Satanic Invocation

An Iowa city council is scrambling after a new religious liberty law opened council meetings to public prayer — and a resident promptly delivered an invocation ending 'It is done. Hail Satan.' Council members then debated when on the agenda they could 'undo the curse that was just put on our city.' Critics say the episode shows the risks of broad religious freedom measures: they protect all faiths, not just the ones lawmakers had in mind.

A city is reportedly regretting a new religious liberty law it passed after it immediately opened the door to a Satanic prayer at a city council meeting. Under the law, which was intended to permit Christian invocations at public meetings, representatives of the Satanic Temple were able to deliver their own opening prayer. Coverage of the episode has drawn amused reactions online, with many noting the irony of the unintended consequences.