An Iowa city council meeting sparked intense discussion this week after a satanic prayer was delivered to open the proceedings.
The Ottumwa City Council meeting began routinely with the mayor calling for the invocation. A former council member stepped forward to deliver the prayer, which commenced with "Dear dark father" and included phrases such as "embrace the Luciferian impulse," concluding with a "Hail Satan" declaration.
Following the invocation, the council appeared ready to continue with its agenda until one person immediately stood to rebuke the prayer. This individual described the invocation as a "curse" placed upon the city and called for its reversal, stating it "needs to be done now."
A brief debate ensued between Mayor Benjamin Foote and council member Cara Galloway. Ms. Galloway urged the mayor and the council to adhere to the meeting agenda, suggesting that public comment should be reserved for later in the meeting. However, the citizen maintained that the issue needed immediate attention due to the nature of the invocation.
Mayor Foote ultimately overruled Ms. Galloway’s objection, instead calling for an immediate 30-second moment of silence to allow for personal prayer or reflection among those present.
According to reports from Fox News Digital, which cited the Ottumwa Courier, the city operates under an invocation policy. This policy reportedly does not endorse any specific faith or religious denomination. Instead, it is intended to "acknowledge and express the City Council's respect for the diversity of both organized and unorganized religious denominations."
At the conclusion of the council meeting, Ms. Galloway offered further remarks regarding her earlier objection. She explained that opening a meeting with an invocation necessitates allowing for viewpoints that may not align with everyone's beliefs. Responding to such an invocation, she noted, could lead to "a slippery slope to putting a financial liability on the taxpayers and allowing for others to object or respond."
Ms. Galloway recalled having concerns about instituting invocations when the policy was first discussed. She stated she had specifically referenced the possibility of a prayer from the Church of Satan or a prayer about Satan occurring, and the council’s need to permit it. She reminded the council that as elected officials, they are expected to remain neutral and allow diverse viewpoints when invocations are part of the meeting format.
Mayor Foote later told Fox News Digital that the controversial invocation was "not a reflection of our community." He emphasized that as the mayor of his hometown, he understood the people of Ottumwa, stating the prayer "does not represent the faith or the values of families who call this city home."
Fox News Digital, referencing the Ottumwa Courier, also reported receiving a private message from Matt Dalbey, the former council member who delivered the invocation. Mr. Dalbey identified himself as a member of The Satanic Temple of Iowa. He explained that the prayer he delivered is commonly used by the temple but clarified that it "has nothing to do with the belief in a satanic deity."