While it is tradition to begin Santee City Council meetings with nonsectarian invocations, not everyone believes it should continue.

 "I don't understand the point and I don't think they should have them at all," said Jeff Archer, president of the San Diego Atheist Coalition. "Does it make members of the council feel better? Does it give them better judgment? The answer is no. The practice is unbelievable."

Santee City Clerk Patsy Bell, however, says that invocations have been taking place for as long as she can remember, and that Santee is "standing on good legal ground," she said.

"The Supreme Court ruled that [cities] can have a nonsectarian legislative invocation," Bell said. "Those performing the invocation might say 'God,' but not 'Jesus' or 'Allah.' It's about having inspiring words that don't promote one religion over another."

Valera Childers, the past president of San Diego Pagan Pride and owner of Santee-based The Village Witch, a gathering place for pagans and those of other Earth-based persuasions, will be performing the invocation with her husband at the upcoming City Council meeting on Oct. 27.

"We were very excited to be asked to do the invocation," Childers said. "A lot of people think pagans go out and kill goats; they don't even understand what paganism really is. Although contemporary society is taught to believe it's a bad thing, we're just like everyone else." 

Childers is thrilled the Village Witch was considered.

"I don't know why the city chose to go with pagans, but we're honored," she said.

According to Mayor Randy Voepel, the invocations are about half-and-half Christian and non-Christian.

"We have also had Native American 'Medicine Men,' Islamic Imams, Buddhist Monks, Falong Gong, Rabbi's, Hindu's and a couple of religious persons that I couldn't even figure out what they were," Voepel wrote in an e-mail.

Mayor Voepel believes the invocation can be just about anything but must be "tasteful and unprovocative."

He is frustrated though. "The athiests cry foul when there is any invocation and upset people complain when the Imam speaks," he said.

Father Kevin Casey, a priest with the Guardian Angels Catholic Church, who performed an invocation in November of last year feels the practice is a good thing.

"I think religious values should be everywhere," he said. "I always welcome the opportunity for there to be a mention of God at the beginning of a City Council meeting."

Archer still believes the practice should be stopped.

"I've lived in three countries and there was none of this stuff going on," he said.  "You don't have invocations at the beginning of a baseball game or before singing the National Anthem. It befuddles me, and I question its legality."

Santee City Attorney Shawn Hagerty, however, says the legal issue is clear.

"Legislative invocation is part of the governance structure of the United States and has always been," Hagerty said. "The Supreme Court has said they are perfectly appropriated and consistent with the Constitution."