Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Kevin Dorner · 08-02-2003, 08:39 PM

And on the seventh day Tony Blair created...

Quote:

"... quietly the Prime Minister is putting religion at the centre of the New Labour project, reflecting his own deeply felt beliefs that answers to most questions can be found in the Bible."

Quote:

"Blair is to allow Christian organisations and other 'faith groups' a central role in policy-making in a decisive break with British traditions that religion and government should not mix."

'The Prime Minister, who this weekend becomes the longest continually serving Labour Prime Minister in history, has set up a ministerial working group in the Home Office charged with injecting religious ideas 'across Whitehall'. One expert on the relationship between politics and religion described the move as a 'blow to secularism'."

Quote:

"Some No 10 officials are concerned that the Government will fall victim to unfavourable comparisons with the Republican administration in America, where President Bush makes no secret of his religious faith and right-wing religious organisations have a powerful input into policy-making..."

Sent to the Wire.

lpetrich · 08-02-2003, 09:58 PM

"... quietly the Prime Minister is putting religion at the centre of the New Labour project, reflecting his own deeply felt beliefs that answers to most questions can be found in the Bible."

Hmmm... let us consider the Bible's answer to the question "What is the shape of the Earth?"

So Blair is not only Britain's answer to Clinton, but also Britain's answer to the Seedling himself, GWB?

Or is he simply trying to get the "religious vote"? Complete with offeriing "religious pork", as it may be called (that's what that "faith-based" stuff seems to me to be).

trunks2k · 08-02-2003, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lpetrich
"... quietly the Prime Minister is putting religion at the centre of the New Labour project, reflecting his own deeply felt beliefs that answers to most questions can be found in the Bible."

Hmmm... let us consider the Bible's answer to the question "What is the shape of the Earth?"

Hey, he said answers could be found in the bible. He didn't say that they would be right.

kiwimac · 08-02-2003, 10:34 PM

Do remember please that there is no such thing as Church / State separation in the uK. The Church of England is an Established church that is,

Quote:

a Church that is officially recognized as a national institution

In this case the Crown (Government in the UK) appoints the Bishops, who are members of the House of Lords (in the case of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and in the case of some of the senior bishops), and who receive some portion of their salaries from the UK government.

Kiwimac

Kevin Dorner · 08-02-2003, 10:41 PM

Aye, should have titled it "secularism" instead of "C/S separation" but, well, there is becoming less of it now regardless I guess.

NZAmoeba · 08-03-2003, 04:17 PM

yeah, kiwimac beat me to it...

"god save the queen" anybody?

Still... Canada is looking bloody good as a place to live in these days...

scumble · 08-04-2003, 12:51 AM

I still don't think this country is religious at all. If Blair hadn't kept quiet about his faith, he wouldn't have become leader of the Labour party in the first place, let alone Prime Minister.

08-04-2003, 07:16 AM

We now have the encouraging spectacle of the leaders of both the Labour and Conservative parties trying to play the faith card for all they're worth. I would have thought it was a miscalculation, but the majority of voters seem to care about hospitals, schools, law and order, asylum seekers and taxes, and that's about it.

Major constitutional changes, increased sectarianism as a result of more faith-based schools, and discrimination against non-believers and gays all seem to slip in under the radar.

Tony · 08-04-2003, 08:58 AM

Well, he has to try ALL means to get support. More religion � means less free thinking and more support by default. King or prime-minister is a representative of god, right? So, if you believe in god � you MUST believe to your king or prime-minister.

It�s very simple logic.

Good luck, Tony Blair, in trying to brainwash your people.

Religion is getting obsolete day by day, so your support.

NZAmoeba · 08-04-2003, 01:37 PM

No tony, while the queen is 'ordained by god' the PM is democratically elected, and no god is blamed for election results... well hopefully anyway....

08-04-2003, 08:58 AM	#9
Tony Regular Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 197	More religion � means less free thinking and more support by default. Well, he has to try ALL means to get support. More religion � means less free thinking and more support by default. King or prime-minister is a representative of god, right? So, if you believe in god � you MUST believe to your king or prime-minister. It�s very simple logic. Good luck, Tony Blair, in trying to brainwash your people. Religion is getting obsolete day by day, so your support.

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08-02-2003, 09:58 PM	#2
lpetrich Contributor Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Lebanon, OR, USA Posts: 16,829	"... quietly the Prime Minister is putting religion at the centre of the New Labour project, reflecting his own deeply felt beliefs that answers to most questions can be found in the Bible." Hmmm... let us consider the Bible's answer to the question "What is the shape of the Earth?" So Blair is not only Britain's answer to Clinton, but also Britain's answer to the Seedling himself, GWB? Or is he simply trying to get the "religious vote"? Complete with offeriing "religious pork", as it may be called (that's what that "faith-based" stuff seems to me to be).

08-02-2003, 10:41 PM	#5
Kevin Dorner Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 762	Aye, should have titled it "secularism" instead of "C/S separation" but, well, there is becoming less of it now regardless I guess.

08-03-2003, 04:17 PM	#6
NZAmoeba Regular Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 478	yeah, kiwimac beat me to it... "god save the queen" anybody? Still... Canada is looking bloody good as a place to live in these days...

08-04-2003, 12:51 AM	#7
scumble Regular Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: UK Posts: 279	I still don't think this country is religious at all. If Blair hadn't kept quiet about his faith, he wouldn't have become leader of the Labour party in the first place, let alone Prime Minister.

08-04-2003, 07:16 AM	#8
DMB Guest Posts: n/a	We now have the encouraging spectacle of the leaders of both the Labour and Conservative parties trying to play the faith card for all they're worth. I would have thought it was a miscalculation, but the majority of voters seem to care about hospitals, schools, law and order, asylum seekers and taxes, and that's about it. Major constitutional changes, increased sectarianism as a result of more faith-based schools, and discrimination against non-believers and gays all seem to slip in under the radar.

08-04-2003, 01:37 PM	#10
NZAmoeba Regular Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 478	No tony, while the queen is 'ordained by god' the PM is democratically elected, and no god is blamed for election results... well hopefully anyway....

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