North Carolina Village Bans Sectarian Invocations

On Monday night, the Clemmons, North Carolina Village Council, by a vote of 3-2, followed the advice of its Village Attorney and voted to ban sectarian invocations at Council meetings. The new policy requires that invocations "be nonsectarian in nature, without reference to any particular religion, denomination or sect, nor to any symbol or deity thereof." Yesterday's Winston-Salem Journal reports that letters will be sent to local religious leaders to explain the policy and give examples of inappropriate references. This vote took place at the same time that the county commission of Forsyth County-- where Clemmons is located-- took a different route and approved a policy permitting sectarian prayer. (See prior posting.)