"Again, the question should not be who, but why. Let's reserve religious ceremony for religious gatherings and save moments of silence to honor and remember."
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I really like the "Lets get down to business" approach and would prefer it. I would fall back on the "moment of silence" if there is enough insistence that meetings begin with religious practices. Another option could be to for people that feel they need to pray before a meeting arrive early and do so before it starts.
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Thanks for a great piece Mr. Pease, it has some strong arguments and brings perspective.