A pastor’s opening prayer in the Virginia House of Delegates was abruptly interrupted as his opening prayer turned into a diatribe against lawmakers and current laws in the state of Virginia. Dr. Robert M. Grant Jr., senior pastor of The Father’s Way Church was asked to open the session with prayer.

After his “prayer” turned into a long-winded diatribe, you could visually see the delegates becoming uncomfortable and after about 7 minutes of speech, Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn hammered the gavel and began reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

While the pastor was clearly aiming his diatribe at lawmakers who continue to push abortion on the black community, the reverend also prayed against perceived injustices in the prison system aimed toward blacks. “This needs to be addressed immediately,” he said as he looked up from his written speech around at the crowd.

While we, as conservatives, can appreciate the pro-life sentiment expressed in his “prayer,” it is evident he came in with the intention not to lead the House in prayer to God, but to scold and to give a speech to the lawmakers in the room.

Virginia has been under fire recently for introducing legislation that would appear to ban online criticism of lawmakers stifling free speech as well as legislation making it illegal for homosexuals to seek counseling from religious conservatives.