Council Meeting Prayers

[Boudi]

Heard a feature on Radio 4 yesterday where they were talking about a case that the secular society are talking to the Court of Human Rights because a council has prayers before the meeting, and not all members are not believers, and some may be put off becoming a councillor because they are forced to hear prayers.  Now apparently the prayers, though part of the meeting are not obligatory, as attendance is noted after prayers.

Do feel free to discuss aspects of the above, but what I'm interested in is whether people of no belief feel offended by being around people praying, or whether people of faith feel offended by another faiths prayers.  They did discuss that a councillor had left the chamber when a Jew led prayers.

Personally I have no problem with others doing it, but won't feel obliged to join in with all aspects.

[JJ]

Hearing that same feature I thought I might well suggest a moment of quiet before our meetings at work.  It would do a hell of a lot of good I know.  I now have taken responsibility, more formally, for promoting mental health and well being at my workplace and I went to an interesting day about Health in the Workplace recently, which gave power to my elbow.

I wonder who would protest if the prayers were silent?  A time for each and every one of us (sorry I couldn't resist that slip towards corporate prayer  ) to gather thoughts, become grounded, take a breath.....

[AndyHB]

This isn't a new issue, I remember hearing a similar complaint in Oxford 30+ years ago.  I think a time of reflection is always a good idea, whether that be of a religious or other nature.

[Boudi]

But would you see it having the same value if led by someone of another faith?

[AndrewF]

I think I would - there is no reason why the person leading the prayers directing them to his/her idea of the deity, should mean that, when I join in, the prayers I said could not be directed to the Christian idea of God. (This, incidentally, assumes a different idea of God the Father, so presupposed the leader is not Muslim or Jewish.)

[Jan]

As well as spoken prayers, we have silent reflection at Church when we are supposed to remember our loved ones in spirit or be thinking about people on the healing list. Silent reflection could be just that ...  or it could be just a time when peoples thoughts wander into what they are planning for tea (ie we can get distracted).

I personally can't see a problem with prayers before meetings. Those who don't believe in God can still surely respect that others do and that they have members of their group that do. It doesn't mean they have to join in with the prayers or be offended by them.