Trigger Warning Should public prayer be bannned in the UK?

[lost weekend]

Ah I get where your coming from as far as I can gather from online the absolute monarch of England who is also in charge of the church of England must swear to uphold and recognise the church of Scotland

 

[Cheshire_Kat]

Wasn't the Church of England supposed to be the State Church of the United Kingdom once upon a time?

The Church of England was created by King Henry VIII in 1534 when Clement VII (Pope at that time) would not give Henry an annulment to end his marriage to Catherine of Avalon so he could marry Anne Boleyn and provide a male heir to the throne.

Henry did not have ideological differences that caused the split; Martin Luther (Founder of the Lutheran) did. They were totally different splits for totally different reasons.

 

[lost weekend]

The Church of England was created by King Henry VIII in 1534 when Clement VII (Pope at that time) would not give Henry an annulment to end his marriage to Catherine of Avalon so he could marry Anne Boleyn and provide a male heir to the throne.

Henry did not have ideological differences that caused the split; Martin Luther (Founder of the Lutheran) did. They were totally different splits for totally different reasons.

I find the succession of kings and Queens of England and Scotland hard to remember
I can always remember the great ones ,Elizabeth 1 etc but hopless at most others
I'm not the only one lol ,I seem to remember an mp getting a question wrong about the same thing on some game show recently

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

I find the succession of kings and Queens of England and Scotland hard to remember
I can always remember the great ones ,Elizabeth 1 etc but hopless at most others
I'm not the only one lol ,I seem to remember an mp getting a question wrong about the same thing on some game show recently

That was this dork:

 

[Darksidesam]

When i see videos surface where people are praying and getting in the way (in a changing room at a gym for example) then that is absolutely not acceptable .

However if i saw people praying in a park and not using a loudspeaker to play songs etc and was just quietly praying then it wouldnt bother me so much

 

[lost weekend]

That was this dork:

Yeh that's the one ,he's made a few gafs in interviews as well

 

[Shambles]

Totally agree. Religious buildings (inside, not out) and private homes are the only places religious bollocks is even remotely acceptable.

We don't get injecting rooms...

We do in Scotland

 

[M!$TER-ED]

freedom of religion and speech are a big deal in the US. Almost as big as gun control. When Christians feel violated such as the Charlie Kirk incident they go to great lengths to settle the score.
However, sometimes religious people make a point of putting themselves on display, maybe to show everyone how religious they are?

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

When i see videos surface where people are praying and getting in the way (in a changing room at a gym for example) then that is absolutely not acceptable .

However if i saw people praying in a park and not using a loudspeaker to play songs etc and was just quietly praying then it wouldnt bother me so much

I agree. Quietly praying in an open space and not causing an obstruction would be fine as long as it stayed that way.

I used to do a lot of hitchhiking up and down the motorways in the 80s.

It was extremely common to see dozens and dozens of Muslims at service stations praying on the grass verges.

But for some reason, I don't tend to see that anymore.

 

[acieed_ed]

Totally agree. Religious buildings (inside, not out) and private homes are the only places religious bollocks is even remotely acceptable.




We do in Scotland

Injecting rooms in Eire too. Not for me but a much needed resource for addicts.

 

[acieed_ed]

Injecting rooms in Eire too. Not for me but a much needed resource for addicts.

And that Ramadan stuff scary. There is a large indian community around where I live but are peacefull and dress up in all the garb from time to time very polite and dignified no outward praying etc. I'm friends with a couple of Indian students and they told me about the bag Rita. Or summat. Inspired Oppenheimer I believe.

 

[Allylbenzene]

I'm friends with a couple of Indian students and they told me about the bag Rita. Or summat.

Bhagavad Gita, cool book.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

Bhagavad Gita, cool book.

Yeh, my older brother brought me a comic book version of part of the Bhagavad-Gita back from India many moons ago when i was a kid. It depicted Krishna in aerial combat with other gods in fantastic flying machines and descriptions of what could be interpreted as nuclear explosions.

The artwork was amazing, and it smelled strongly of sandalwood. Hope I've still got it somewhere.

