This controversy begs the question: Why are there prayers at the beginning of government meetings at all? This isn’t a church, it’s a government building. Legislators don’t need to restore their faith in God; they need to restore people’s faith in democracy by working together and being productive. Instead of religious prayer, they could have a moment of silence, an uplifting song, an inspiring quote, or even a motivational statement. Anything that helps attendees wake up and focus on the rest of the proceedings. In other words, do their job.