After Phoenix Controversy, Satanists Eye Other Cities For Prayer
The Satanists will not stop, meaning more battles over public prayer could be on the horizon in Arizona.
After being denied by Phoenix, followers of the Satanic Temple are approaching other cities about giving city council invocations.
Fierce opposition from the faith community recently drove the Phoenix City Council to change its invocation to a moment of silence, rather than let Satanists give the prayer at an upcoming meeting.
But soon others cities and towns could face the same dilemma, including Scottsdale, Chandler, Tucson and Sahuarita, said Stu de Haan of the Arizona Chapter of the Satanic Temple.
He said they have asked to give the invocation at all of those council meetings.
“Hopefully, when they see the kind of ridiculous measure that Phoenix took to block us, they’re just going to let us have our two minutes, and we’ll move on and it won’t be a media fiasco," said de Haan, "It will show that some of these other local governments aren’t afraid and as superstitious as Phoenix."
They are limiting prayer plans to those four places for the time being, said de Haan.
Meanwhile, a Phoenix city councilman has said he is planning to bring prayer back to meetings by advancing a ballot initiative in the upcoming election.
