Blair Invokes God in Decision.....

[FULL METAL JACKET]

LONDON, March 3 — Prime Minister Tony Blair has indicated that God influenced his deliberations when he committed British troops to fight alongside American forces in Iraq.

The remarks, which surprised some antiwar campaigners, were made in an Independent Television talk show to be broadcast Saturday night. A transcript was released by the ITV station on Friday.

Mr. Blair has made no secret of his Christian faith, but he has not previously ascribed policy decisions to his religion. In the past, he refused to answer persistent questions by an interviewer about whether he had prayed with President Bush.

In the interview on the widely followed "Parkinson" show, Mr. Blair was asked about sending troops to Iraq, ITV said.

"That decision has to be taken and has to be lived with," he said, according to the ITV transcript, "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."

Asked to explain what he meant, he replied, "If you believe in God, it's made by God as well."

"This is not just a matter of a policy here or a thing there, but of their lives and in some case their death," he said. "The only way you can take a decision like that is to try to do the right thing, according to your conscience, and for the rest of it you leave it to the judgment that history will make."

The Iraq war has proven unpopular with many Britons. Rose Gentle, an antiwar activist whose son Gordon died with British forces in Iraq, said: "A good Christian wouldn't be for this war. I'm actually quite disgusted by the comments. It's a joke."

In the talk show, the host, Michael Parkinson, asked Mr. Blair, "So will you pray to God when you make a decision like that?"

He replied: "Well, I don't want to get into something like that. 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."

NYT: Blair Invokes God in Decision to Send Troops to Iraq (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/04/international/europe/04blair.html)

So now we got Blair joining the bandwagon. First it was Bush who said "God told me to fight tyranny in Iraq, so I did." Now this bullshit.

[loveme4whoiam]

It's hilarious is what it is. Blair is the biggest political wimp ever, so far in his career he has been "grilled" by such "aggressive political commentators" as Des and Mel (mid-day entertainment), Richard Schofield (who used to make a living with his hand up a puppet's arse) and Little Ant and Dec (the satanic offspawn from one of ITV's most reviled presenting duos). Now add to this Michael Parkinson, possibly one of the gentlest interviewers to ever be put on TV. Blair is such a fuckign wimp!

Oh yeah, the God thing. I read in a paper *cough*Daily Mail*cough* over lunch about this, it's just hilarious. I wonder, if God told them to jump off a bridge, do you think they'd do it? Because, you know, the Pope is supposed to have a direct line to the "Man Upstairs"... :rolleyes:

[boosh logic]

I like the link that he even follows Bush in his justification story - Bush says God told him to start the war, Blair says God will judge him on the war. It's just a lame excuse to try and avoid punishment, but if it doesn't work for regular murderers why should it work for them? I didn't even know Blair was religious until a few weeks ago - maybe he's just playing the sympathy card for British Christians in the hope they'll side with him.

[Revolution 9]

I would like to know how God told Blair.

Did God perhaps come down from Heaven into the British Royal Palace (or wherever the PM is) just to tell him that the "free world" must fight Iraqi infidels?

:rolleyes:

[Abakua]

So, now that Tony has come out for God - the various religious groups involved in resistance in Iraq & Afghanistan will respond by stoking up the Jihad/holy war, "new crusades" connotations of the whole degenerated adventure.

He should be judged, not by the voices in his head but by a war crimes tribunal.

[Amusing Scrotum]

Did God perhaps come down from Heaven into the British Royal Palace (or wherever the PM is)....

Monsieur Blair resides in 11 Downing Street - the Prime Minister is actually supposed to live in number 10, but Blair has too many "sprogs".


Originally posted by Rose Gentle+--> (Rose Gentle)A good Christian wouldn't be for this war. I'm actually quite disgusted by the comments. It's a joke.[/b]

I hate these "token believers", she doesn't even know what her own "holy book" says....


Originally posted by 22:[email protected]
He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/22.html#20

And....


23:24
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ex/23.html#24

The Iraq War, from a "theological perspective", is okay. Perhaps, if one wanted to mount a Christian criticism of the Iraq War, then one would have to say that it has been too "nice".

A proper "Christian War" would be far more brutal!

[Revolution 9]

Hey, Armchair Socialism, if you think that is bad, I suggest you look into the Old Testament and specifically the battle of Ai. Everyone was ordered to be killed in the battle of Ai, including women and children.

This order was supposedly by God to murder hundreds (or perhaps even thousands) of innocents.

[redstar2000]

Originally posted by Abakua
He should be judged, not by the voices in his head but by a war crimes tribunal.

Excellent response!

Now, watch all those C of E "holy guys" in the fancy robes and stuff solemnly excommunicate the war criminal and "damn him to Hell".

Yeah, sure. :lol:

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/cool/223.gif

[Hegemonicretribution]

The worrying thing about Blair is that I get the feeling he really believes, whereas I doubt Bush's ability to spell "believe."

Blair realises his time is up, and I think his response is not as bad as the initial use of god as a reason to justify the war. In context, it sounded more like Blair was doubting his previous position, and he had admitted guilt at the blood on his hands.

