I find it hard to believe that we have got to such a religious position in this country that the leader (Nick Clegg) of one of our major political parties - and possibly a major player in the next government - could claim to not to believe in God. I'm no Bible thumper, I don't attend Church, but I do believe in God. Even if I didn't, I would still like to think that the potential leader of this predominately Christian country did. Many will say that you don't need to believe in God to know right from wrong, and that is very true, but surely all of our moral standards and laws can trace their roots back to the Bible.Can you imagine the American public ever voting for a person who claimed that God did not exist? American Presidents sometimes come across as cheesy when they say things like "God bless America" or "I will be praying for the victims", but it is expected of them, and to be honest I like the idea of the President taking a few quiet moments to think about his people.
During Labour's last three governments this country has seen a creeping attack on Christianity. We've all heard the stories of school nativity plays and assemblies being made non-religious so as to not offend minorities. What would be in store for Christianity in this country if the outcome of the next General Election was to be a Lib/Lab coalition? - A coalition of one man who has turned a blind eye to the attack on Christianity, and another who doesn't even believe in it?
So you have to ask yourself before considering voting for Nick Clegg's Lib Dems: Does it matter if the person running the country believes in God?
18 comments:
The problem with Atheists ( decalred or silent ) is they don't expect any judgement for their actions, unless they're caught out.
Having said that Clegg could have faked some sort of belief, and has chosen not to. Which is to his credit of his character, albeit its not going to save his soul.
The real fun her is with the Muslim voters the Lib Dems need and want. Muslims take a very dim view of atheists indeed.
Having said that I think Brown may be an atheist also - I have never heard a reference to his personal faith, just generalisations and cashing in on the implications of eing Son of the Manse.
I would be the first to vote for a politician who took any 'God' out of the equation.
I am no rebellious youngster. I am 62 years old but fear for a country that would base any of it's politics on a belief on anything that can't be proved.
Belief is not proof!!
Isn't Tony Blair the most religious or faithful politician this side of the Iranian border? Does anyone trust him? He knows he won't pay for his crimes cos he's bought forgiveness - possibly from priests who forgave their child abusing colleagues.
In think your claims that Labour attacked Christianity are at odds with the truth.
Church groups now have the powers to take over state schools (completely wrong in my opinion) and moves to stop nativity plays were well under way under thee Tories (how lovely a selective memory must be), and anyway, it is not the role of central government to legislate on such matters.
My answer to your question? An emphatic NO!At a Tory friend's Christmas party a fellow Tory guest was shouting the odds about the fact she could never support a party with an atheist leader - my response? I'd rather have an honest non believer (and Nick Clegg is more of an agnostic from what I can gather), than a dishonest (aka Blair)"Christian". There is a wonderful verse in Revelation regarding the church in Laodicea "I know your deeds, that you are neiter cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! Because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." There are a lot of folk out there who would not be as honest as Nick to say they didn't believe - but their so called belief is totally meaningless in that it has no outworking in reflecting the teachings of the one they claim to believe in. In Nick Clegg I know we have a man of real integrity and total commitment to Christian values, whether or not he has any belief in God.
"The problem with Atheists ( decalred or silent ) is they don't expect any judgement for their actions, unless they're caught out."
As an Atheist, Man in a shed,I've got news for you,the only judge is your fellow man and I'll stick with that.
As for atheistic leaders...well,it is one thing to abide by religious conventions quite another to believe in a reason-defying deity. Give me a rational politician every time!
Is a vote for Nick Clegg a vote against Christianity? dunno.
Personally, I think a vote for Nick Clegg is more like a vote against common sense.
Nice one Bill!
"Many will say that you don't need to believe in God to know right from wrong, and that is very true, but surely all of our moral standards and laws can trace their roots back to the Bible"
Ummmm what about pre-Biblical legal systems? The Roman legal system was incredibly sophisticated for its time and probably influenced modern legal systems (especially on the Continent) more than the Bible.
And I couldn't give a damn whether the Prime Minister was Muslim, Christian or Martian, as long as I believed in his or her policies
Haven't you fuckwits heard of Charles Darwin?
It's over
We've worked it out
I can explain it to you if you like
Evolution?
Read about it
Try to understand it
It's not all that difficult
Anon,
I believe in Darwin's theories. However, if their was ever an argument against natural selection and survival of the fittest, then some spineless wanker who anonymously leaves abuse is surely it.
How is this a change from before? Several past Prime Ministers have been quite agnostic and one was an atheist.
"I believe in Darwin's theories. However, if their was ever an argument against natural selection and survival of the fittest, then some spineless wanker who anonymously leaves abuse is surely it."
you're talking my language Stevie boy, you uneducated chimp
And yet the Lib Dems have the most practicising ministers and men of faith of any of the main parties, proportionally.
I am only 17 but I'm really looking out about the election as I'm interested in politics. I myself am an Aethiest, and I have to say the majority of my friends are too. In this post it says the "majority of the UK is Christian", and I highly doubt this from people I've heard and met. I have also found that religion has caused many unneccessary deaths, see the Crusades and the current jihad for examples. A political leader who took out God it a politician with his head out of the clouds. I completely agree with Ken (2nd comment).
Furthermore I do not think politics should be governed or influenced by a Minister's personal beliefs, as we would not expect a minister who did not like America to declare war upon it.
And to finish on the last point I want to make; about the praying for the fallen. What good is praying? I mean, it's a way of remembering someone, yes, but that can be done by speaking about them. Merely stating rest in piece is a way of remembering the dead, and anybody can say that. If an aethiest Prime Minister suddenly came out with 'I pray for those who have lost their lives' then people'd be confused.
Religion shouldn't come into politics.
"this predominately Christian country"
Is that Britain, the country of roughly 60million people, out of which around 850,000 attend CofE churches every Sunday, and around the same attend Catholic services? Methinks your math ain't the same as mine.
I would hope that we don´t derive our morals from the Bible. Where is "thou shalt not rape" in the 10 commandments? A growing number of us (coservative party members and voters excepted) believe that descrimination homosexuals is a bad thing. The Bible says the opposite.
On the subject of Americans not voting for an atheist president. Who cares what Americans think or do?
I am religious myself, but I'd far rather have a decent honourable atheist in government than a xenophobic religious nutter - LOL or a eurosceptic...
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