Why would many not want an invocation as opposed to a moment of silence at publicly funded Greensboro City Council meetings?

How is a taxpayer funded prayer at a municipal function
not a free, publicly funded commercial
for those purposefully picked to present the invocation?

Are members of a church more likely to give campaign contributions

to a Council Member who attends the same church,

if said church’s preacher gives the invocation?

Are Greensboro’s clergy more or less likely to bring in new business
from being viewed/endorsed on publicly funded TV?

Will those Greensboro residents who do not privately fund a local church

be represented during invocations at City Council Meetings?

Will clergy who give invocations receive privileged access
to Greensboro’s political and municipal executives?

Are invocation granted clergy more likely to tow their political benefactor’s “line”
in tax-free “non-profit” pulpits?

No man shall be compelled to frequent or support

religious worship, place, or ministry

... nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief

but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain

their opinion on matters of religion

Thomas Jefferson

Virginia Bill on Religious Freedom

Should a preacher who gives an invocation
then advocate for public spending on secular priorities?

Should wealthy evangelists

who spend millions of dollars of church funds on marketing and luxury lifestyles

be invited/endorsed by municipalities to give invocations/advertisements

on publicly funded TV?

How should those other than Christian
explain to their kids when a member of the clergy says "in Jesus' name we pray"
at a publicly funded government meeting
where rational and balanced decisions are to be made for “all” taxpayers?

How is Greensboro in the land of the free

if one religion dominates 90% of the invocations?

Are communities who lean towards religion infused government
more or less likely to pass religious based legislation
like alcohol prohibition, dancing, women’s rights, book burning,
public school curriculums, abortion or homosexuality?

Should elected lawmakers seek to avoid imposing their religious views
upon the communities in which they reside?

Religion

…is the opiate of the masses

Karl Marx

Why are weak governments more likely to embrace religion or nationalism
in times of social instability
and/or when distractions appear helpful to bury other more important issues?

Sheep who elect bears to protect themselves from wolves

are still devoured.

Beezlebubba

Is Greensboro better off if Council Members can't endorse church's
in a moment of silence
or if our elected representatives can gain advantage
by maneuvering specific clergy to be picked to offer prayers
at publicly funded events?

If Greensboro City Council Members could be considered blessed by God,

to act in the name of God after a prayer

but not necessarily after a moment of silence

which would most of the rational electorate prefer?

Should our taxation
be based on what the government says it needs to keep the peace etc...,
or based on what God may have told City Council via prayer,
rendering those who object subject to the Omnipotent backed wrath of the believers?

Why did many white religious and political institutions teach congregants

that God supported racial segregation

and nationalistic state supremacy bestowed by deities

and totalitarian authority for the ruling classes

and military endeavors

and the status quo?