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Prayers ruling could impact on council
Peterborough City Council news from The Peterborough Evening Telegraph. www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news
LAWYERS at Peterborough City Council will be studying the ramifications of a landmark ruling that found holding prayers at council meetings is “unlawful”.
Bideford Town Council, Devon, was yesterday found to have acted unlawfully by holding prayers during its meetings in a High Court action brought after a complaint was made by an atheist councillor.
A prayer is held before every full council meeting in Peterborough, yet this might have to be scrapped after the full ramifications of Mr Justice Ouseley’s ruling have been considered.
Yesterday, a council spokeswoman said: “Our legal team will be considering the judgement and will make recommendations to the council following this.”
Mr Justice Ouseley ruled that prayers are unlawful if they form part of a formal local authority meeting or councillors are summoned to a meeting at which prayers are on the agenda.
Councils may therefore be able to continue holding prayers prior to meetings, at which attendance is not compulsory.
At the moment, prayers are held prior to council meetings and are led by the Mayor’s chaplain, who generally provides a prayer based on the Mayor’s denomination.
The current Mayor of Peterborough Councillor Paula Thacker, a Christian, said prayers should remain a part of the meetings.
She said: “I think it’s very important. They are praying for the council to have a good meeting and for the greater well-being of the city and the world.
“We’ve not had any concerns expressed about this, but if someone does object they can wait outside the chamber until it is finished.”
Central Ward councillor Nazim Khan, a Muslim, also sees no problem with the prayers and even if he does not join in when it is led by a Christian cleric, he appreciates the tradition.
He said: “It is something that has gone on for a very long time and it’s a tradition we should keep. It is a good gesture and symbol. In my faith whenever we start a meeting we pray for guidance.
“Whenever the prayers are held I stand up and though I don’t repeat the prayer I can accept the wordings.”
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Comments
There are 47 comments to this article
Page 1 of 4
simon s
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:07 PMSome of the most entertaining posts I have read on this or any other site in a long time. I recognise this is not one of the best websites but it is the people who contribute by posting that keep me coming back for more. Please, please don't change. I can be best described as an 'unbeliever' but some of the 'believer' posts should be put up for some sort of award for humour. Its not what you believe or not but the almost painful way you're trying to get your message across. Keep up the good work! I'm not sure if anyone will get to read this as I can't 'see' the invisible, mysterious waves that carry these modern communications but I will put my belief in the fact that this post will get there someway. some how!
AliV
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 03:13 PMFreedom from religion is just as important as freedom of religion. I am quite astonished this archaic practise still happens in a supposedly modern government.
Huxley
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 03:10 PMI find it a bit worrying that councillors, who are supposed to be mature adults, are still insisting that everyone has to join in talking to their "invisible friend" like a group of toddlers at a dolls tea-party!
ladyska
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 02:14 PMSimple, the ones who want to pray can go off and pray before the meeting, and those that don't want to pray don't have to go with the ones that want to pray, they can just wait until those who want to pray have finished praying. It's that simple.!
Donttellhimpike
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:07 PM@theguardian31. So your argument is. "it's all a bit too complicated to work out therefore god". Not really good enough is it. Try thinking about it before posting. I don't mean to be cruel - I mean really thinking about it.
suzyQ
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:00 PMF F S
Donttellhimpike
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:51 PM@feduppete, comment 31. That has to be to most infantile attempt at logic I've ever seen. Can't see the wind? Well, no but you can measure its effects in the real world. Show me evidence - not some glib cliche.
Dalek Sec
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:22 PM@35 I didn't mean the different religions shouldn't be taught - one of my friends is an RE teacher in a school (and an atheist), I meant that lessons and political decisions shouldn't be made with a religious bias. Teaching that different people have different beliefs is fine - teaching that creationism is a fact isn't.
Mavis Enderby
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 09:16 AMSince the cathedral (who I assume know a thing or two about prayers) have been discussing the possibility of charging admission fees, why don’t the Council charge an entrance fee to watch them doing religion in the Town Hall? Another income stream!
timetoleave
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:36 AMSeeing as it's Peterborough Town Council (sic) they should say a prayer to every god and deity. They need all the help they can get.
badwolf
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:11 AMwe seem to be digressing from the original point that was made and that is, should councillors be made to pray or sit through prayers before a meeting takes place, and my answer is no, i wouldn't want to sit through prayers, that is my own choice, and it for those that do they can carry on,the isms and asms of teaching or believeing is irrelevant, What other job has people forced to sit through prayers
J J Carter
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 07:32 PMMany peeps pray for large £ amounts to mysteriously appear in their bank account. And for PCC Councillors, it often happen! Be praised...
theguardian31
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 07:26 PMI disagree with Dalek Sec when he states that religion has no place in education or politics. For a start religion is a fact in the world, whether you believe that there is a God or not ! Many people religiously obey certain rituals of their religion, not really being sure that there is a God that answers their prayers or not. But nevertheless they pray! Some peoples prayers get answered whether you like it or not. I have had prayers that have been answered! Many other people have also had prayers that have been answered! What makes you have goes at innocent people asking a force that you don't understand for protection and advice against the unknown evils of this world. At least God is known to be a force for the good. So would you deny that force for the good all you UN-believers? What do you want, a force of evil ? My point is it should be taught in schools so that children know what the different religion are about. Then they can make up there own mind about God and the religions of the world !
trelv1
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 06:37 PMWho cares? Does it really matter?
constant gardener
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 05:00 PMDSJ. We're afraid of people who don't think for themselves.
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