Atheist victory on UK council prayers
A test case bid to outlaw prayers before local council meetings has been won by the National Secular Society and an atheist Devon councillor in the UK.
The secular society challenged the practice of Bideford town council of having religious prayers on meeting agendas.
Yesterday Mr Justice Ouseley, sitting in London, ruled: “The saying of prayers as part of the formal meeting of a council is not lawful under section 111 of the Local Government Act 1972, and there is no statutory power permitting the practice to continue.”
The legal challenge was launched in July 2010 after the society was contacted by Clive Bone – a non-believer who was then a Bideford councillor. Mr Bone later left the council because of its “refusal to adjust” its prayer policy. Society lawyers argued that council members who were not religious were being “indirectly discriminated against”, in breach of human rights laws. But the case was not won on human rights grounds, but on a point of statutory construction of local government legislation.
Simon Calvert, of the Christian Institute, rejected the NSS claims and said the High Court “has taken sides with those whose only goal is to undermine our Christian heritage” adding, “Prayers have been a part of council meetings for centuries, and many people... see them as a positive part of our national life.”
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Zagroma Savrene
Feb 12th, 19:00
Good. If you want to pray to your beloved god do it quietly and stop annoying other intelligent beings who know better.
Mr downtown dave
Feb 12th, 03:34
It's a sad day. But God will still hear your prayers. http://atheistlegitimacy.blogspot.com/
Francis Sammut
Feb 11th, 16:52
Messrs. Martin Cassar, Andy Farrugia, Henry Grima and others, please keep in mind that the UK is a secular state per se, although one can find all sorts of religious dominations which are too many to mention here, apart from atheists, that is. They live and let live. We must not let our religious fervour blind us and not let us see that which is correct in the eyes of the UK law. I try to explain: In my opinion those who objected to members praying before a council meeting, were correct. Keep in mind that this is not a religious country per se as I said, or for that matter Catholic Malta we're talking about. In the council you have (see above) believers and non-believers. You might have, like in other councils, Muslim Councillors, Hindu and others. Now imagine at a council meeting where one or more of these councillors insist they want to say a prayer before the session actually starts! You'll have a disaster. And that's why Mr. Justice quite rightly gave judgement by ruling: ''The saying of prayers as part of the formal meeting of a council is not lawful under sectiopn 111 of the Local Government Act 1972, and there is no statutuary power permitting the practice to continue''. Now one may argue for or against this judgement (as the Christian Institute is doing) but there again without getting too religiously emotional and hysterical about this case, I think the councillors who objected and the Judge were correct to go against this practice. You see, over there one has to go by what the law stipulates and not by what any religious denomination dictates or do whether it being the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church or whatever. I say all this with great respect to all religious denominations in Malta.
Edward Camilleri
Feb 11th, 13:20
Same thing should be adopted here, instead of naming government structure suchas schools & playgrounds in the name of Saints and other religious people. Religion should never be imposed on anyone and should be left for the church.
Martin Cassar
Feb 11th, 14:45
For the sake of religious freedom, you might as well suggest that baptism should be banned at early ages and no one should be baptized until they grow old and decide for themselves?
Andy Farrugia
Feb 11th, 11:37
Even a simple prayer before starting a meeting appears to be offensive to certain people. Still, I do not think any believer needs my advice to find ways and means of circumventing such a draconian, discriminatory and retrograde decision.
Victor Pulis
Feb 11th, 11:32
This move will in no way affect those who believe in prayer as they can still pray in their hearts. It was Jesus himself who told his deciples to lock themselves in their room and pray directly to the father and he would listen.
Mr R.E. Saliba
Feb 11th, 13:06
So smug.
BTW it's 'disciples' not whatever you wrote.
Victor Pulis
Feb 12th, 18:32
Thanks for the grammar lesson Mr. R.E.Saliba. That's one way of bypassing the comment I suppose.
Mr R.E. Saliba
Mar 2nd, 17:55
Actually my 'so smug' comment said it all.
The rest was me just trying to be helpful.
Mr Henry A. Grima
Feb 11th, 10:09
No God = No good!
No prayers = vacuum.
Vacuum to be filled by fanatical sects and Muslims.
American motto 'In God we trust'; not any more.
UK 'God save the Queen'?
Robert Callus
Feb 11th, 14:50
Your third sentence contradicts the first two since Muslims believe in God and pray five times a day. So do most people who are involved in sects, which despite the ugly name are nothing more than a minority within the same religion ex Jehovah WItnesses in Christianity or Ahmadijj in Islam.