Tulsa has gotten rid of the opening invocation at council meetings following controversy surrounding a prayer last year.
Councilors voted 8-1 Wednesday to replace the opening invocation with a moment of silent prayer or personal reflection. Residents who are currently signed up to give an opening invocation may do so on the date they signed up for.
Councilor Christian Bengel abstained, arguing that listening to things you might not agree with is in the spirit of the First Amendment.
The rule change was proposed by Councilor Laura Bellis, who said she doesn’t want anyone to feel like their government doesn’t represent them.
“Of course, we have invocations where anyone can sign up of any faith for, but the one time they may be there, it usually is a Christian prayer, and may send the message that their government is not for them or they don’t belong,” she said.
Bellis proposed the rule change after a pagan priestess Amy McAdams dedicated the opening invocation to Medusa. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and State Superintendent Ryan Walters inaccurately accused McAdams of satanism in social media posts.
Bellis said she’s wanted the rules to change for a few years, but hearing from constituents after that incident was even more motivation.
“That really gave the impetus to say, ‘I don’t want anyone to be in one of our government meetings and feel that what’s being shared is alienating to them or unwelcoming or infringing on their sincerely-held beliefs,’” she said.
Bellis proposed a moment of silence to replace the invocation because meeting attendees can use it however they see fit without imposing their beliefs on anyone else.
The name was changed to “moment of silent prayer or personal reflection” after Councilor Phil Lakin suggested the name would indicate religion is not excluded.
