{"id":2678212,"date":"2026-10-07T18:22:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T22:22:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-pastor-fights-back-as-city-council-begins-meeting-with-prayer-to-satan\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T18:28:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T22:28:53","slug":"watch-pastor-fights-back-as-city-council-begins-meeting-with-prayer-to-satan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-pastor-fights-back-as-city-council-begins-meeting-with-prayer-to-satan\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch: Pastor Fights Back as City Council Begins Meeting with Prayer to Satan"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwatch-pastor-fights-back-as-city-council-begins-meeting-with-prayer-to-satan%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2678212&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A city council meeting in Ottumwa was marked by controversy when a former councilman opened with a prayer ending with &#8220;Hail Satan,&#8221; prompting protests from a local pastor who called for reversing the perceived curse. The invocation, delivered by Matt Dalbey, a member of the Satanic Temple of Iowa, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >involved themes rejecting traditional doctrines<\/a> and encouraging actions based on luciferian concepts. Despite the protests, the council maintained a policy allowing diverse invocations, with Dalbey&#8217;s speech being part of an effort to promote religious plurality. the event attracted widespread social media attention, with critics condemning the Satanic prayer as evil, while supporters emphasized the group&#8217;s non-theistic beliefs. The pastor and some council members called for the invocation to be undone, suggesting a desire to reverse the negative spiritual impact, while others discussed the need for neutrality and the risks of policies that allow open invocation content. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joy-behar-shocks-the-view-co-host-with-x-rated-trump-joke-live-on-air-27\/\" title=\"Joy Behar Shocks &#039;The View&#039; Co-Host with X-Rated Trump Joke Live on Air\">incident highlights ongoing tensions<\/a> over religious expression in public officials&#8217; proceedings.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A former Ottumwa councilman opened Tuesday\u2019s city council meeting with a prayer that ended in the phrase \u201cHail Satan,\u201d and a local pastor stood up and tried to undo it before the agenda started.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>WARNING: The following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">social media posts<\/a> contain language that some may find offensive.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The city of Ottumwa is begging to be cursed by God.<\/p>\n<p>Psalm 16:4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, Nor take up their names into my lips.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Dillon Awes (@PastorAwes) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PastorAwes\/status\/2107884266105581911?\">October 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>  Matt Dalbey, a resident and former member of the council, gave the invocation at City Hall. The meeting video showed him asking those who wanted to take part to stand, then beginning, \u201cLet us pray. Dear dark father.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-embed\"> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GhnHU8YTitU?si=UHaR09r3n_EncgfL\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>The prayer asked those present to stand \u201cunbowed\u201d by \u201carcane doctrines born of fearful minds,\u201d to \u201cembrace the luciferian impulse to eat of the tree of knowledge,\u201d and to judge people by their actions rather than \u201carbitrary social norms.\u201d He closed with, \u201cIt is done. Hail Satan.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The council and staff then recited the Pledge of Allegiance.<\/p>\n<p>Dalbey told the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ottumwacourier.com\/news\/local_news\/satanic-invocation-causes-uproar-at-city-council-meeting\/article_47fecb72-be23-4269-a71a-4c95ed596413.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ottumwa Courier<\/a> in a private message that the text is used by the Satanic Temple of Iowa, of which he is a member, and that it \u201chas nothing to do with the belief in a satanic deity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Outtumwa Courier said the group describes itself as \u201cresolutely non-theistic.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The City Council in Ottumwa, Iowa had an invocation dedicated to Satan to start their meeting.<\/p>\n<p>This is intrinsically evil.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone should call up the Mayor and City Council members to ensure this never happens again. https:\/\/t.co\/5ygIFIubIi<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Brady Penfield\ud83c\uddfb\ud83c\udde6 (@brady_penfield) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/brady_penfield\/status\/2107880805934502348?\">October 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>  Rick Bick, pastor of New Life Center, spoke next, demanding that the council take action to undo the damage caused by Dalbey\u2019s prayer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s just reverse this curse that was put on our city. That \u2018Hail Satan\u2019 is not welcome here,\u201d Bick said.<\/p>\n<p>Council member Cara Galloway told him the public-comment period was the place for that.<\/p>\n<p>Bick said it could not wait. \u201cIt needs to be done now. That was a curse put on the city. Most of you know that, and we need to just stop and reverse it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Over Galloway\u2019s objections, Mayor Benjamin Foote called for 30 seconds of silence \u201cto reflect on whatever it is we need to reflect on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Outtumwa Courier reported that the city council adopted an invocation policy Jan. 20, allowing meetings to be \u201copened with an invocation to aid in additional guidance and blessings for the City and all its citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Galloway cast the lone vote opposing the policy.<\/p>\n<p>The policy acknowledged respect for \u201cthe diversity of both organized and unorganized religious denominations, as well as other faiths, belief systems, or the lack thereof.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The city\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ottumwa.us\/government\/invocations.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">invocation list<\/a> shows Dalbey, listed with no congregation, was booked for Oct. 6.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the meeting, Galloway said this was the case she had warned about. Opening with an invocation meant allowing views the council might not , she said, and answering one was \u201ca slippery slope\u201d toward a lawsuit and toward more objections. \u201cWe need to remember that we are up here to be neutral.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>City administrator Philip Rath said Wednesday on KBIZ\u2019s \u201cDialogue\u201d that an open policy means the city does not know what a speaker will say, and that narrowing it could invite a suit. He said a revision to the policy was possible.<\/p>\n<p>Libs of TikTok posted a clip of the \u201cDear dark father\u201d opening and the \u201cHail Satan\u201d close.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">HOLY SH*T<\/p>\n<p>@City_of_Ottumwa in Iowa opened up their most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/portland-mayor-laughs-at-womens-safety-concerns-over-rising-homelessness-problem\/\" title=\"Portland Mayor Laughs at Women&#039;s Safety Concerns Over Rising Homelessness Problem\">recent city council meeting<\/a> with a prayer to SATAN.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet us pray. Dear dark father\u2026 HAIL SATAN\u201d<\/p>\n<p>WTF is wrong with these people??? https:\/\/t.co\/Ge92TpnLG6<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/libsoftiktok\/status\/2107867170868756741?\">October 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>That post had 1.8 million views by Wednesday afternoon on social media platform X.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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