Should be writing essay(s) in this pause in the festivities, but I read an interesting article the other day. Matthew Parris talks a lot of sense sometimes. Here he is on how it matters whether or not our politicians believe in God:
We non-believers are always puzzled by protests that strong religious conviction could be without huge influence in the way a man lives his public as well as his private life. We read the Gospels (sometimes with more attention than believers seem to); we learn about Judaic beliefs in God's purpose for the Jews and for mankind; we hear and try to understand the claims of Islam; and it strikes us that these belief systems make enormous claims on their adherents, with the most profound practical consequences.
...We think it matters. It genuinely pains us to seem to insult nice Anglicans, decent Methodists, quiet Catholics, moderate Muslims and liberal Jews, but we don't think they're representative of their faiths militant.
The rest of the article is here. I totally disagree with his stance (he thinks it's a bad thing when politicians believe in God) but I couldn't agree more about the silly idea that it simply makes no difference.
Those Christians living in Nick Clegg's constituency should take note. It matters.
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Good points. Parris has a habit of understanding the implications better than supposed insiders.
It is funny how the one time that Blair appealed to God -as the one who would judge him over the Iraq war- that caused an outrage.
Was Blair putting himself above democracy. In that case no. Did it mean that people wouldn't have an opportunity to vote on the issue? No.
It did and does mean that there is a higher authority than the ballot box and we will have to answer for our ballot box decisions as much as he will for his war decisions.
Else democracy is an idol.
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