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Just a Thought - Jaybee (13th Feb 2012 - 20:19:44) Do you think it would help the Parish Council & EHDC to come to more sensible decisions if they sought guidance through prayers at the beginning of their meetings.

Re: Just a Thought - B (13th Feb 2012 - 21:43:23) light fuse stand well back............

Re: Just a Thought - Boris (14th Feb 2012 - 14:31:03) Thats what is so good about this web site. Lots of stirring up the pot. Better than Mcbeth, and we have the three witches as well!!!! The following might be of interest. A test case bid to outlaw prayers before local council meetings has been won by the National Secular Society and an atheist councillor, Clive Bone. Rt Revd Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter, told the BBC it was a "great shame that a tiny minority are seeking to ban the majority" 10:17AM GMT 10 Feb 2012 1027 Comments They challenged the practice of Bideford town council, Devon, of having religious prayers on meeting agendas. Today 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.'' Rt Revd Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter, told the BBC it was a "great shame that a tiny minority are seeking to ban the majority". "Every time there is a survey of religious beliefs in this country, around 70 per cent of the population profess a faith and to saying private prayers. "At the House of Lords we began with prayers this morning. Prayers were said by a considerable amount of peers. I don't think you will find anyone in the House of Lords who will seriously suggest we should end that practice." 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. I think Jaybee was thinking of that exact case when he made his 'tongue in cheek' post

Re: Just a Thought - h (14th Feb 2012 - 17:20:34) Perhaps we are just not that religious in Liphook as to my knowledge there has not been prayers anyway, what was also banned I believe was moments of quiet reflection, which is a shame because that is not religion based anyway?

Re: Just a Thought - JeffB (16th Feb 2012 - 16:04:43) Not sure about prayers before Parish Council & EHDC meetings. Maybe it should be engage brain as the first item on the agenda. Do they all think that we were born yesterday? There are no prayers because I think most are going in the other direction, down!

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