Say Your Prayers

Oh Lord, please bless this Powerpoint presentation by BT....
(Pic : SLAYER!)

Should local authorities hold prayers before council meetings?

It's not the most important issue in the world, but the manner by which certain local authorities go about it does raise eyebrows. Which local authorities? Take three guesses.

The issue was picked up by BBC Wales yesterday, who highlighted a petition by Carmarthenshire Planning's Jacqui Thompson - which you can view and sign for yourself here if you want. According to BBC Wales the majority (12) of Welsh local authorities still hold prayers before meetings.

Jacqui calls for the practice to be abolished, as they don't belong in a "secular, democratic institution", and the fact that Carmarthenshire councillors who don't wish to participate have to stand at the back gives the impression that they're arriving late.

Prayers are harmless and don't take very long. If councillors are so devout that they want to participate in religious rituals before they go into the chamber - a policy it's reported Newport Council have instituted - there's no reason to stop them from doing so.

We do, however, live in an increasingly secular and multi-faith Wales (Census 2011 : Losing our religion?), and holding a Christian act of worship before all council meetings is anachronistic, just as the requirement for a daily act of worship is in non-faith schools. It's doubtful it would really put off non-Christians or the non-religious from running for office though.

The whole thing begs the question – we don't have an established church in Wales, so why have prayers at all? Why not sacrifice a horse to Odin instead?

There's no doubt that some practising Christians might find comfort in asking for the Christian God's guidance and wisdom before meetings....shame it doesn't work.

I suspect it's more down to appeasing the non-conformist community, which still has influence in parts of Wales and large numbers of elderly (read voting) adherents, as well as the small but vocal evangelical movement, who in Carmarthenshire's case are being actively encouraged to provide public services with public money "in partnership" with the council.

If there is a God or other form of divine or omnipotent being(s), it has bigger issues to deal with than public toilets, budget acquisitions and potholes. If it were a compassionate God - all evidence to date suggests any divine beings have gone on a 13.8 billion year holiday and hate good music; so it goes - they would smite all those who cutteth funding from thy vulnerable.Using unlawful public funding to pursue actions that could be considered wrathful or prideful....oh, libel action for example.....probably contradicts Christian scriptures and teachings about turning cheeks, perhaps theft too.

Also, there's something in the Bible about the rich - presumably this includes well-paid councillors, officers and chief executives - being as likely to go to heaven as camels passing through the eye of a needle unless they live a meek and humble life (Matthew 19:23-26). So this one's dedicated to all those in local government who display their faith when it suits them but don't practice what they preach....

Though when you consider how certain chief executives have covered themselves in shite, but still come up smelling of roses thanks to the complicity of those weak and mortal men and women who've done a deal with the devil – Plaid Cymru, I'm looking at you - maybe divine intervention in local authorities shouldn't be so easily dismissed; or it equally proves there is no God after all. Just people.