One of the starkest differences between the top job on either side of the Atlantic
has been brought into the open by the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair.
In the documentary, The Blair Years, Tony admits that he was afraid to speak out about his faith while he was prime minister for fear that voters would regard him as a "nutter".
While in America, anyone wanting to run for President would need to be seeped in religious belief to even get off the starting blocks, in the UK it would sound the death knell for anyone with prospects of appearing in Government.
"Christianity is common in US politics but if you talk about it in our system and, frankly, people do think you're a nutter", he says with his mind obviously returning to the embarrassing ridicule he received from all sides when it was mentioned that he prayed with George Bush and the more sinister line of questioning he received when Bush said that God had told him to invade Iraq.
With the danger being that the politician makes decisions based on their faith and allows themselves to be guided by their religious beliefs rather than hard facts, long may we mock anyone who comes to Downing Street clutching a bible.
Religion has done, and continues, to do so much damage around the World, we can only benefit from a lack of the God Squad deciding things for us.
5 comments:
I have absolutely no problem with a world leader having a faith, and I think it's ludicrous that one is expected to keep that faith a secret. It's neither the religion nor the faith that is the problem, though. It's the individual. As Ghandi said (and I paraphrase), "I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians; they are so unlike your Christ." Many great leaders have been people of faith, be it Christianity or any other faith in a higher power. George Bush has made an absolute mockery of faith -- Christian or otherwise -- and I truly believe that if there is indeed a hell, Lucifer has a special room lined up for him.
I agree with Jefe - the point being that it's ludicrous for a political leader to feel pressured not to reveal his faith, and just as silly for politicians to trip over each other in their holier-than-thou jockeying.
Separation of church and state is a fabulous concept.
"Christianity is common in US politics but if you talk about it in our system and, frankly, people do think you're a nutter"
Old Tony is correct about this - most people over this side of the pond do have a hard-wired cynicism/suspicion of politicians espousing any kind of spiritual or religious view - but what Blair neglected to say was that the massive mistakes he made during his tenure, particularly in terms of the invasion of Iraq, has ensured that this situation will be perpetuated into the future.
After all, the term 'faith based' could have been invented to refer to the invasion of Iraq, and the search for those 'elusive' WMDs... It certainly wasn't based on empiricism or evidence.
In a way this situation is a shame because - all things being equal - you'd hope that honest people running for government could feel that they can be up-front about their religious beliefs which, as has been noted above, don't necessarily preclude a person from being a wise and benevolent leader, and may indeed form the basis for a good personal moral code.
But, in another way, it's not a shame, as it shows the electorate's strong preference for a leader who keeps his supernatural beliefs the fuck out of policy formation, and instead relies only logic and rationalism. Whether there's a covert religion there or not is another matter, but it's not an unreasonable desire for the electorate to have.
Blair's actions have ensured that this desire remains - and stronger than ever.
It does seem a difference between Americans and Brits altogether and not just confined to PM's or Presidents.
Anyone who admits to a deep faith is viewed as slightly odd, and moreso with the influence of religion on the problems of the last few years. Al Queada with it's holy war, God telling Bush to invade Iraq, Muslims and their willingness to riot over cartoon pictures all just show how religion of all flavours is responsible for so much of the killing recently.
When Blair admitted he was a religio, he was mocked and it stuck with him for the rest of his time in office.
Religion and politics, here anyway, just do not mix where in the USA it seems they are linked together.
I think it interferes with our progress here, actually. We do have people - a lot of them - who will ignore any talk of issues or policy and just vote for the one that gives the most lip service to Jesus. Hell, there is hardly any talk of issues at all anymore, especially from the right. I think America would be much better off if politically, we kicked religion to the curb and started paying more attention to policy and ideas.
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