the good news that Jesus provides a way out of that temptation. Even if the ASSC organization wants to fall back on rationalism, let’s welcome an invitation to open up the Bible and rationally examine its claims: that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. He’s either Lord, liar, or lunatic. But nothing else. All must make a choice.”

But Weber emphasizes that all the tactics of the enemy to counter Christianity in the schools are no match for the redeeming power of God.

“Both humanism (the worship of human progress) and actual devil worship will fail to offer humans a solution to our dilemma of the sense that something is broken, that something is just not right in the world,” the Christian leader impressed. “Only a restored relationship with God through the person of Jesus Christ can do that.”

But he argues that Christians must be vigilant and diligent to clear the path for the Gospel message to resonate in the hearts and minds of America’s youth generation.

“Every day, we are already seeking opportunities to tell the world this good news before it’s too late,” Weber concludes. “This is just another opportunity, planted right in our lap! Let us go forth and proclaim the Gospel!”