Comments on: Prayer council

By: David Love

David Love — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:19:57 +0000

Saying prayers before a Council meeting does seem very old-fashioned, and - to someone like me, who has ceased to have religious beliefs - it is also very off-putting. Why not instead have a period of silent reflection? This would surely be acceptable to those of all the different faiths and none.

By: Hazel Fuller

Hazel Fuller — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:49:08 +0000

According to Cllr. Hicks, representing Dartingon on the South Hams Council, it is both his and the Council’s view that all citizens are entitled to holding any opinion but that there is a difference between that and “thrusting that belief onto others”.

He considers that holding prayers before the meetings start their official business cannot be construed as discriminatory since people attending council meetings have a clear choice as to whether to enter the chamber before or after prayers and therefore no reason to feel intimidated.

I believe this misses the point that councillors and members of the public should not have to make such a choice. And if the prayers are always Christian they cannot cover the beliefs of many of their non-Christian or non-believing tax payers.

What has religion got to do with running the affairs of the South Hams or, in fact, with running the country since prayers also take place in the House of Commons and there are Churh of England bishops in the House of Lords.

When I pay my council tax I don’t expect the councillors to be spending time on their private belief in a deity which has no relevance to emptying my dustbins or keeping the streets clean.

A South Devon Humanist

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:49:17 +0000

I think that for Humanists it’s the issue of having a formal time for explicitly religious ‘Prayers’ at the beginning of a secular democratic meeting paid for by local taxpayers. In the coming years we’re going to need all the resources of local people, so retaining any practices that may discourage involvement should be questioned. However, the Exeter Diocese response seems to have come from the 1950s : “Prayers at the beginning of a council meeting are a public act which reflects the self-understanding of the English nation; and of its governance as being by ‘the Queen in Parliament under God’, with expressions of this at every formal level of constitutional life.” Only about 6% of us go to church now and less than 50% of us believe in God. A way forward - as you suggest - would be to call a few moments of silence at the beginning of a meeting, during which people can pray, read their papers or just gather their thoughts.

By: Phig Billy

Phig Billy — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:57:35 +0000

Surely prayers can have a purpose even from a humanist perspective… if they urge councillors to examine their consciences and spend a moment’s meditation on the repercussions of their decisions then surely that can only be a positive thing… The problem is that all too often (Christian) prayers begin and end with giving glory to an oblique god for his gloriousness, and I can understand why some people might find these archaic and not particularly useful!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:53:42 +0000

Council prayer watch - does your Council start it’s meetings with prayers?

Council Has prayers? Last checked on
Devon County Council Yes 07/07/08

East Devon District Council No 07/07/08
Exeter City Council No 07/07/08
Mid Devon District Council Yes 07/07/08
North Devon District Council Yes 07/07/08
Plymouth City Council No 07/07/08
South Hams District Council Yes 17/06/08
Teignbridge District Council Yes 07/07/08
Torbay Council Yes 07/07/08
Torridge District Council Yes 07/07/08
West Devon Borough Council Yes 07/07/08

Bideford Town Council Yes 07/07/08
Totnes Town Council No 09/07/08