Prayers Banned

[jomifl]

An atheist group has won a test case banning prayers before local council meetings, is this an infringement of human rights or a victory for human rights?

[New Judge]

And that’s exactly what this was all about. As jno points out, it seems the councillors were being summoned to prayers before the meeting and the council leaders had no power to do so. In any case, council meetings should be about emptying dustbins and dishing out meals on wheels. Councillors wishing to pray should do so in the comfort of their own homes, or their local church, chapel, synagogue or mosque (depending on whatever floats their boat).

[Mattk]

Prayers were always item 1 on the agenda.

[DTCwordfan]

Our God, our help in AB past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the Trollish blast,
And our virtual home.

Under the shadow of Ed's throne
ABers have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is his arm alone,
To hit Ban buttons so sure .

Before the Council in order stood,
Many an Atheist ever so lame,
From Bideford a man who thought he was God,
To finish Prayers all the same.

The Court commands our Prayers to dust,
“No More, ye Trolls of men:”
All rose from the Table at first,
To turn to OurAB-Ed again.

A thousand Heathens in Ed's sight
Are like an evening gone;
Councillors, lets ends the torrid night
Before the rising sun.

The busy rivers of flesh and blood,
Ed zaps them and who really cares
Our "elected" suspended by Ed's Scuds,
The idiots lost now all these years.

Ed, like an ever rolling stream,
Should take such Fools away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Their Prayers to Die on Meeting day.

As freed people, the Nation stands
Pleased with the morning light;
The Councillors chopped by our Ed's fair hand
Common sense flowering this happy night.

Our Ed, our help in AB past,
Our hope for years to come,
Such Councils suspended while stupidity lasts,
To keep our Prudent home.

[sandyRoe]

I believe there's a chaplain in the House of Commons who leads prayer before the start of every session. Is he to be made redundant too?

[jomifl]

Yesterday wouldn't be too soon.

[Mattk]

The chaplain would remain in the House of Commons as MP's would rather live a lie than lose votes.

[DTCwordfan]

Yes there is, but I believe the HoC practices common sense, sorely lacking here and the raison d'être for my cynical verse re Bideford. Prayers are held recognising all faiths and the Speaker then invites those who wish to miss them, for whatever reason, to enter the Chamber and proceedings commence.

I am in favour of removing them from the Agenda and practising the above in Councils......but what a storm in a tea cup when there are so many more important matters to address...........such as closing Alzheimer homes in Devon, turning around the closure of businesses in the area (which has been rampant in N Devon), or even repairing potholes from last winter.

[jno]

sigh... they haven't banned Christians from praying, they won't ban Muslims from praying. They've said the council has no authority to summon councillors to a prayer meeting. That's it.

[Davethedog]

No one is saying anyone should be banned from praying are they?

[sandyRoe]

Are there councils with a majority of Islamic councillors where an Imam calls them to prayer before the business of the day starts?

[Zeuhl]

Anyone (christians, muslims, jedi etc) can pray before the meeting if they want to - outside!

Thankfully these prayers will no longer be a formal part of the council chamber procedures.

One would like to think our elected officials are focused on practical and rational matters and not mumbling along fantasising they are in communication with a supernatural being.

[chakka35]

The problem was that the prayers were not BEFORE the Council Meeting as the questioner says, but were PART OF the meeting - an item on the agenda.
The solution is simple: let those who wish to pray in a Council chamber get there ten minutes early to say their prayers. Then the Council Meeting opens at the designated time and gets on with the work it has to do - which has nothing to do with religion.

[Gromit]

Many years ago, we had a local councillor who became Mayor for a year who did not practice a religion. So for a year, before every council meeting, prayers would be from a different major religion.

The Old Tory Councillors were aghast when the Iman came in for the first one. Or with the Sikh, Hindu and Buddhist prayers thereafter.

From the public Gallery, if was very amusing.

[jno]

agree with chakka. I have no problems with the prayers being held on council property - the more property is multitasked the better - but they should never be a part of councillors' procedures. Comments from people like Pickles and the bishop indicate they have entirely missed the point.

[sandyRoe]

In these straitened times is it wise to antagonize anyone? What harm can a prayer do?

[dickythecook]

Do a lot of councils pray that the people they are supposed to be working for don't find out all the fiddles and dodgy deals that (allegedly) go on in councils up and down the country. The atheists haven't got that. Another thing that I need to know, if you are an atheist and you are called to give evidence in a court case, can you refuse to swear on the bible? If so can your testimony be believed?

[jomifl]

Lordelpus, no one is being banned from praying, the ban was on compelling people to attend prayers, I believe. If the same principle was applied to muslims it would simply mean that muslims couldn't compel non muslims to pray with them. Not that I imagine they would want to.

[jno]

Dicky, atheists in court can affirm rather than swear.

[Zeuhl]

Let's face it: the purpose of the prayers being item 1 on the agenda was nothing to do with 'religous freedom'.

It was intended to imbue the whole proceedings with the nonsense of christianity.

As a non-religous tax payer I definitely think that was a BAD idea and good riddance to it.