Latest news with #Satanology
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Florida activist calls for Satanology banners at public schools citing First Amendment
T. Chaz Stevens, founder of the religion he calls "Satanology," is calling for Brevard Public Schools to display banners at five high schools in Brevard County, Florida. The Florida activist, who runs REVOLT boot camp, is seeking to place banners promoting what he calls the Church of Satanology and Perpetual Soirée at Heritage High School, Melbourne High School, Palm Bay Magnet High School, Rockledge High School and Viera High School. Stevens is requesting that the school district put up banners promoting Satanology after noticing a Trinity Church banner hanging on the fence outside the football stadium at Palm Bay Magnet High School in Melbourne, Florida. In an interview with Fox News, Stevens also stated that he is seeking to advertise Satanology on the electronic signs. "They have an electronic sign and on the electronic sign: Palm Bay Magnet High School thanks the church. So we're going to ask today, the school board, to put us up. Not only the banners on the chain link fence, but also on the electronic billboards," Stevens said. The activist raised a similar complaint in Broward County, Florida, which resulted in the removal of similar banners at public schools. "I am not a lawyer but I have filed pro se court cases in federal court against Broward County school districts," he explained. "Where Broward County did basically the same kind of thing and while I lost in court—but unexpectedly, Broward County revised—because of my efforts—Broward County revised their policy and has taken down the church banners on the chain link fence." The banner Stevens is seeking to display promotes the religion he founded, the "Ministry of Chaz the Bropostle and his Bro-Minions," and contains the motto, "Satan loves the First Amendment." When asked if he is pursuing freedom for all religions or to display his own banner only, Stevens responded that the First Amendment says, "'All or none.' So it's everyone or no one. But they have a third case, what they are doing right now, which is 'some.'" He continues, "What I want is the separation of Church and State. No banners on the chain link fence. But if they're going to allow some, they've got to put me up." The Trinity Church of Melbourne uses the high school as its location and displays its hours of service on an electronic sign as well as on a banner on the school's fence. Stevens states that he views the banner as an advertisement and that the school created what he describes as a "limited public forum" when the banner was displayed. Stevens' website lists his recent projects as the "Satan or Silence" project, "In God We Trust" posters, "10 Commandments" posters, and a campaign to "ban Bibles" in all 63 Florida school districts. When asked if he has activist projects for other religions or solely Christianity, Stevens responded, "We've had a problem with Christianity being the majority voice throughout our entire history." "The great majority of America self-describes as Christians," he said. "The powerful majority voice by great numbers are the Christians." "And when you look at the church banners that are going up, these aren't church banners for Islam. These aren't church banners for Wiccans. These aren't church banners for the Druids. If the Druids were doing this I'd be going after the Druids. The people that are doing this are Christians." Fox News reached out to Brevard County School District but has yet to receive a response.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What is the Church of Satanology? Here's its beef with Florida schools
'Satan Loves the First Amendment. Broward Schools Didn't.' Those are the first words you'll read – in all capital letters – if you visit the Satanology website. You might be asking yourself, what is Satanology? It's a church founded by a former Palm Bay resident and activist, Chaz Stevens, who's out to 'expose religious favoritism in America's schools.' The Church of Satanology and Perpetual Soiree sent an email to Brevard's school board and superintendent this week, requesting banners for the religion to be placed in five schools. 'What happens when an atheist dares to hang a "Satan Loves the First Amendment" banner on a public school fence?' the Satanology website says. 'If you're Chaz Stevens, all hell breaks loose — and that's the point.' Here's what we know about The Church of Satanology and Perpetual Soiree and why it's got beef with Florida schools. By definition, Satanology is the study of the person of Satan, usually as he is depicted through the lens of the Christian Bible. 'Satanology is the study of the person and work of Satan. It's strange that Satan is not understood very well by believers today,' Evidence Unseen, a Christian website, says. 'Christian teachers fluctuate between various extremes: either denying Satan or obsessing over him.' The Church of Satanology, run by the Ministry of Chaz the Bropostle, is a more political, constitution-based effort than it is an actual religion. 'Welcome to Satanology — our sharp-toothed campaign to expose viewpoint discrimination in public schools, where Christian churches get banners but the Church of Satanology and Perpetual Soirée' gets the boot,' The Church of Satanology website says. More on Satanology and Florida schools: Founder of Church of Satanology requests banners be hung at 5 Brevard high schools 'In 2023, Chaz challenged Broward County Schools after spotting banners from Calvary Chapel slapped on public property.' Stevens then requested equal space for his banner that said 'Satan loves the First Amendment.' 'The result? The church banners came down, the lawyers came out, and the school board flipped policy overnight,' the Satanology website says. 'But Chaz isn't stopping. This isn't about goat heads and pitchforks — it's about LGBTQ+ kids, secular freedom, and the equal treatment of all beliefs in public spaces.' A quote from Stevens on the Satanology website says, 'I don't believe in Satan. I believe in fairness.' The website also calls Satanology 'First Amendment judo,' saying, 'We're using their own rules to make them flinch — and it's working.' Stevens, a Florida Tech graduate who now lives in Boca Raton, sent a letter to Brevard's school board and superintendent on May 19. He requested his Satanology banners be put up at five Brevard County schools, including Palm Bay Magnet High School, which he said already has a religious banner up on campus. 'Brevard Public Schools did not confirm if such a banner exists,' FLORIDA TODAY reported on May 19. 'Stevens told Florida Today the banner hangs on the school's fence and advertises a church.' Here are the five schools where Stevens requested banners be put up: Viera High School Melbourne High School Heritage High School Palm Bay Magnet High School Rockledge High School. Almost all of the state statutes dealing with religious expression in public schools work to create a nondiscriminatory environment for students and employees of public schools in Florida. But one section of the state law that governs religious freedom mentions schools giving equal opportunity to religious and secular groups that choose to use school resources or want to advertise their meetings. And Stevens' church isn't using school resources or advertising meetings, just asking to put up a banner. Here's what that section of the state statute says: 'A school district shall give a religious group access to the same school facilities for assembling as given to secular groups without discrimination based on the religious content of the group's expression. A group that meets for prayer or other religious speech may advertise or announce its meetings in the same manner and to the same extent that a secular group may advertise or announce its meetings.' This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Church of Satanology, Florida schools face-off. What we know
