Tony Blair says God and history will judge whether he was right to go to war in Iraq, according to the transcript of a television interview to be broadcast Saturday.That is a very minor reference to God, dragged out of him by the reporter.
In a rare reference to his Christian religious faith, Blair told broadcaster Michael Parkinson he had struggled with his conscience over the decision.
When asked about sending troops to Iraq, he said: "That decision has to be taken and has to be lived with, and in the end there is a judgment that -- well, I think if you have faith about these things then you realize that judgment is made by other people," he said.
Asked to explain what he meant, Blair replied: "If you believe in God, it's made by God as well."
Parkinson asked Blair if he prayed to God when he decided to go to war in Iraq.
Blair replied: "Well, I don't want to get into something like that."
Pressed on the subject he answered: "Of course you struggle with your own conscience about it because people's lives are affected and it's one of these situations that I suppose very few people ever find themselves in.
"In the end you do what you think is the right thing."
The BBC analyzes the press response:
His submission to the judgement of God goes against years of warnings from advisers, says the Independent - not to mix politics and religion.The real issue here is whether we were right to go to war and, more importantly, how best to deal with the current state of things. Worrying about Blair's slight reference to religious belief shows either an aversion to religion or the usual pointless grasping for political arguments.
The Daily Mirror sees his TV interview with Michael Parkinson as "remarkable".
"The Judgement Day is some way off," it says, "but the judgement of the British people is critical of a bloody invasion as the death toll mounts."
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What else would you expect in almost completely secular post-Christian, pre-Muslim Europe (England too)? They have slidden so far away from Christendom (even as a cultural reference point save for the tourism aspects and the talismanic respect for a Pope most didn't really care for) that the bare mention of "God" send many Europeans into apoplexy. It would be high-larious if not so scary.
We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war!
Ann, since you this posted this, it appears Blair's comments created a furor among the 24x7 unhinged media.
Semanticleo: Try actually reading the blog you're criticizing. You embarrass yourself once again.
So the media are horrified by Blair's mentioning the diety, but they nod approvingly at the Muslims calling for death in the streets?
How precious.
Actually, by all indications, Blair is quite religious. His problem, as noted, is that that doesn't play well in the U.K., and so he keeps it well under wraps. But apparently, he is fairly unique as a British politician in this regard - and some have suggested that this facet of his is one reason that he gets along as well as he does with President Bush, given his political leanings.
I think that it has been quite awhile since overt religiousness has played well in Englan (and note that I am intentionally distinguishing England from the UK because of, in particular, Northern Ireland, where faith is apparently still professed openly). Besides, the general anti-Christianity of western Europe, I would suggest the the following may also have some impact:
- a lot of their religious zealots came here. Given the timing, I have no doubt that that was one reason my ancesters immigrated here some 375 years ago.
- Religion, esp. Catholic v. Protestant, has a fairly bloody history in the UK, starting with Henry VIII's break with the RC church.
- And then there is Northern Ireland.
Actually, by all indications, Blair is quite religious.
Here's a scoop, in case you all haven't read it here in the States:
It is rumoured Tony Blair was converted to Catholicism last year.
Obviously, there are no official press releases from Number 10, because as mentioned by me and others at length in the previous, recent thread on the topic...
...mentioning aspects of your religious beliefs is not socially acceptable in Britain.
and some have suggested that this facet of his is one reason that he gets along as well as he does with President Bush, given his political leanings.
It's possible.
But Tony isn't a born-again Christian Methodist-type that President Bush is.
If he has indeed been converted to Catholicism, you can bet it's a very deep, but not pentacostally "showy" conversion.
Cheers,
Victoria
All Things Beautiful TrackBack God Will Be My Judge:
"Ann Althouse as usual cuts to the chase: "Worrying about Blair's slight reference to religious belief shows either an aversion to religion or the usual pointless grasping for political arguments."
What do you think, should I put "raunchy paragon of denial" in the banner?
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