If Christians Can Pass Out Bibles, Satanists Can Pass Out Coloring Books

Okay, so … religion. It’s fine for those that want it, and it’s fine for those that don’t. But the problem lies within certain religious groups because some folks believe their faith is the only faith and all others are meaningless. But, sometimes, well, a lot of times, they’re proven wrong and then a little kerfuffle ensues.

Case in point:

Down in Florida, or as I have often called it, having lived there, Flori-duh, the Orange County Schools have allowed a group called World Changers of Florida to distribute Bibles in public schools.

Twice!

Naturally, this does not sit well with those of us who believe in a Separation of Church and State, but it also doesn’t sit well with The Freedom From Religion Foundation — an atheist group — who wanted equal time in the schools and threatened a lawsuit.

So, to settle that suit, and because they know they’re wrong wrong wrong, Orange County Schools agreed to allow The Freedom From Religion Foundation to pass out their atheist materials in school as well.

And that’s where the Satanists come in.

The Satanic Temple wants equal access to the schools as well, to distribute its Satanic Children's Big Book of Activities, a coloring book. Lucien Greaves, spokesman for The Satanic Temple explained the group's motive, saying the Satanic Temple:

“would never seek to establish a precedent of disseminating our religious materials in public schools because we believe our constitutional values are better served by respecting a strong separation of Church and State, but if a public school board is going to allow religious pamphlets and full Bibles to be distributed to students—as is the case in Orange County, Florida—we think the responsible thing to do is to ensure that these students are given access to a variety of differing religious opinions, as opposed to standing idly by while one religious voice dominates the discourse and delivers propaganda to youth.”

And while I am not now, nor have I ever been a Satanist, I say, Go for it. If a public school system in this country is going to allow one religious group to come into a public school and pass out their literature, then they must allow each and every other religious group to do the same.

Failing that, maybe those parents who want their kids to have Bible passed out at school should send their children to a church-affiliated school and leave the public schools alone. Not everyone worships Satan, not everyone worships God, hell, oops, not everyone worships at all, so let's keep all of these faiths, these belief systems out of public schools and stick to reading, writing and arithmetic.

Otherwise your children will spend all their time collecting literature from Christians and Catholics and Jews and Muslims and Buddhists and Satanists and Pagans and Wiccans and Atheists and Agnostics and never really get any education at all.

via NCRM