Opinionated News

Tony Blair, the ex British Prime Minister, has found religion in the form of Catholicism (he recently converted to this faith), and like many people who find what they believe to be their passion in life, is using this has a springboard into a new venture.  His idea isn’t new.  There’s no quibbling that religion is one of the foundation stones of most wars – or rather a conflict of religions – and that getting differing religions to unite for a common cause will be a huge step towards restoring peace. 

Tony Blair’s actually pulling a smart move here.  He’s not joining Ex President Jimmy Carter in the call for world peace.  Mr Blair’s niche is going to be at a lower rung of a similar ladder.  However  if he’s successful in achieving his aim of uniting different faiths so that they work together to provide solutions to global problems such as extreme poverty, then from this the mutual respect for different opinions required for world peace will surely be easier to find. 

This all sounds pretty good and noble on paper, but I have a small problem with this.  During his time in office, Tony Blair was not an openly religious man.  In fact, he’s only seemed to have become one since leaving office.  Whilst he lived at Number 10 Downing Street he managed to divide his party, and be instrumental in making decisions that turned many of his supporters away.  I have to wonder if he has the diplomatic skills necessary to pull off what he thinks to be his new calling.  I don’t have any doubts he can be as charming as a media crew need him to be.  Whether he can be skilful enough to bring about change in the way various religions interact with one another so that they all pull in the same direction for the common good of all remains to be seen. 

A question to readers: Do you think that all ex country leaders who take on global problems do so to highlight an issue or themselves?

For what it’s worth, my opinion is that some like Jimmy Carter are genuinely concerned about what happens to the people of the world and want to help, whilst others don’t appear to have such sincerity.