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At North Carolina State University a college group gathers around students interested in Satanism. Members of The Satanic Students are not promoting Satan, since they don't believe in him, and they also insist that they are not around to provoke religious groups. According to them, they are only doing their part to promote some values espoused by Satanic groups like empathy, benevolence, individuality and free thinking. Their idea is that concept of black-and-white or good-and-evil in the world is not something that should be accepted as hundred percent true, so they generally believe that practices which bring harm to others are bad.
Despite the fact that the number of members of the group is rather small, their mission sounds like something that can obtain support from almost anyone. According to their website getinvolved.ncsu.edu, “The mission of Satanic Students at NC State University is to 1) encourage benevolence and empathy among all people, 2) reject tyrannical authority, 3) advocate scientific examination of the universe and our place in it, 4) promote morality and justice based on rational, humanistic values, and 5) be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will.” One of the important things for students at every large college, like NC State, is to be part of a group and to have the ability to start conversations on campus.
This group may raise some concerns among those who believe it is literally Satanic. According to the College Fix — a 2017 column in Crisis Magazine, a Catholic publication — which states that there is a “growing threat” from Satanism underway in the U.S. The article cites the increase seen recently in “After School Satan Clubs” as well as efforts to get satanic monuments erected on public land. “The real issue is all about the mainstreaming of Satanism in America. Much as the same-sex ‘marriage’ debate was about acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle, so also Satanic groups seek social acceptance,” according to the column. “Indeed, this is what the Satanists themselves declare. For them, it has nothing to do with religious practices. Many of them even allege they have none. They simply want to mainstream Satanism so that it will be viewed as normal.”
If there is still a concern, like in the above mentioned column, that Satanism is going to become mainstream, than this student club may find itself under criticism. But if the club lives up to its stated mission it should not be considered a threat in any way. This club may even make the campus more welcoming to all students.
