Satanic Temple Members to Give Prayer at Phoenix City Council

Members of the Satanic Temple are set to be giving the invocation at an upcoming Phoenix City Council meeting in February.

The opening prayer at Phoenix city council meeting has been open to all religions. It has been given by members of the Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim faith in the past. That history of open tolerance is now being text next month.

Satanic Temple members Michelle Shortt and Stu De Haan are giving the invocation at the Phoenix City Council meeting on February 18th. The temple sent in the request to do the opening prayer back in December. While some members of the city council have strongly suggested not allowing Shortt and De Haan to do the prayer, the council is allowing them as scheduled.

The Phoenix City Attorney Brad Holme released a statement regarding the controversy,

"Consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s direction, the city cannot dictate religious viewpoints or the content of a prayer. In addition, government may not exclude a denomination or a religion from praying under these circumstances."

Shortt and De Haan wouldn't discuss with AZCentral what they were planning with the invocation but did say they weren't planning anything offensive.