Is God On Our Side?

Councillors "not paying attention."


I read in the Herald Express an item which reported that last September two members of the Standards Committee attended a full council meeting here in Torbay. They observed that over half the councillors were not rally paying attention during part of the meeting. This didn't actually bother me, I have long been critical of party politics, no matter what is said in the debate, no matter how well someone from the other side puts an argument you are still going to vote the way your party tells you to. Truth to tell during the debate you may as well nip out for a pint or two and just come back for the vote.

Here are a few of the observers comments

"There was not much sign of 'personal judgement', all members seemed to follow party line."

'an unedifying political tennis match'

“Half of councillors appeared to be paying attention, others were fidgeting, reading or whispering among themselves."

The observers noted there was a 'a disappointing lack of public interest' and wanted to know if the meetings were well advertised

(No they are not)

It was the other item brought up in the article in the paper that managed to get me typing. It appears that before every council meeting prayers are said. What in god’s name are they praying for? Divine guidance? No wonder Torbay is in such a mess when the people we elected to run this town belief that god even knows where is, let alone will spend even a second of his time leading them out of the mess the Bay is in. You, dear councillor, are here to run the town. Not god.

On this subject the observes said,

"The reason for prayers at the commencement does not appear clear and the rationale should be reconsidered."

If this was a meeting of cardinals in Rome about to elect a new pope then saying prayers does come with the job and the faithful would rarther expect it. But my feeling on this matter is say prayers in church not council meetings. If you think you need divine guidence to run Torbay then you are oviously not up to the job so QUIT. Now.