 

[acieed_ed]

Bhagavad Gita, cool book.

Thanks that's the one the lads were talking about cheers

 

[Allylbenzene]

It depicted Krishna in aerial combat with other gods in fantastic flying machines and descriptions of what could be interpreted as nuclear explosions.

Imo they were more advanced than relatively crude nuclear devices.

The artwork was amazing, and it smelled strongly of sandalwood.

It's been a while since I've thought about sandalwood, the oil is an underrated psychoactive especially in the right combo. All the people prioritising benzos & opioids are missing out.

 

[emkee_reinvented]

On ringing those churchbells not hourly but every 1/ 4 to 'For Whom the Bell Toll s' comes to mind. Definitly replace that with nice openly prayers not in front of my place though. Gunshot s would solve that, but forbidden here sadly/ gladly.

And minaret s with those cheap ass cassette player or a old fart singing live. Been there once never twice these guys start before sunrise serious troubles unlike openly praying afaik. Kinda like this below your bedroom window no thank you. Though not that bad IMO

 

[Perkins : Reborn]

The only time I've objected to someone's beliefs is when a Muslim got offended at me telling them there are no authentic accounts of Jesus, let alone first hand accounts. The Testimonium Flavianum is blatantly fake. We know more about Roman officers' shopping lists than we know about a guy who was apparently pulling miracles out of a hat.

I mean, I was brought up in a Catholic family. I've only studied this shit for forty years.

And worse, they have their own version of Jesus' life. If I wrote a story about Muhammad at the gay sauna, what would the outcome be?

Total bollocks.

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

hilariously unrealistic and senseless idea. How does one even define prayer? Just apply common sense city regulations.

FFS...

 

[Perkins : Reborn]

Are you kidding? There are numerous requirements for Muslim prayer. You can't just put your hands together and mumble. It's quite a conspicuous process.

 

[Allylbenzene]

hilariously unrealistic and senseless idea. How does one even define prayer? Just apply common sense city regulations.

Here's a case of public silent "prayer" ... involving buffer zone legislation that restricts certain activities near abortion clinics.

A Christian woman has now been criminally charged after praying silently near an abortion facility in Birmingham, following several previous arrests which did not result in conviction.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce will appear in court on January 29, 2026, after being charged under controversial buffer zone legislation that restricts certain activities near abortion clinics. The case is the first confirmed charge under Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023, which came into force nationally in October 2024.

The legislation prohibits influencing a person’s decision to access, provide, or facilitate abortion services within 150 meters of abortion facilities. The law does not explicitly reference silent prayer.

Speaking to GB News about her most recent arrest, Vaughan-Spruce said officers indicated that her arrest was based not on her prayers, but on claims that her mere presence amounted to harassment.
...
In a parliamentary response dated December 16, 2025, the Attorney General confirmed that one case had been brought under Section 9 since the law took effect.

This was the first time Vaughan-Spruce learned of her charge, and was only formally notified several hours after the response was published.
...
Crown Prosecution Service guidance states that silent prayer alone is not generally sufficient to meet the threshold for criminality unless accompanied by overt behavior.

Previous legal cases concerning silent prayer occurred under local Public Spaces Protection Orders, rather than under this national legislatVaughan-Spruce has prayed regularly in the same public area for approximately 20 years.
...
In 2022, Vaughan-Spruce was arrested twice under a local buffer zone order but was later acquitted after prosecutors offered no evidence in court.

In 2024, she reached a settlement of £13,000 with West Midlands Police after successfully challenging the lawfulness of those arrests.

ADF International, which is supporting her defence, argues that the buffer zone law is being interpreted too broadly.

Legal counsel Jeremiah Igunnubole stated that while harassment and abuse should be prevented, the concept of “influence” is being applied in a way that risks criminalising passive behaviour.

The case is expected to be closely watched as courts consider how the new buffer zone law applies in practice.

Christian woman now criminally charged for silent prayer near abortion clinic | CARE

A Christian woman has now been criminally charged after praying silently near an abortion facility in Birmingham, following several previous arrests which did not result in conviction.

care.org.uk