There are lots of reasons to dislike Tony Blair. The fact that he supported and participated in the War in Iraq already qualifies him as downright dastardly, and his growing religiosity is becoming a matter of serious concern. He’s made no bones about trying to be President of the European Council, and considering Europe is largely secular, his recent statements should alarm any atheist or agnostic living there:
We face the challenge of relevance – showing how faith can be a force for the future, for progress, that it will not fade as science, technology and material prosperity alters the way we live. We face an aggressive secular attack from without. We face the threat of extremism from within.
Those who scorn God and those who do violence in God’s name, both represent views of religion. But both offer no hope for faith in the twenty first century.
What the fuck is this asshole talking about? Is he equating sectarian violence with peaceful secular protest? Does he really believe that atheism is the root of evil? This is the same man who followed religious nutbag George W. Bush into Babylon, claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis; and for what? Oil? Yeah, the secular left who opposed this tragedy of a war must be the bad guys. Can’t you just see us strapping ourselves to explosives and murdering innocent civilians all in the name of no God? I wonder what that would look like…
October 9th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Oh, come on, Jake. Al Gore too would’ve invaded Iraq for no discernible reason.
The future will not be run by WASPs to the extent that the past was. The sooner Blair realizes this essential truth, the sooner he’ll stop sounding like an intolerant knob.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Well, throughout his Prime Minister-ship he really did keep his faith quiet; no-one found out about it until afterwards. So, although I don’t think he should be the new President of Europe or whatever it is, I think he compartmentalises it fairly well.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
What do you say when confronted with Hitchens arguments about why the war in Iraq was necessary? He’s actually quite right-wing about the topic and listening to him has changed a lot of opinions I’d held previously. I find myself relenting on certain points and viewing the situation through a different lens and.. I find it pretty hard to argue with anything the man says!
I can’t link to anything off the top of my head but the jist of it is, “It had to happen sometime, better now than later.”
October 9th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
The worst part about secularists is their book that says Hitchens wants you to kill people If they believe in God.
October 9th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
I disagree on Hitchen’s viewpoint that Iraq had to be invaded. Besides, the whole thing was so poorly managed and a complete disaster. Why does anyone think Neo-Cons should be travelling around trying to implement their disastrous economic policies. They already tried that shit in the 80’s in Latin America, and that worked out so well, didn’t it?
October 9th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I was mocking the Bible, if you were referring your comments to me. Hitchens never said kill people for the sole reason that they believe in God, while the Bible says kill people if they believe in other gods.
October 9th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Despite being a bit of a twat when it comes to Iraq and religion, Tony wasn’t actually that terrible a PM. Not nearly as bad as Gogsy Brown.
October 9th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
^So apparently a guy can invade a foreign country for no good reason and still be a good PM? That’s whitewashing history, right there, no?
October 9th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
=( the political debate =(
October 9th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
He wasn’t a good PM, he just isn’t George Bush incompetent is all I mean.
October 9th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
I’ve often wondered something similar – why is it you never see an atheist hijack a plane in the name of…um…ok, the name of nothing really.
October 10th, 2009 at 1:43 am
Sadly, many theists actually believe that crapola.
October 10th, 2009 at 6:27 am
Someone should section him.
October 10th, 2009 at 8:24 am
I wish this site was a little less about liberal v conservative. I understand that, that’s what you guys gotta go with if that’s what peaks your interest. I dunno, a boy can dream eh?
October 11th, 2009 at 10:18 am
What does the blue flag say?
October 11th, 2009 at 10:31 am
RDF. I kind of screwed up the letters.
October 24th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
I didn’t vote for GWB, but I never dreamt that once he was elected that your PM would have caved in to this horrid war monger. So much for new Labor I guess.
July 10th, 2010 at 4:46 am
Nice, i like your articles a lot and will be excited to read more