We're breaking for lunch...

We're being told that the ministers who deliver the city council prayers "do not get paid anymore" following Boston revisiting the policy of paid prayer in light of The Satanic Temple's invocation request. So at least there's that.

So we're deposing a representative of the City of Boston, but we're being told by their attorneys that this representative can not answer the question as to why Boston refuses to allow The Satanic Temple to give an invocation.

Our attorney points out that in a City Council prayer a pastor gives "blessings" upon the council members and their families. Asked why somebody was invited to do this, Boston's attorney insists is outside the scope of this deposition and won't be answered.

Amazingly, Boston objects to our characterizing a City Council prayer as a "blessing" being given, even as (in the video of one such prayer) the prayer-giver was introduced explicitly as somebody who would "bless this body."

One of Boston's attorneys objects to any questions as to whether a councilor endorsing a specific religious viewpoint constitutes a government endorsement of religion. The other attorney is intermittently napping.

Now we're watching a video of recent prayer being delivered by a pastor invited by then-councilperson Michelle Wu (now mayor) before the Boston City Council to "bless this body" in the name of Christ. Apparently, unlimited time was granted to this.

I feel a question about the definition of "discrimination" coming on...

Boston still senselessly maintains that religious invocations delivered prior to city council meetings are open to all religions on the basis of a non-discriminatory invitation-only policy. It's up to the council who they invite, but this is "non-discriminatory." Incredible.

My understanding is that live streaming was already objected to. Deposition has begun at TST HQ. It is being recorded.

SatanCon 2023 is coming to Boston. masslive.com/boston/2022/08/…