Tony Blair defends the role of religion in global affairs in a debate with atheist columnist Christopher Hitchens

Comments

[Cllr. Rob Chilton]

My goodness I agree with Tony Blair. I need a drink.

[DC]

No problems guessing who's side the Beeb was on.

[Prodicus]

What Cranmer said.
http://goo.gl/OTChP

[FaustiesBlog]

Ugh, Blair-induced flesh creep!

[Ivor Grudge]

Victory to the Christian Socialist Movement !

[martin sewell]

I am astonished that someone of Christopher Hitchen's talent can demonstrate such a fundamental lack of grasp of his subject.

He has no grasp of the fact that not every religion is monotheistic- Buddhism and Animism being very different from the religions derived from Abrahamic tradition. Paganism has none of the judgement narratives either.

What is perhaps worse is his ignorance of either of the subjects with which he ought to be familiar.

In the Christian tradition God plainly does nto 'make us sick and command us to be well"

On the contrary, he makes Man "in his own image" who - like the self indulgent junkie much defended by liberals - decides "to do his own
thing" and ends up in chaotic estrangement from that which was intended - the very best he coudl be.

Far from rejection, and modelled in the parent of the Prodigal Son parrable( also known more accurately as the "patient father" God waits and welcomes the return. Rather more he sends servant are servant to be rejected until he send his son to call us home - who is then rejected despised and killed.

Thereby demonstrating within the narrative the love, patience and forbearance of North Korea?????!!!! PLEASE do not show you ignorance!

The poor man not only does not understand religion, he does not even fully grasp the nature of totalitarian states, who -unlike God, brook no dissent, rejection and offer no second chances. In the God narrative under discussion ( and in this part of the argument he is taking religion on "on its own terms") there is no comparison between the chosen estrangement of the non believer and the "created sick" suggestion.

Does nobody at the BBC Religious affairs Department understand this? Oh no, silly me - they don't recruit Christians.

[James]

Hmmm, Martin Sewell's comment makes god sound like a sadist, not the sort of parenting I think anyone rational would agree with - but Tories, yes!

[martin sewell]

James....
Sorry???

A God who creates for perfection, is saddened by the waywardness of Mankind, fears for that separation being permanent through Man's bad choices, and spends thousands of years sending messengers with the promise of forgiveness and reconciliation and then sends his Son to redeem only to be rejected and then to still be "standing at the door" waiting to respond to the slightest hope of reconciliation ( as slight and as late as the Thief on the Cross - the ONLY person recorded to have been promised paradise by Jesus) - this is a model of sadism??!!

Have you ever read a Gospel?