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Originally Posted by RedGlitter
I was just reading at CNN.com that Tony Blair has converted to Catholicism.
I don't remember ever having this discussion before so I thought I'd toss it out.
What's your feeling on conversion? Specifically, conversion brought on by marriage or a reason other than a personal change of heart?]
My feeling is that it's a crock. No offense intended but that's the best way I can put it. While I think there's room for growth and change in a faith, I just don't see how a person can "be" of one faith and then completely cash in those values and beliefs for something new. I especially have a problem with it when it's required or brought on by marriage. A cousin of mine who grew up Lutheran converted to Mormonism so she could marry her husband. They had a wedding at the Temple in Utah and she is very happy so I have an easier time accepting it now, but we truly thought she sold out her own beliefs and were upset about it for a long time especially after she had said she'd never do such a thing. To go from "I believe this" to "Oh I believe this other thing now" and to embrace that new faith as your own newly found personal identity smacks of fraud to me. That's my 50 cents.  What is yours? |
I notice he waited till he was no longer prime minister though there were rumours he would convert. If he'd come out with that nonsense about god will judge if he did he right thing in Iraq or even hinted his religion influenced his decision in any way at the beginning of it all there would have (IMO) been outrage. Never mind he was appointing anglican bishops or dealing with Northern ireland where it would have been a major issue.Maybe some of the labour MP's would have had the guts to do the right thing and stand up to the new labour machine. I'm not religious but if I was I like to think there is a special hell for lying hypocrites like him. Too many use religion as a sop for acts they know are wrong or simply so they don't have to think for themselves and take responsibility.
Kind of shows in the way he acted-do something dishonest, tell lies to get your own way, apologise when caught and that will be OK then and people will forgive you.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7157409.stm
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And earlier this year, he told the BBC that he had avoided talking about his religious views while in office for fear of being labelled "a nutter".
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Most people think that anyway. If he hadn't been craft and said he was going to go the labour MP's would have turfed him out rather than the dead certainty of losing the next election.
As to religious conversion generally I think it's up to each to follow their conscience. My wife and I are different religions-well neither of us are believers any more-but I wouldn't have expected her to convert nor she me which is one reason we had a civil service. Bothered my mother but she changed her mind when told she didn't have to come.
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I just don't see how a person can "be" of one faith and then completely cash in those values and beliefs for something new.
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Why not? if they switch from one monotheistic religion to another it's not as though they are not worshipping a different god is it?
many can walk away from religion when they learn to think for themselves, By the same token just as Many can discover a religion that works for them. (or a political philosophy come to that)
Just looked over that-sorry but I can't stand Tony Blair. This being the Uk I can call the former prime minister a lying two faced hypocritical bastard without being called unpatriotic.