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Satan banned from Florida town

30 Nov 2001

http://www.sptimes.com/News/113001/Columns/Exercise_in_exorcism_.shtml
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_462136.html?menu=news.quirkies

Devil banned from Florida town

A mayor has banned Satan from her Florida town.

Carolyn Risher has composed a written statement saying "Satan is hereby declared powerless, no longer ruling over, nor influencing, our citizens".

She made five copies, one for her office wall and the rest to put in hollowed-out fence posts at the four entrances to Inglis.

The posts, painted with the words Repent, Request and Resist, were sealed and capped.

The proclamation, on official stationery with a gold seal, says: "Be it known from this day forward that Satan, ruler of darkness, giver of evil, destroyer of what is good and just, is not now, nor ever again will be, a part of this town of Inglis. Satan is hereby declared powerless, no longer ruling over, nor influencing, our citizens."

She told the St Petersburg Times: "You're either with God or against him. I'm with him."

She says she was prompted by an overall sense of concern about issues like drunken drivers, fathers who molest their daughters and people who steal from their neighbours.

But Bob Farnan, the owner of Port Inglis Restaurant, says: "It reminds me of the Taliban. If you're not Muslim, you're worthless. She just reversed the situation."

Waitress Polly Bowser is organising a petition to have the mayor ousted. She says the proclamation, which makes several references to Jesus Christ, could be offensive to people of other faiths.

The Mayor said: "I am not knocking any one faith. I am praying for the whole community. If I had thought I was doing something wrong, I would have not done it. It just felt like it was something I could do for the community, mostly for our young people."

Story filed: 12:45 Friday 30th November 2001

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Well, I suppose that's harmless enough, but if they *really* want fun, they'd ban the spirit of L. Ron Hubbard and his works.

Ron of that ilk.

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