ollowing last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling which struck down "student-led" prayer at high school athletic events, atheists and First Amendment activists may find themselves with a new legal weapon to protest what some say is a long-standing constitutional violation -- prayer at government meetings.

   The latest battleground is Detroit, Michigan where according to the Detroit Free Press there has been a proliferation of organized prayer at city council meetings throughout the area. In some cases, the rituals have never been challenged.

    That could change tomorrow night, though, when the Westland City Council mulls a proposal to have organized prayer at its public meetings. American Atheists State Director Henry Morgan has already condemned the plan, telling reporters that it clearly violates the constitutional separation between church and state.

    "What happens if I have business before the City Council and I refuse to pray? What are they going to do when I bring my business up"" Morgan asked.

    "They're going to say, 'That's the dirty atheist; let's stick it to him," he told the Free Press.

    Those who think that Morgan's response is off base or extreme may want to ask themselves: Why are proponents of prayer so determine to have city councils and other government bodies engage in the activity, if it just a low-key "call to order" or has little or no religious value? That's one of the questions separationists like Morgan raise. He points to the recent U.S. court ruling on student-led prayer, noting that the religious invocation was "inflicted" on those who simply wanted to see a football game -- or, in his case, attend a public meeting.

    In communities where there is some sort of official prayer at government meetings, the practice varies widely. At the Troy (Mi.) City Council gathering, a minister from the Baptist Church leads the ceremony and calls upon Jesus to protect firefighters and police officers. Last month, the Warren City Council instituted prayer by inviting church leaders to give an invocation. The move was encouraged by Council president Chuck Busse, who told the Free Press that last May's National Day of Prayer activity prompted him to bring up the matter.

    "There seemed to be some sense that we do have a spiritual element to all of our work, to all of our lives, and that our church community could play a positive role to help inspire decision-making."

    Does Jesus, or the Bible, have something definitive to say about things like zoning matters or pay raises, though? Could a businessman wanting to open up a bar or restaurant which serves alcohol get a fair hearing with a Baptist prayer commencing the night's business? Some, like Morgan, wonder.

    There are also complaints not just about prayer in general, but sectarian prayer. In some communities, the prayer is similar to the invocations in Santa Fe, Texas, which the high court ruled as unconstitutional -- nonproselytizing and nonsectarian. A similar scheme involving a nonsectarian prayer, composed by a special committee for the New York State Board of Regents, and supposedly vague and general enough as to offend no one, was struck down by the Supreme Court in the 1962 ENGEL v. VITALE case. Is such a prayer possible? If there is a god, would he or she or it even notice such a watered-down religious plea?

    Rev. Scott Rutterbush, the Baptist preacher who delivers the prayer at the Troy council meetings, doesn't mince words about the object of his invocation. "I don't try to not use certain words because they might offend," he said. "Praying to me is praying through Jesus and to Jesus, so I will use Jesus' names."

   The practice may offend Jews, Muslims and others who may not share the same lofty opinion of the Christian god, and who might also feel excluded from the city council gatherings simply on the basis of religion. It may also violate the separation of church and state, not only by promoting religion in general but also seeming to favor one religious faith -- Christianity and Jesus worship -- over all others.

    In some areas, public officials appear to be more sensitive about the controversial issue. The Free Press noted that in West Bloomfield, Southfield and Rochester, "leaders invariably mention a commitment to diversity and an effort to be sensitive to residents of minority faiths." The West Bloomfield city council reflects that diversity, including an Afro-American, two Jews, three Roman Catholics and a Protestant.

   "Quite frankly, because we have such a religious diversity in our community, a prayer might be quite offensive to a large portion of our residents," declared supervisor Jerry Hood. "We'd have to craft something so carefully, it's easier not to do anything."

    What about asking representatives of the Jewish and Islamic faiths to lead the prayer on a rotating basis along with the Christians, Warren councilman Busse was asked. That plan might work -- but what about atheists? "Busse was stumped by the question of how to represents atheists," noted the paper.

    Tomorrow night, Morgan and members of Michigan Atheists are expected at the Westland Council meeting. Morgan plans to warn officials that any prayer scheme is possibly unconstitutional and invites potential -- and costly -- litigation.

    "I may also bring a Bible along," he added. "And when they start talking about public prayer, I'll urge them to read St. Matthew, Chapter 6, verses 5-6, which declares that true prayer should take place not on the street corners of the public square, but behind closed doors, in a closet!"

(Note: American Atheists State Director Henry Morgan and members of Michigan Atheists will be at the Westland City Council meeting tomorrow (Wednesday, July 5) night. Supporters are urged to attend -- 7:00 p.m. at Westland City Hall, 36601 Ford Rd. in Westland. For further information, contact Henry at 734-326-5794 or via e-mail through henry@atheists.org)

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