A group of faithful Catholics gathered to oppose a satanic invocation at the start of the Dec. 12 Kenai Borough Assembly meeting.
Organized by lay Catholics, the group met outside the borough building in Soldotna to pray the Rosary while holding signage, crucifixes, icons, or other sacramentals in opposition to the Satanic invocation.
The Dec. 12 meeting was the last time local Satanist Iris Fontana could use the invocation period to “hail Satan.” Thanks to a new policy, unanimously approved at the assembly’s Nov. 7 meeting, all future invocations will be offered by professional borough chaplains. The new protocol kicks in on Jan. 1.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Under the old policy, anyone from the public could sign up to offer an opening prayer – first come, first serve. Fontana, who claims to be a member of The Satanic Temple, has repeatedly made divisive public appeals to Satan. Likewise, a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster has utilized the prayer slot to share his beliefs in an almighty Spaghetti Monster.
While this may be the last time Satan is called upon during a borough meeting, prayer organizer Toby Burke said it should still be publicly denounced.
“The Satanic invocation – mockery of a devout Christian prayer of supplication and God Himself – must not go unopposed,” he wrote.
20 Comments
Anyone with half a brain knows that the people behind the so-called “Satan prayer” aren’t really Satanists. They don’t worship Satan, since they know there’s no such thing to be worshipped. The point they are trying to make is that as long as you insist on invoking the Christian god at the beginning of governmental meetings, and thus erasing the line between church and state, you have no choice but to allow invocations by people of all faiths, no matter how outlandish they seem to be. You want to know the easiest way to put an end to this whole kerfuffle? Simply stop doing invocations altogether. Stop wasting taxpayer dollars on invoking the help of imaginary beings, and get to the business of GOVERNING. Problem solved.
Removing God from the public square has worked so well for us? Look at our nation today. A downhill spiral. Whether you like it or not our nation was founded on Christian principles, albeit while also giving citizens freedom of religion. Even the deists who helped draft our founding documents saw the importance of Biblical foundation. Morality and truth did not occur from thin air. There is a creator God despite your unbelief. Satan is also real and is the current ‘ruler’ of this world. You either follow God, light and truth, or you follow darkness, which is essentially Satan.
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. Isaiah 5:20.
“The Satanic invocation – mockery of a devout Christian prayer of supplication and God Himself – must not go unopposed,” It should be mocked day and night. Religion is poison.
“Who is She that comes forth as the morning rising? Fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array.”
Chuck, it is absolutely AMAZING how you can read into the hearts of avowed Satanists from far away in West Virginia. Have you been here on the Kenai Peninsula? Even Alaska? Do you have ESP? Have they phoned you? “Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t be stepping out of their NPR lane trying to troll what is happening in Alaska.” But I’ll wager Lucinda won’t call YOU “arrogant”.
Don’t feed the trolls.
They’ll eventually shrivel up and find another bridge to crawl under.
Yes please. I’m sure old Chuck could find a forum closer to home if you ignore the old fellow. His sock puppet “Lucinda” too.
It’s obvious by reading the posted responses here some people have no clue. It’s ok! Your in America and we have freedoms here still I think. If you want to worship the devel, do be it. I don’t and I don’t think you should bit thats my opinion. Our governments from the first always stated anything with a pray, and it was a Christian prayer.
DEAR NEIL: Sure, historically Christians in America have been given preferential treatment, and for a very long time non-Christians were reticent about rocking the boat. Those days are over, and if you have an argument with it, your argument is with the Constitution. It was once common for public schools to start the day with the Lord’s Prayer. It was traditional, but it was never constitutional, since it implied government approval of Christianity as the offical national faith. It is not. You are and always will be able to worship as you see fit, but don’t expect non-Christians to just knuckle under when government agencies open meetings with specifically Christian prayer. Perhaps it’s time to leave Christian indoctination to homes and churches, and just let government agencies GOVERN.
You’re right, Neil. Thoughout most of American history, and despite the “Establishment Clause,” Christianity has been given preferential treatment. Most Americans are Christian. Virtually ALL religious programming on TV and radio is Christian-oriented. And the ONLY religious holiday to cause the private and public sectors to grind to a halt on December 25th is a CHRISTIAN holiday. And there was even a time when public schools opened the classroom day with The Lord’s Prayer. Those days are long gone, and if you have a problem with it, your argument is with the Constitution. Non-Christians simply aren’t willing to be second class citizens anymore.
Our government was also founded with legal slavery, we evolve and grow past backward practices like that, and praying to imaginary beings.
Wrong. It was the constitution that backed the abolishment of slavery. All men are created equal. It was in the interpretation of who are ‘men’. That was clarified and all humans regardless of melanin levels in their skin or features, are created equal. Civil rights work later solidified that.
Dang… folks that naive truly do exist…
Otness: Do you see the irony in your statement?
Just get rid of any praying or invocation what so ever, why are assembly members wasting time with this nonsense to begin with instead of doing their job and legislating. I frankly couldn’t care less about praying to Satan or who ever.
In the last days of this earth’s history the voice that spoke from Sinai is still declaring, “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3. Man has set his will against the will of God, but he cannot silence the word of command. The human mind cannot evade its obligation to a higher power. Theories and speculations may abound; men may try to set science in opposition to revelation, and thus do away with God’s law; but stronger and still stronger comes the command, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Matthew 4:10. There is no such thing as weakening or strengthening the law of Jehovah. As it has been, so it is. It always has been, and always will be, holy, just, and good, complete in itself. It cannot be repealed or changed. To “honor” or “dishonor” it is but the speech of men. Between the laws of men and the precepts of Jehovah will come the last great conflict of the controversy between truth and error. Upon this battle we are now entering—a battle not between rival churches contending for the supremacy, but between the religion of the Bible and the religions of fable and tradition. The agencies which have united against truth are now actively at work.
Thus, it is critical that we spread God Almighty’s word to the ends of the earth for everyone to hear!
Excellent reply EGP / SOP! We need to continue to speak the truth. One day the doubters may understand and hear the Love of our Creator.
Do you pray when your snowblower won’t start?
Oh geez. Here Lucy goes with the snowblower rhetoric again. So old. Get a new line Lucy.