Town Council being bullied into changing centuries-old tradition

[Subotan]

They can pray in their own time, having formal prayers as a part of the council meeting is ridiculous.

If I was in that councillors position, I would most likely feel embarrassed whilst everyone around me prayed.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

If I was in that councillors position, I would most likely feel embarrassed whilst everyone around me prayed.

I never understand this. Can you enlighten me?

[Fragony]

Can you enlighten me?

probably not ;)

[Rhyfelwyr]

Atheism is a luxury for the middle-classes. Secular humanism is the new opium of the people, a bourgeoisie ideology increasingly being imposed on the superstitious, religious masses through the bourgoisie political institutions (liberal democracy). The civic spirit which comes with secular humanism, is surely a diversion from the real issue of class struggle. The whole idea of live and let live, and the moral relativism launched in response to religious absolutism, is in reality a facade to protect bourgeoisie decadencies such as nationalism and homosexuality. I remember someone on the TWC said atheists make up IIRC 14% of the US population, yet only 0.2% of the prison population - I doubt that is due to their superior atheist morals.

I know it's different for different countries, but here in the UK, when someone actually goes to the trouble of identifying as a secular humanist as opposed to being nominally religious, you can be 90% sure it's some middle-class guy going through a mid-life crisis, it's like the mini-rebellion for those that don't go for motorbiking.

[Beskar]

I wonder if they were performing other ritual acts like the Karma Sulta before meetings, PVC would have his arms up in the air over the issue. The Councillors can pray in their own time, not impose it at everyone in the meeting. As for the guy having to leave a meeting then return because of it, is a ridiculous statement. Would you complain if the meeting suddenly all kneed down towards Mecca and wailed to Allah, imposing it on everyone else and all the non-muslims have to go and wait outside till they are done?

Rhyfelwyr, secular Humanism isn't the "new opium of the people" because it nothing to what the phase actually refers to, also, there is no diversion to "class struggles" or kin. It is like you threw a bunch of phrases together which doesn't actually work.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Prayers integrated in formal council proceedings? What?


How is that possible in this day and age? ~: yellow-ball tearing down a church while waving a flag :

Are these prayers oecumenical, or Anglican?

[Strike For The South]

Quaint but no place in a true free state.

Why would you pay homage to the entity that kept you in shackles and sent your kin to die in dorves agains the moors?

Glutton for punishment?

[Centurion1]

Don't you have an official state religion in the coe so its perfectly legal if its an anglican prayer.

I don't really care either way though my innate american love for seperation of church and state is tingling

[Pannonian]

If I was in that councillors position, I would most likely feel embarrassed whilst everyone around me prayed.

I've stayed sitting down when around 40,000 others were standing up. I didn't insist on the others following me and sit down, I just did what I did and let the others do what they do. One's freedom ends where it impinges on others.

[Brenus]

There you go for the seperation Church and State... Like in Iran...

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

There you go for the seperation Church and State... Like in Iran...

Seriously, you're comparing rural England to Iran?

[Meneldil]

There you go for the seperation Church and State... Like in Iran...

I demand us french godless atheists get our own specific smiley. Some yellow-ball tearing down a church while waving a flag would be nifty.

[InsaneApache]

I've stayed sitting down when around 40,000 others were standing up. I didn't insist on the others following me and sit down, I just did what I did and let the others do what they do. One's freedom ends where it impinges on others.

Quite so.