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BC Humanist Association poised to sue the City of Parksville over prayer (www.cheknews.ca)

submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) by LimpRimble@lemmy.ca to c/britishcolumbia@lemmy.ca

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/19670880

“The 2015 decision by the Supreme Court in Saguenay, (QC), prohibits municipal councils from including prayer in their meetings and in the last two inaugural meetings, in 2018 and 2022, Parksville has included prayers, overtly religious prayers, in their inaugural meetings and that’s a violation of the constitution,” said Teale Phelps Bondaroff, the research coordinator with the BC Humanist Association.

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[–] ehxor@lemmy.ca 8 points 7 months ago (10 children)

You’re right, it is possible to reject someone’s belief while letting them pray in a public space.

However, when you tangle the prayer into governance you send a signal that the religious practice will, on some level, inform how the people are governed. And that’s not okay in our society.

[+] uzi@lemmy.ca -8 points 7 months ago (9 children)

No, there must be no establishment of religion, abd no restrictions there of. Members of government are free to pratice their faith in office.

If there is restriction on every and all forms of religion while in upblic office, there must restrictions on those who are against religion, they will be denied speech to comment on religion and be denied the ability to express any objection to religion.

[–] pbjamm@beehaw.org 1 points 6 months ago (4 children)

Are they free to force others to participate in their religious practice? Because that is what happens with prayer in public activities like this.

[–] uzi@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Holding public prayer does not equate to participating in whatever faith. Allowing something is not endorsement of it.

[–] pbjamm@beehaw.org 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I am not participating in their faith, but I am participating in the ceremony whether I like it or not. This is an official city meeting and should not be turned, even temporarily, into a church service.

[–] uzi@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Oh you're Christian, if religion makes you think churches, you are Christian. Every actively religious person I know has never said the word "church" in our conversations unless it's specific to those Christian people.

[–] pbjamm@beehaw.org 1 points 6 months ago

I have no idea what you are talking about but had you watched the video in the article you would see it was clearly a christian prayer being discussed. For the record I am not affiliated with any religion as I find the whole concept of gods ridiculous.

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