UPDATE::Video of my secular invocation | justinvacula.com

I am seriously wondering how council's refusal to amend their "policy" concerning prayer will jive with the recent Greece v. Galloway ruling. But Kudos to Justin for having the tenacity to follow this through.

Council did not allow me (or anyone else) to provide an invocation in place of council’s recurring ‘Almighty God in Heaven’ prayer during meetings, but allowed me to provide a secular invocation during the public comment section. Sadly, council does not want to budge.

While I am dissatisfied with being sequestered to the public comment section rather than being allowed time to speak in place of council’s prayer, I took the opportunity to deliver a secular invocation which included a healthy dose of skepticism and parts of my ‘life philosophy.’

Video of my secular invocation | justinvacula.com

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But there were no fireworks during the secular invocation delivered by Justin Vacula, spokesperson for the NEPA Freethought Society, in response to the prayer at the beginning of the public meeting.

Vacula, 25, of Exeter, asked to give the invocation in place of the Judeo-Christian prayer, but was told he could deliver it during the public comment period in which speakers are given five minutes to address council.

“As we gather, we are reminded that although we have differences, we are linked by our common humanity,” he said in the invocation that lasted approximately four minutes.

Vacula said he might give an invocation regularly at the meetings. “We’ll see how it goes. If there are other matters to present, maybe I’ll present those matters,” he said.