Florida Satanists Fight For … Prayer In Schools

Palm Beach Gardens, FL – Governor Rick Scott of Florida has some rather unusual support behind his recently-signed “prayer in schools” bill. Though the Christian population of the state must undoubtedly support the bill, it’s the Satanists who are turning out in force to rally for the measure.

MSN reports that Governor Scott’s Senate Bill 98 allows “district school boards adopt resolutions that allow prayers by students at school events,” and Florida’s Satanists are planning a rally to celebrate the passage of the bill.

“We’ve gotten such a response, it’s just impossible for me to know what that translates into,” Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves told local ABC affiliate WPBF.

Greaves said that the Satanic Temple, formed in 2012, is “more or less an online community,” though they are planning on forming a base of operations in New York.

Greaves also said that members of The Satanic Temple “have a sense of civic responsibility” and that they’d like to share their “side of theology” the same way that Christians and Jews do.

“We feel it’s time for Satanists to come out and say exactly who we are,” Greaves said.

According the Satanic Temple’s official website, Satanists “are popularly demonized as a result of misunderstandings, intolerance and fear-mongering opportunism.” It also says that Satan “has the compassion and wisdom of an angel.”

Greaves said that Satanists view The Devil as compassionate, just like any member of any religion views their own deity. “The name Satan resonates with a lot of people,” Greaves said.