Ottawa County's Jacob Bonnema says a Satanic invocation would ruin the "unique character and appeal of our community"

On April 23, Satanists will be delivering the invocation at a meeting of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners in Michigan. But not if Commissioner Jacob Bonnema has anything to do with it.

Their back-and-forth could be a minor harmless spat (that the Satanists will inevitably win) or the beginning of a potential lawsuit (that the Satanists will also inevitably win).

All of this is happening for three reasons.

First, in 2022, the county board was overrun by right-wing zealots, who won 6 of the 11 seats. Among other things, they’ve used their power to push anti-LGBTQ policies. They also declared themselves a “Constitutional County,” voting in favor of a (meaningless) resolution that suggested county officials like sheriffs and prosecutors didn’t have to enforce state or federal laws they thought were unconstitutional. (That’s not how anything works.)

Second, in 2023, a local Episcopal leader sued the county board for not allowing him to deliver an invocation. Even though the invocation was supposed to rotate among faith leaders in the community, Board Chair Joe Moss (the leader of those right-wing activists) appeared to hand-select whoever he wanted and wouldn’t let the new guy into the fold. The lawsuit is still in the courts, but it pushed the board to pass a new invocation policy: Now, anyone who wanted to speak had to make a formal request in writing to their local commissioner and a staffer would then schedule the speakers.

Finally, earlier this month, the Satanic Temple of West Michigan made a formal request to deliver an invocation. (Hey, that’s what the Constitution requires with the whole freedom of religion thing, after all.)

… Rev. Luis Cypher, Minister of Satan, made the request for the organization on March 6.

Cypher said he received a response to his written request on March 11, where coordinator Cindy Driesenga informed him of the tentative date of April 23.

Seems pretty clear-cut. The board has an open invocation policy and they have no right to reject people who go through the process and abide by their rules, regardless of which religion they represent.

Last year, the Satanists even announced that they were going to do this because, hey, that’s what the Constitution requires with the whole freedom of religion thing, right?

(Follow abive article link to view photos/PDFs that accompany this article.)

"I want to thank the county board and the Ottawa Impact organization for their declaration of intent to uphold the values enshrined in our constitution," [Bendr Bones, an ordained minister of the Satanic Temple of West Michigan,] told the board in May. "Our constitutional rights are our most cherished assets as United States citizens, and even more so as Satanists. The First Amendment states that Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, nor restrict the free exercise thereof.”

The Satanists announced the upcoming invocation on Facebook last week:

But there’s already pushback from one of those commissioners who claims to love the Constitution. On Thursday, Commissioner Jacob Bonnema claimed that Satanists shouldn’t be allowed to deliver an invocation because it violated the supposed “Christian values” of the community, whatever the hell that means. Plus, he added, the Satanists were just engaging in “cheap theatrics” and pulling a “publicity stunt.”

I have been informed that board leadership have extended an invitation to a self-described "Satanist" to deliver the invocation at our upcoming Board of Commissioners meeting on April 23.

This is an unprecedented occurrence that has elicited a mix of outrage and amusement from the public. Concerned citizens and religious leaders are questioning how such a decision aligns with our community's values. They are pondering whether this situation truly embodies the principles of freedom of speech and freedom of religion as enshrined in our constitution. These are valid and significant inquiries.

There are numerous reasons why people choose to live to West Michigan, many of which are rooted in the Christian values upheld by our founders such as VanRalte and others. These values have played a significant role in shaping our community and have made it an iconic destination within Michigan.

The foundation of our community on these Christian principles has contributed to its appeal and attractiveness to individuals seeking a place to live. God's hand has guided the development of our community, making it a beacon within Michigan.

However, it is essential to recognize that if we deviate from these foundational values and stray from God, our community may lose the very essence that has drawn people, including those with differing beliefs like Satanists, to want to reside here. Upholding these values is crucial to maintaining the unique character and appeal of our community.

From my perspective, as a follower of Christ, my primary allegiance is to the Kingdom of Heaven. I firmly believe that Satan's defeat is already sealed, and his aim is to defame and undermine all that is righteous. When Jesus taught us to pray for the fulfillment of God's will on earth as it is in Heaven, I am convinced that it is not His will for us to accommodate the requests of a "Satanist" on earth, especially not within the context of our board meeting.

You may have noticed my use of quotation marks around "Satanist." Based on the recent interview in the Holland Sentinel (below), it appears that our commitment to preventing religious discrimination may not be necessary. It seems that we are unwittingly becoming entangled in a publicity stunt orchestrated by the Satanic Temple of West Michigan, known for their provocative tactics aimed at challenging established norms. It is time to put an end to this charade. We must rise above these juvenile antics and refocus our efforts on addressing the genuine needs of our community.

