An after school Satan Club. What could go wrong?

An after school Satan Club. It’s not in “the classroom”. It’s not about religion. It’s only about free speech. So what could go wrong?

Even the headline on msn.com tells us this is no big deal.

No, Satan isn’t coming to your classrooms. A judge’s ruling allowing an after-school ‘Satan Club’ is all about free speech.

Everything we read on the internet is true, right?

That image of Satan is answering the question for you. Saying yes, while trying to hide the obvious reality that he’s the devil. Surely that smile is 100% believable and trustworthy, isn’t it?

What could go wrong by trusting a character like that?

Is an after school Satan Club just an alternative to Christianity?

But let’s get real here. Look at something else the article said.

The Satanic Temple launched the After School Satan Club in 2016 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,” as it states on its website.

Oh – there we go. Back to “everything on the internet is trustworthy”.

I include something from time to time warning my own readers not to take things I write for granted as being true. We should check things out for ourselves. Even Jesus told His followers, you know – Christians – to do this.

The Greatest Commandment – Matthew

^{22:34-40 pp — Mk 12:28-31}

^{Mt 22:34} Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

^{Mt 22:37} Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Did you notice – with all your mind? It’s part of “The Greatest Commandment” response given by Jesus.

If we love God, as we claim to do, then it’s incumbent on every Christian to know about the God we believe in. Not the one we heard about from politicians, from people who don’t even believe in God, or people who don’t love God as He described Himself in the Bible.

Therefore, when we read or hear things about God, it’s up to us to verify that they truly line up with what He said about Himself.

…

In the preface to The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis wrote:

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.  ¹

It’s hard to not wonder why this afterschool club is called the Satan Club. They didn’t even go for something like agnostic, atheist, humanist, science, or anything like that. They went for Satan Club, then pretend to be the things I just mentioned.

But do you think, for even a moment, that the goal isn’t to lead to either or both of the concepts C.S. Lewis mentioned? When trying to lead someone away from God, it really doesn’t matter which idea gets someone hooked. They both work to remove God from someone’s life.

What could go wrong? What could go right? If we don’t care about anything after this life, that’s one thing.

But even Satan knows there’s something after this life. And for him and his fellow fallen angels, it’s not going to be good. So the goal there is to take as many people as possible away from God – and take those people with them. For eternity. So even there, the lie doesn’t stand.

The Satan Club – what do we do about it?

Should we go to court to stop this? Pass a law against it?

Uh – how about something Jesus told us to do?

Love for Enemies – Matthew

^{Mt 5:43} “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Yeah – how about that? Instead of hating them, attacking them, essentially making the point for them, what about doing what Jesus would have done? Love them. Give them a reason to want to be Christian? These are the kind of people the good news of the Gospel was meant for.

So why do we present it in a way that makes the good news sound so awful to them? Remember, Jesus had harsh words for the Jewish leaders. But not for the people. The sinners loved being with Jesus. But they hate those who claim to be Christian, but live nothing like what we’re taught, told, commanded to be.

Maybe we should look in the mirror. Think about one more passage. And then act accordingly?

Judging Others

^{7:3-5 pp — Lk 6:41, 42}

^{Mt 7:1} “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

^{Mt 7:3} “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

^{Mt 7:6} “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”

I think that’s enough.
I hope it’s enough.
Pray it’s enough.
But know it isn’t.
So it’s time to keep praying.