U.S. Naval Academy Sets Aside Room For The Satanic Temple

ANNAPOLIS, MD — A meeting room will be provided to midshipmen interested in The Satanic Temple at the U.S. Naval Academy, the Associated Press reports. Commander Alana Garas, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Naval Academy, told the AP that the group has been provided with a space.

An internal email was distributed Oct. 8 to all midshipmen to announce the start of “satanic services.” However, Garas said the email was sent without approval of the Naval Academy’s Command Chaplain, as required. Garas added that the academy’s Command Religious Program facilitates the exercise of diverse beliefs.

The Satanic Temple describes itself as a "nontheistic organization that aims to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people.”