Tony Blair on Church & State

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Here's Tony Blair's take on church/relations in a secular democracy. Whatcha think?

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/11/my-take-10-dos-and-donts-for-religion-and-democracy/?hpt=hp_abar

[Norfolk And Chance]

I think he's as deluded as all other theists, and his views mean nothing.

[not your typical...]

I think he's as deluded as all other theists

I almost took slight offense taken at this comment, but then a reminder of a true theist walked in the room and pissed me off....

[Whitney]

Not sure about 1...at least not what it would look like in practice.

I like number 6.

I don't like number 9; that seems like saying that you can't have a say if you are a minority.  if they really aren't the majority then they'll be made to shut up at the polls when all the normal people vote.  It also conflicts with 10 so perhaps I don't understand the intent of 9.

But ya, overall I think that's a pretty good stance to take.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Not sure about 1...at least not what it would look like in practice.

I like number 6.

I don't like number 9; that seems like saying that you can't have a say if you are a minority.  if they really aren't the majority then they'll be made to shut up at the polls when all the normal people vote.  It also conflicts with 10 so perhaps I don't understand the intent of 9.

But ya, overall I think that's a pretty good stance to take.

Yeah, number 9 seems to conflict with the idea of a secular state.  A religious dominance in the public/political sphere would seem antithetical to a liberal, secular democracy in which all people have equal rights.  I think this was an accommodation to the Muslim community in the UK, perhaps, or to other Islamic countries. 

Right now we have a Jewish state in Israel and a Christian state in the Vatican, and several Muslim states. It's very unlikely that more Jewish or Christian states will arise.  It is not unlikely that more Muslim states will arise. Islam is the real challenge to secular, liberal democracies, and I think Blair is accommodating them somewhat, to my disappointment.