The Supreme Court ruled Monday that legislative bodies, such as city councils, are allowed to begin town meetings with prayer, even if they're regularly Christian prayers.

The ruling, which was 5 to 4 in favor of continuing the prayers, stated that it is not unconstitutional to continue with such ceremonies as they are keeping with the nation's traditions.

The case involved the town of Greece, New York, where the council routinely started council meetings with a member of the community saying a prayer, which most often was a Christian prayer.

A lower court suggested that this is against the constitution.

However, the Supreme Court overturned that ruling. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote in favor of the court's conservative majority, "The inclusion of a brief, ceremonial prayer as part of a larger exercise in civic recognition suggests that its purpose and effect are to acknowledge religious leaders and the institutions they represent rather than to exclude or coerce nonbelievers"

On the opposing side, those who are against starting town meetings with prayers said that, when heavily Christian beliefs are echoing in a meeting room before the meeting even begins, this may influence the decision of the minority and create a biased environment.

Douglas Laycock, a University of Virginia law professor representing the complaining town residents, Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens, said that "Greece's practice forced citizens who might not agree with the prayer to either participate against their will or irritate council members from whom they hoped to receive favorable action."

Judge Kennedy, however, disagrees with this. He claims there is no evidence that "town board members directed the public to participate in the prayers, singled out dissidents for opprobrium, or indicated that their decisions might be influenced by a person's acquiescence in the prayer opportunity. No such thing occurred in the town of Greece."

No matter the back-and-forth arguments, the ruling concluded that prayers are to be continued in town meetings, even if they're in favor of Christian individuals.

Have you witnessed this type of introduction to your town meetings? Tell us your opinion in the comments below.