A prominent Satanist has given the opening prayer at a Nevada county commission meeting – sparking outrage among the members.
The address at the Washoe County Commission meeting on Tuesday ended not with an ‘Amen’, but a ‘Hail, Satan.’
It was delivered by Reno Satanic’s Jason Miller and caused one board member to storm out in protest.
Ironically, that staffer, Commissioner Clara Andriola, was the one to dream up adding invocations to the meetings in the first place.
The 67-year-old successfully campaigned for adding prayers as precursors just last year – but now may be regretting that decision.
The commission – seen here being forced to sit through the renowned Satanist’s spiel — unanimously approved adding pre-meeting prayers just last year
![The unsettling invocation was delivered by Jason Miller at the Washoe County Commission meeting Tuesday - and ended not with an 'Amen', but a 'Hail, Satan'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/22/80152293-12976013-image-m-3_1705532014170.jpg)
The unsettling invocation was delivered by Jason Miller at the Washoe County Commission meeting Tuesday – and ended not with an ‘Amen’, but a ‘Hail, Satan’
‘The New Age is dawning that these decisions will play a role in,’ said Miller at a point during his relatively brief spiel, which began with a bit of Latin that included references to Satan and Lucifer.
‘For our liberation, for here and now is our day of joy, here and now is our opportunity,’ he continued.
‘May we seize this glorious day and its enchanting nights to celebrate the wonders of the natural world, as we are all part of its boundless mysteries.
‘Hail, Satan,’ he eventually declared.
Following the speech – during which Miller asked the devil to bring ‘[his] guiding actions of nobility and justice to the decisions made in [the] chamber – most of the five-person board appeared, for the most, part puzzled.
Chair Alexis Hill, after letting out an exasperated ‘OK…’, attempted to move the conversation forward.
Asking the country clerk to move onto a period for ‘public comment’, she can’t help but stammer over her word.
Miller, meanwhile, proudly walks off from the podium – with an unmistakable bounce in his step.
But even with the tirade over, several of the speakers who followed repeatedly brought up the Satanist’s unsanctioned sermon.
![Chair Alexis Hill and Commissioner Mike Clark - who later called the Satanist a 'nitwit' - are seen listening to Miller's unsanctioned sermon, which only lasted about a minute](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/23/80152287-12976013-image-m-16_1705532601965.jpg)
Chair Alexis Hill and Commissioner Mike Clark – who later called the Satanist a ‘nitwit’ – are seen listening to Miller’s unsanctioned sermon, which only lasted about a minute
![It saw the boss of the known Nevada group ask the devil to bring '[his] guiding actions of nobility and justice to the decisions made in [the] chamber,' while referencing 'The New Age... that these decisions will play a role in'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/23/80152295-12976013-image-m-20_1705533809866.jpg)
It saw the boss of the known Nevada group ask the devil to bring ‘[his] guiding actions of nobility and justice to the decisions made in [the] chamber,’ while referencing ‘The New Age… that these decisions will play a role in’
![It left most of the five-person board, for the most, part puzzled, with Hill afterwards seen letting out an exasperated 'OK...'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/23/80152283-12976013-image-m-18_1705532642518.jpg)
It left most of the five-person board, for the most, part puzzled, with Hill afterwards seen letting out an exasperated ‘OK…’
![Commissioner Clara Andriola, the one who came up with adding invocations to the meetings in the first place, stormed out in protest](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/23/80152289-12976013-image-a-13_1705532591952.jpg)
Commissioner Clara Andriola, the one who came up with adding invocations to the meetings in the first place, stormed out in protest
![Andriola, once Miller was through, returned and weighed in - by taking the time to distance herself from the man's message](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/18/00/80155609-12976013-Andriola_once_Miller_was_through_returned_and_weighed_in_by_taki-m-23_1705537117886.jpg)
Andriola, once Miller was through, returned and weighed in – by taking the time to distance herself from the man’s message
![Mike Clark, another commissioner, called Miller a nitwit, while also criticizing Andriola's relatively new policy. 'When you open it up, this is what you get,' he said](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/23/80154131-12976013-image-a-21_1705534283489.jpg)
Mike Clark, another commissioner, called Miller a nitwit, while also criticizing Andriola’s relatively new policy. ‘When you open it up, this is what you get,’ he said
Andriola, after returning once Miller was through, herself weighed in – taking the time to distance herself from the man’s message.
‘I would like to, um, publicly state that I totally disagreed with the invocation presenter today,’ she said.
‘I would like to also ask legal to clarify how the county has to abide and the compliance requirement that’s related to the invocation.’
A well-informed staffer proceeded to offer her an answer – though likely not the one the public servant wanted.
‘That’s a trend that’s going on in various places around around the country,’ Assistant District Attorney Nate Edwards, replies.
‘That group or group similar to it in communities are signing up for local invocations.’
‘T he case law in the country and the federal law in the country is that if you you don’t have to open um your floor for invocations,’ he continues.
‘If you do open your floor for invocations, federal law is that you have to let everybody have a turn signing up.’
He finally concludes: ‘So, um, I guess you take the good with the bad.’
![Miller - whose group has marched in the annual Pride parade and has done outreach for homeless in the region - took to Instagram afterwards to tout the appearance as a victory](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/17/23/80152689-12976013-image-a-17_1705532635364.jpg)
Miller – whose group has marched in the annual Pride parade and has done outreach for homeless in the region – took to Instagram afterwards to tout the appearance as a victory
Andriola responded by explaining how she wants the region’s mostly faith-based community to provide prayers or faith-based messages in the future.
Commissioner Mike Clark, meanwhile, called Miller – whose group has marched in the annual Pride parade and has done outreach for homeless in the region – ‘a nitwit.’
‘When you open it up, this is what you get,’ he said of Andriola’s policy, despite voting to approve it only a few months ago.
Assistant District Attorney Edwards, however, defended the Satanist – who hours later would take to Instagram to tout his appearance as a victory.
‘Not only is this the first time this has been done, this is the first Satanic invocation to be given in front of a body of government in the state of Nevada,’ Miller posted to Instagram on his groups official social media page.
When asked by local publication This Is Reno if residents could anticipate any future readings, the group on Facebook provided an ominous, albeit open-ended message.
‘The need was met,’ an unknown respondent said.
Reno Satanic’s website, meanwhile describes the group as non-theistic – and one promoting messages not against religion, but associated with reason and critical thinking.
‘We do not believe in an actual Satan nor God,’ the site’s FAQ page says.
‘Many coming from a religious background or from the Western Tradition understand Satan as a symbol of rebellion against tyranny and the unjust.
‘We value the idea of Satan in the sense of the Adversary.’