A primary school in Chesapeake, Virginia, allowed the local satanic temple to proceed with after school activities for the After School Satan Club following pushback from parents. Now, the school is dealing with two email threats made against it for allowing the club to commence.
B.M. Williams Primary School went forward with the club after it was put on pause in December 2022 and January 2023. Previously, the After School Satan Club (ASSC) was supposed to give a security fee for any issues that may come as a direct effect of the club’s presence at the school, however, this requirement was thrown out in order to treat it the same as the Christian after school club, the Good News Club.
The director of the Satanic Temple’s After School Club, June Everett, said that she hoped the meeting would be, “…a joyful, enriching experience for the children.”
While it is the goal for those involved with the Satanic After School Clubs to see this as a religious freedom that should be allowed as any other religious organizational gathering, parents and members of the community are truly afraid of the spiritual consequences that could come from allowing a group like this into their children’s lives. The Satanic group, however, tried to convince families that they aren’t converting children and that Satan is just ‘imaginary.’
Volunteer Rose Bastet said, “I understand the apprehension behind the satanic name, but he is just an imaginary figure that we look to because he is the eternal rebel that fought for justice and humanity.”
The club was promised that they would be allowed to have additional meetings that would make up for the last two months when they were supposed to originally start.
As of late February, the club’s controversy continues as the school received a bomb threat. The school, a Chesapeake school board member, the club’s organizer and the Chesapeake Public Schools superintendent were mentioned in the email threat.
The email read: “You are evil, there is no other way to put it. You promote devil worship and unIslamic values.”
As a result of this threat, the school made the decision to release students early for their safety. However, a second email was received the following day, which appeared to come from a different email address.
It’s almost unfathomable that we live in a day and age when people would argue that Satan is a fairy tale who represents good. It’s also unimaginable that someone would believe threatening a school and individuals would be the proper course of action to stop darkness.
The truth is, there really is a spiritual battle taking place all around us. That’s why the apostle Paul admonished us to put on our spiritual armor every day. Both the After School Satan Club and the emails insinuating bomb threats are disturbing pieces of news as they capitalize on the destructive nature of the enemy and his hate toward God’s children.
We must ask: if the purpose of the Satanic club isn’t to convert children, then what is the purpose? If that isn’t the point of the club, then why did it pop up as a response to a Christian after school club? And why would something as evil as bomb threats occur only after Satan was given access to the school?
At the end of the day each one of us will have to give an account to God for your every action. He will either say “Well done, good and faithful servant,” or “I never knew you. Depart from me.” Playing with fire—with Satanic fire—will have serious consequences. If we are to pray for our enemies, why not also pray for those who are being used by the enemy, both parties from the Satanic temple and those sending the threats, that they may escape the snare of hell by their eyes being opened to the truth? There is no one that God cannot turn around. Those who are used by the enemy greatly against God can be transformed into the greatest weapons for God. And above all, let’s pray for the protection of the children who do not know what is happening around them and why their world has been turned inside-out. God has plans and purposes for each of them, and it is not His desire for any to be led astray.
Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator and Staff Writer intern for Charisma Media.
