Grabbing attention

Nevertheless, the program’s Satan-related name has left some people uneasy.

Mephisto said including Satan in the after-school program’s name is a tactic his group uses to attract attention in a way a “humanist-secular alliance” would not.

Mephisto said The Satanic Temple is not associated with the Church of Satan, as the temple views Satan as a literary symbol of man’s enlightenment.

By identifying as a religion, Mephisto said the group’s name also affords The Satanic Temple constitutional protection under the separation of church and state.

“Getting attention is just a way to achieve our ends to happen. That’s why Satan is in the name,” he said. “I wish it wasn’t like that, but it is. We just have to use the tools in our toolkit.”