I just hope there is a god, but when Blair is thrown in front of them, it pisses all over his new right philosophy and quest for righteousness by damning him to wherever it is such a god would put him.

[bloody_capitalist_sham]

I don't know if anyone else saw Parkinson, where he said all that crap.

I did, i really wanted to hear him talk about his "Christian socialism". But he delighted in mocking the word socialism, despite having had tricked many semi-socialist people into voting for him. Bastard.

I hope some Muslim fundamentalist blows Blair the fuck away. That'd be a rather poignant end to our "great leader" for thinking he's Richard 1st crusading around the middle east.

[YKTMX]

I did a post at moy blog about this.

Par En Bas (http://parenbas.blogspot.com)

Fair to say I wasn't impressed.

[Tekun]

So I guess God ordered him to support a nation (US) that bombed innocent men, women, and children in an "attempt" to kill Sadaam, who was BTW a old friend to Washington?

Utterly ridiculous
Now they're using God to justify their actions, next thing u know they'll be bombing Tehran, saying that the Prophet Muhammad told them to

[piet11111]

"who would jezus bomb ?"

i think its funny that religion is being used as an excuse because it makes the muslims somewhat right in saying its a war against islam.

if only al quada put up a website where everyone could vote on who should be blown up man that would be so nice.

[bolshevik butcher]

What worries me is that it completley undermines the little democracy we have to say that I am judged by god. Does that not thus render the electorate and their views irrelevant. It's worrying to reintroduce these ideas to politics in Britain, where outside of Northen Ireland politics has been relatively secular over the past few decades.

[Amusing Scrotum]

Originally posted by Street Revolutionary+Mar 5 2006, 01:58 AM--> (Street Revolutionary @ Mar 5 2006, 01:58 AM) Hey, Armchair Socialism, if you think that is bad, I suggest you look into the Old Testament and specifically the battle of Ai. Everyone was ordered to be killed in the battle of Ai, including women and children.

This order was supposedly by God to murder hundreds (or perhaps even thousands) of innocents. [/b]

Your reading suggestion is duly noted, when I have some time I'll have a look over it.

Cheers! :)


Clenched Fist
It's worrying to reintroduce these ideas to politics in Britain....

Absolutely.

Britain isn't as secular as France or Germany, but it is a lot more secular than Poland or America. It would be a tragedy if if Britain was to get less secular rather than more.

[piet11111]

yeah but politics intwined with religion does make things easier afterall why would a "god" allow a bad person to be the leader of a country ?

and even if someone is unqestionably "evil" then it must be a punishment of "god"
and is someone is picking at this then he/she is doing an unprovoked attack on britians "religious morality".

its probably the most effective defense anyone can use these days to protect their necks from the axe.
but if it doesn't work for murderers then why should it work for politicians ?
well this is when capitalists start pulling strings to keep their puppet out of harms way.
murderers dont have such powerfull friends generally speaking.

[Goatse]

We should be using common sense to run this nation (and all others for that matter), not some ancient superstitious text.

This "in the name of God" rhetoric was the same one used by the Muslim terrorists when they attacked the World Trade Centre, the London tube, and the countless other religious terrorist attacks.


So I guess God ordered him to support a nation (US) that bombed innocent men, women, and children in an "attempt" to kill Sadaam, who was BTW a old friend to Washington?


Originally posted by Deuteronomy 20:13
And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt mite every male thereof with the edge of the sword.

[Tekun]

Originally posted by ScottishPinko+Mar 5 2006, 05:59 PM--> (ScottishPinko @ Mar 5 2006, 05:59 PM) We should be using common sense to run this nation (and all others for that matter), not some ancient superstitious text.

This "in the name of God" rhetoric was the same one used by the Muslim terrorists when they attacked the World Trade Centre, the London tube, and the countless other religious terrorist attacks.


So I guess God ordered him to support a nation (US) that bombed innocent men, women, and children in an "attempt" to kill Sadaam, who was BTW a old friend to Washington?


Deuteronomy 20:13
And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt mite every male thereof with the edge of the sword. [/b]
I doubt they committed all these "terrorist" attacks
America and the West has always employed sabotage, covert and overt in order to justify their imperialist tendencies
They've been able to gather support for their adventures, by incriminating "religious fanatics," "terrorists," "communists"....

Therez been more terrorist attacks from the imperialists than from any religous group, in history
One of the few exampes, are the millions that were killed by the US puppets in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua during the 1980's
No one ever speaks about those terrorist actions <_<

[Abakua]

Originally posted by [email protected] 5 2006, 03:09 AM
Now, watch all those C of E "holy guys" in the fancy robes and stuff solemnly excommunicate the war criminal and "damn him to Hell".

Yeah, sure. :lol:

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/cool/223.gif
Stranger things have happened at sea, afterall it was the Archbishop of Canterbury hinself who implored the PM not to join the whole debacle. In fact the Christian church has been quite vociferous in it&#39;s objection.

We all know it&#39;s just chaff however, they are there for low and greedy reasons which any "God" would condemn them for.