The majority of councils currently opt to start meetings with a Christian prayer, while a handful open with prayers from other faiths. The NSS has hired Beachcroft, the leading legal firm, to launch the judicial review against Bideford Town Council, which has begun its meetings with prayers since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
The atheist group argues that the prayers breach Article 9 of the Human Rights Act, which guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion for non-believers. Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the NSS, said: “If members of councils wish to pray before their meeting they can do it, preferably in another room. We’ve no problem with that. We’re not infringing anyone’s right to worship.”
Prayers at council meetings elsewhere in the country range from an elaborate opening ceremony at Boston Council in Lincolnshire, to the three word Latin prayer, Domine Dirige Nos – meaning ‘God guide us’ – at the City of London. Tameside Council in Greater Manchester, Harrow Council in north London and Leicester Council are among 118 others which hold prayers before meetings.
12 comments:
Such an aggressive attack, indeed. I hope the Christians will beat this evil enemy and are able to continue to impose their brand of religion on every council member, regardless of their thoughts on religion - those heathens are wrong, after all, and town business is God's business.
remaining critical....couldnt you argue the athiest are imposing there views on everyone
So you're saying not praying is an atheist act?
What about starting the meeting with a moment of silence, during which each person is welcome to pray, meditate, or simply relax... silently?
Well, if a god or gods of any type guided the council to create that horrific "playground" above, perhaps they should think about going it alone. Personally, as a humanist, I don't see what prayer is doing in a non-religious meeting anyway but if they insist then there should be a rotating schedule including prayers or the equivilen from all faiths, current and ancient, including not only atheistic statments but, of course, those for the Flying Spaghetti Monster (in pirate regailia of course.)
Oh, but then all the Christians would think they were going to hell for praying to false gods. Can't have that.
LOL... <span><span>Touché.</span></span>
okay readin this article more fully from a couple of different sources i have found a few intresting views and quotes.
First of all, some comments i have read have the view ,that everyone wants to get rid of this but the christians are making a argument to keep it , rather it seems the opposite.
For a start, i find it strange that they go and attack one small council rather as a civil servent has said, "<span><span>george mclauchlan, the town clerk, said: “i don’t know why they have singled out bideford. this is a national matter, not just a local matter.” it does seem that NSS is trying to attack this matter in a back door manner then making this open to public .Also t<span>he mayor (an agnostic) has commented on this, <span>Mayor Andrew Powell said it was "a bit of an over-reaction", to threaten legal action against the 16-member council. <span> which i agree with.</span></span></span></span></span>
Some other councils have opted for '<span>open with prayers from other faiths.'<span> this option would be more representing of britains multi-cultural society.</span></span>
While readin all of this, an old quote has came time mind from C.S.Lewis that others might also see its relevence.
Atheists express their rage against God although in their view He does not exist. --C. S. Lewis
<span>Atheists express their rage against God although in their view He does not exist. --C. S. Lewis</span>
Silly talk. Atheists think gods are non-existant, so there is no reason to aim any "rage" at them. But the belief in those gods is real, as are the often harmful acts people and institutions do because of those beliefs. That's where the "rage" is aimed at. I doubt in reality Lewis could not have understood this distinction, he just pretended - made a better quote that way.
Forcing a religious belief on a non believer is not right.
C.S.Lewis, who once taught at both oxford and cambridge university and writer of the famous chronicle of narnia series, he was a atheist in the early part of his adult life but later converted to christianity, so i think he is speaking from a valid reference point and from experience.
Doing a science degree myself i come across many people having diffrent views on faith and belief. i have notice a common trend, that those that declare them selfs atheist (an even more specific trend are those that read books by authors which are more 'millitant' such as richard dawkins and christopher Hitchens ) have a world view based more on emotion rather then 'rational' and 'evidence' . Furthermore , i usually find the 'agnostics' the people that don't know and often don't care have a view more based on that they belief there is a lack of evidence for faith or a full removal of.
I know who C.S. Lewis was, but I'm still not impressed by the quote. If he himself felt rage towards God during his atheist days, that's his business. But it's really strange and certainly not something common for atheists in general.
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