Is Council leaving itself without a prayer

OPINION & COMMENTARY

IT’S good enough for the Australian Government to pray to “Almighty God…” at the opening of Parliament each day, but not, apparently, the South Gippsland Shire Council.

In what some are describing as excessive forelock tugging to the woke fashion of the day, the local council is proposing, at this Wednesday’s council meeting, to drop all reference to God in its opening prayer.

Where previously the Mayor, or a selected councillor, has been asked to pray as follows:

“We pray to God to guide us so that the thoughts we have and the decisions made this day, are in the best interests of the people of the South Gippsland Shire. Amen”

Council is now proposing the following:

“As we gather here from diverse backgrounds and beliefs, may we hold privilege with good care and trust. As we deliberate and discuss, may we be wise in our discernment, fair in our decisions and visionary in our planning. May we be guided by our common goal of a strong and united South Gippsland.”

What happened to God? Why the change?

According to the 2021 Census, 38.9 per cent of Australians said they had no religion, up from 30.1 per cent in 2016. But does that mean they don’t believe in God? Probably not, you’d have to ask them.

Whereas 47% of millennials in the Census identified as having no religion, only 31% of baby boomers failed to identify with a faith.

Is council in fact widening the divide by taking this precipitous action?

The Census says nearly 60% of boomers are Christian, compared to 30% of millennials.

The share of the population identifying as Christian might have slipped from 52% to 44% but other religions are growing, including Hinduism and Islam. They believe in God too, you know.

Culturally our First Australians bow to their ‘Ancestor Spirits’ but many believe in a greater being, and like the rest of us, many indigenous also share Christian and other religious beliefs.

So why are we trying to eliminate God from everything?

That’s a political statement in itself by those who are anti-religion, anti-god for some woke reason.

But, do the majority of people dismiss God? Does everyone want God removed?

How would the council know that unless they asked?

And why should Local Government be trying to set the agenda when they aren’t officially a level of government on their own.

Upon taking the Chair in Parliament each day, the Speaker makes an acknowledgement of country in the following terms:

“I acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples who are the traditional custodians of the Canberra area and pay respect to the elders, past and present, of all Australia’s Indigenous peoples.”

The Speaker then reads the following prayers:

“Almighty God, we humbly beseech Thee to vouch safe Thy blessing upon this Parliament. Direct and prosper our deliberations to the advancement of Thy glory, and the true welfare of the people of Australia.

“Our Father, which art in Heaven: Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.”

Is our council saying they’ve got it wrong up in Canberra?

The change is supposedly generated by a Council Plan Objective: “Healthy and Engaged Communities Council’s commitment of supporting inclusion and valuing the different backgrounds and beliefs of the South Gippsland community is strengthen by this report.”

The Executive Summary says: “The purpose of this report is for Council to consider updating the prayer read at the start of Council’s meeting.”

The recommendation is as follows: “That Council update the prayer read during Council meetings” in the terms outlined.

It its, report council says: “All levels of government (Federal, State & Local) read a prayer or statement at start of each sitting day or meeting. Council has traditionally read a prayer at the start of each Council meeting and the current prayer has been in use for over a decade. Councillors recently led a review of the Council prayer which aimed to ensure that the prayer captured the values and goals of the current Council and that the words used in the prayer reflected South Gippsland’s diverse communities.”

There has been no community consultation or engagement.

But according to an officer’s report:

“The adoption of the renewed wording will strengthen and align to Council’s commitment to create an inclusive environment which is key to building healthy communities.”

So, is this the right time for council to be dropping God from its prayer when there’s no indication whatsoever that the majority of people have rejected God.

What’s wrong with lifting our eyes and our minds to a higher cause when considering what’s best for the community and the environment, beyond the desires of developers, the personal preferences of our politicians and the wants and needs of the individual… the me, me, me agenda that’s really behind the unsatiable woke movement?

Is there still a place for God and a higher calling in the decision-making of our leaders? You be the judge, or you could be the judge if the council opened up such an important decision to the community instead of taking it out of our hands.