WINFIELD, Alabama - In December, as its last act of 2014, the government of this Marion County town of about 4,700 residents declared Winfield to be a "City under God" by unanimously passing a resolution.

The act was met with little immediate fanfare, other than a supportive editorial in the local newspaper, the Marion County Journal Record - until Monday night, said Mayor Randy Price.

"It blew up on Facebook last night after the atheists got a hold of it," he said in a telephone interview Tuesday. The response came after a blogger known as "The Friendly Atheist" wrote a response to the city's resolution on patheos.com, using an incongruous mention of God: "I promise you God has better things to do than take over your city."

Price, however, stands behind the resolution and said response had been positive until the Facebook posts began. The resolution was the city council's way of taking a stand against the chaos and violence Price sees in today's world, such as the recent riots in Ferguson, Mo., and shooting of police officers in New York, he said.

"I feel like we need to stand up for what is right," he said. "Our forefathers said 'One nation under God' and we went so far away from that. There are not enough godly people involved in day-to-day decisions."

The resolution states:

Whereas we acknowledge God is the owner of the City of Winfield and that it is a City under God. We acknowledge that at all times, He is in control.

Whereas, we acknowledge that through His leadership, the Mayor and City Council will seek his wisdom and knowledge to be good stewards of the city.

Whereas, we acknowledge that though prayer, with His guidance and presence, that we will be able to trust that no problem will be too large or too small to overcome.

Whereas, we acknowledge that the City of Winfield is where it is today because of God's grace and mercy.

Whereas, we acknowledge that at all times and in all circumstances, His will shall be done.

Whereas, we acknowledge that to God be the glory.

Winfield Mayor Randy Price, who recently supported passage of a resolution naming the Marion County town a "City under God," said he erected his own monument to the Ten Commandments inside his wrecker service shop to show his religious convictions. (Contributed by Randy Price)

Price, who was elected mayor in 2012 and who installed a Ten Commandments monument in his local wrecker service business, said he sees no end to the sinful ways of people without change.

"It will continue to be bad if we don't start standing up for God and for what's right," he said.

He also said he doesn't feel the council is excluding other religions with the resolution.

"I'm going to step on a lot of people's toes but there's not but one God and, that one God, to Him be the glory," Price said. "There's no other way; there's no other God. There are a lot of religions out there but only one God."