I won't be able to find the exact ordinance and I don't really care enough to search for it. I've heard from reliable sources and I witnessed firsthand that missionaries in New Zealand are not allowed to talk to kids. There are lots of missionaries, especially Mormons, so the rule is widely known.
There are ways of protecting kids from the chaotic influence of the internet. Most states prohibit minors from viewing porn and they're developing more effective ways to enforce it. Similarly, some states are prohibiting kids from using Instagram until they're 13.
In New Zealand they've made it illegal to preach religion to kids. I don't know exactly the the method but I've seen firsthand that it's possible.
Yes. Please answer me this hypothetical. Why do we prohibit young kids from viewing porn?
The Satanists shouldn't be allowed to preach to kids just like the Jews and Muslims and Christians shouldn't be allowed to. The kids aren't mature enough to understand the issues at hand, just like they can't understand the repercussions of sex.
I'm saying that you wouldn't have known about the Satanists or any other religion unless an adult told you about it. I'm opposed to preaching to kids.
I'm also a parent (though my kids aren't yet at school age) and I'm frustrated with how public schools have become a battleground for the political gain of warring groups. A Satanist after school club is another example.
You mentioned that you went to private school. I also went to a Catholic private school until third grade so I understand your frustration with them.
You said that your daughter didn't start a special interest group because she was shy. Similarly, 8 or 9 year old kids probably didn't seek out the local chapter of the Satanists. Someone told them to do this.
I don't think that any religion should be doing that.
So they don't believe in doing it... but they do it.
Explain to me how it's not just trolling?
Again, I don't believe that elementary school children sought out the Satanists on their own. It would be almost impossible for 8 or 9 year old kids to know that the Satanists exists.
I don't believe that elementary school children sought the local chapter of the Satanists by themselves. Someone invited themselves into the kids lives and I think that's inappropriate.
I don't think that children should be involved in extracurricular religious activity until they're 16. Just like they shouldn't be involved in sexual activity until they're 18, despite being physically capable.
Some kids are sexually mature at 9, 10, or 11 years old. But we don't allow them to procreate because we know that they're not emotionally and intellectually developed enough to understand the repercussions of sex.
Similarly, in my opinion, religion is something that should not be pushed onto children, especially in a public school setting, until they are mature enough to contemplate the issues. It's categorically different from other special interests like sports.
Though there are also many sports fanatics who use kids and sometimes damage their well-being, but that's another subject...
That's exactly my point. Insecure religions (including the Satanists) use schools as a battleground for their political goals. It shouldn't be allowed.
Religion should be something that's between the kids and the parents (for better or for worse) until the kids are matured, maybe 16 years old at least.
It's generally been the case that the parents are the most unbiased wellwishers of the kids, something that religious organizations often cannot do.
Why doubt when you can do the research and find out for sure? There is a federally mandated science curriculum that Tennessee must teach. It includes the latest scientific paradigms like evolution. It would be illegal for the Memphis school district to not teach evolution or whatever else is contentious to the religionists. The district would be sued. In fact, this has happened in school districts all over the country.
So I don't believe the Satanists are really concerned with supplementing the kids education, nor are they explicitly qualified to do so. As I've said, based on the several members that I've met and based on their literature, they are a trolling organization meant to illustrate the hypocrisy of Christianity, and I think that's totally fine. They have my passive support. But using kids for this purpose is inappropriate.
I wish that I could be so simple. My personal experience is that all humans are prone to hypocrisy and the tendency to exploit others. The Satanists are not exceptional.
Oh, I've figured out how to reply. I'm using Eternity for Lemmy and it has a few bugs.
I simply won't be able to find the exact ordinance. You can believe me or not. I won't lose sleep over it.
Are you in favor of religious organizations targeting children under the age of 16?