I am deeply troubled by this turn of events as it represents a significant distraction from the essential work we have been elected to carry out. The Satanic Temple's actions are a waste of our valuable time with their frivolous antics. If they choose to argue that a refusal to grant them the opportunity to deliver the invocation infringes upon their freedom of speech or religious liberty, I am prepared to face any potential legal challenge. They are not practicing religion, they are a group of unserious individuals resorting to cheap theatrics, and I am confident that the courts will see through their facade and publicity stunts.

I advocate for maintaining peace within our community.

I urge our board leadership to recognize the situation for what it truly is - a mockery and a publicity stunt. I implore them to rescind the invitation and put an end to this senseless charade.

No one knows the power of theatrics more than conservative Christians who pretend to be persecuted whenever anyone else wants equal treatment…

(For what it’s worth, while Bonnema initially got elected to the board with the support of the right-wing group Ottawa Impact, he has since severed ties with them. Both sides are still extremely conservative, albeit in different batshit ways.)

Bonnema says he’s prepared for a legal challenge, as if he’d be the guy getting sued. It’s the county that would be sued and the taxpayers (or the county’s insurers) who would ultimately foot the bill. Because this is a battle they will absolutely lose. Bonnema doesn’t get to decide which religious groups “count.” He doesn’t get to say Satanists are engaging in a “publicity stunt” while implying that all Christian pastors are giving invocations out of the goodness of their hearts. (Bonnema did not respond over the weekend to a request for comment.)

If he doesn’t want non-Christian groups to speak, there’s a simple and legal way to stop it: end the invocations entirely. Until then, the commissioners should be prepared to hear from groups that don’t represent them.

It’s also telling that he says the Satanists violate the local Christian ethos. It’s his job to uphold the values of our community, he proclaims. But what Satanic values does he think are so evil? Is it the tenet promoting compassion and empathy? The one that says everyone’s freedom should be respected? The one that says we should do our best to correct our mistakes?

Bonnema doesn’t answer that because he has no clue what he’s talking about.

His long rant talks about Satan, the biblical character who embodies evil. The people giving the invocation next month don’t promote, much less believe in, that fictional character.

On Friday, the Satanists responded to Bonnema with a post of their own, calmly explaining why Bonnema was completely full of shit.

Dear Commissioner Bonnema,

Your histrionic screed about our upcoming invocation reveals a deep misunderstanding of both The Satanic Temple and the bedrock principles this nation was founded upon. Let's unpack this, shall we?

You decry us as a "publicity stunt" while simultaneously ensuring that our message gains wider attention. Are we an unstoppable force, or simply players in your self-created drama? Perhaps a bit of introspection is in order.

You lament the potential loss of Christian values that made your community attractive. Do you believe the allure rests in the ability to marginalize dissenting voices, or is there greater appeal in a place where true religious freedom reigns? It seems odd to tout values while simultaneously advocating for their selective application.

The Satanic Temple does not worship your adversary. Our tenets promote reason, compassion, and bodily autonomy – ideals that should find acceptance with any rational person, religious or otherwise. That this is somehow "mocking" your faith speaks more to its fragility than our intent.

You may continue to fearmonger and grandstand, Commissioner. Meanwhile, should any legal challenge arise from your inevitable attempts to silence us, we'll happily meet you in court. We hold a peculiar fondness for exposing those who believe the Constitution exists solely to protect their own narrow understanding of what America should be.

That last bit is perhaps the most interesting part: The Satanists are prepared to sue if the commissioners revoke this invocation opportunity that they requested and received. They did everything by the book. There’s no reason they should be punished now.

If the other commissioners are somehow persuaded by Bonnema to exclude the Satanists from giving an invocation, there will be legal hell to pay.

I asked Bendr Bones if he planned to go through with a lawsuit if he needed to. While he couldn’t give me a definitive answer, he noted that The Satanic Temple “has a history of legal action in the cases of invocations.”

That’s true. While they lost recent invocation lawsuits against Boston (MA) and Scottsdale (AZ), the specifics of the cases were very different from what’s happening in Ottawa County. The courts in those cities said the Satanists lacked a local presence in the communities, so rejecting their requests wasn’t a violation of their religious liberties. There’s no reason that logic should apply now. Bones told me his group is active in Ottawa County (specifically in the cities of Holland and Grand Haven) and that the person who will deliver the invocation is a resident of Holland.