NEW YORK (AP) — Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Friday that leaders in an interdependent world must work to end religious conflict or face “catastrophe” as he introduced a new foundation dedicated to interfaith understanding.
Religion is as important in this century as political ideology was in the last, Blair said. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation will fight extremism, organize faith groups against poverty and illness, and educate people worldwide about religions other than their own, he said.
“There is a new reality. We have to come to terms with it. And it implies, at its fundamentals, peaceful coexistence or catastrophe,” said Blair in a speech before religious and business leaders at the posh Time Warner Center. “If faith becomes a countervailing force, pulling people apart, then it becomes destructive and indeed dangerous.”
Former President Bill Clinton, who became a close friend of Blair’s when both men were in office, opened the event, putting his arm around the former prime minister and calling his faith “genuine” and “deep.” ( Bill Clinton is now a judge of character?)
The group’s advisory council includes evangelical megapastor Rick Warren,( interesting guess we know whose side he is on) who with his wife, Kay, advocates for HIV/AIDS victims worldwide; Ismail Khudr Al-Shatti, an adviser to the prime minister of Kuwait; and world Baptist and Jewish leaders. Catholic Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor of Westminster, England, has pledged to join the council when the pope allows him to retire.
Yale University is a partner in the project. The former prime minister plans to teach at the school next year, leading a seminar on faith and globalization.
In a brief interview, Blair said he defined extremists as “people who want to exclude the other if someone is of a different faith.“( so in Tony’s world anyone that beleives Jesus is the only way to God is an extremist) Blair told the crowd that although Islamic extremism draws the most attention, “there are elements of extremism in every major faith.”
“It is important where people of good faith combat such extremism, that they are supported,” said Blair, who is an envoy for the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers — the U.S., European Union, Russia and United Nations.
Among the foundation’s many initiatives are promoting research on religion and globalization; ( ooooh so it is to not only promote a one world religion but a one world government- thanks for clearing that up for us) developing interactive media and publications on religion geared for young people, businesses and political groups; and, working with the U.N. and groups such as the Malaria No More Campaign to fight the illness.
Blair said the foundation would not focus on “doctrinal inquiry” ( no for heaven’s sake lets not worry about DOCTRINE) or “subsume different faiths in some universal faith of the lowest common denominator.”
Sayyid Syeed, a national leader of the Islamic Society of North America and a veteran of interfaith outreach, said it is possible to find common ground without watering down religious teachings if the work is based on sound scholarship about each faith.
“It has been done in the past and can be done again,” Syeed said.
( notice the doublespeak in the last three paragraphs)
Richard C. Levin, Yale’s president, who shared the stage with Blair and two young American Muslim leaders, said the community service programs that will be part of the foundation’s work will build a bond among young people, despite any theological differences.
“You cannot understand the modern world,” Blair said, “unless you understand the importance of religious faith.”
Mishel’s note:
The bottom line is this. We are moving towards a one world church that will ride the back of the beast (a one world government that will be ruled by the antichrist).
Sam says
Someone just linked to this article on Twitter. I haven’t visited the site before, but this article completely baffles me so I don’t think I’ll be returning. I’m a Christian and I’m a journalist and I’m frankly appalled at the lack of decent research and understanding which has gone into this piece.
Let’s break it down so I can explain what I think has gone wrong here…
Firstly the headline “Tony Blair Calls For World Church”. I don’t know how else to say this..NO HE DIDN’T. Arguable there already is a world church – a group of believers in Jesus who are represented all over the world. But I imagine in this context “World Church” to you means something very different? I don’t know? You need to explain that more. You need to tell me where Tony Blair has called for a world church – becuase he doesn’t anywhere in this article. So you are producing completely false information and therefore YOU are deceiving people.
After a snide comment about Bill Clinton you move to make a strange comment about Rick Warren. I would like to know what is so bad about him helping HIV victims please?
Next there’s this: “In a brief interview, Blair said he defined extremists as “people who want to exclude the other if someone is of a different faith.“( so in Tony’s world anyone that beleives Jesus is the only way to God is an extremist)”
I think here you need to understand what exclusion means. Exclusion would be refusing to serve you in a resteraunt because you’re a Christian or someone else is a Muslim. THAT is clearly wrong. It’s NOT wrong to exclude someone from taking communion if they’re not a Christian. Because that is a religious practice. Tony Blair no doubt understands this. Tony Blair HAS NOT SAID that anyone who says Jesus is the only way to God is an extremist. Believing that is simply to believe a core Christian doctrine. Believing that Jesus is the only way to God does not mean I’m not allowed to serve a non Christian in a resteraunt. So again – please be reasonable here. Do the research, learn to put things in context and seek to understand what people mean. Don’t jump to conclusions.
Next, and at this point it actually gets worse: “Among the foundation’s many initiatives are promoting research on religion and globalization; ( ooooh so it is to not only promote a one world religion but a one world government- thanks for clearing that up for us)” Promoting research on religion is not the same as promoting a one world religion. How could you ever get those two things mixed up? Researching globalization is not the same thing as implimenting a one world government? If you think it is then you’re clearly paranoid!!
Next: “Blair said the foundation would not focus on “doctrinal inquiry” ( no for heaven’s sake lets not worry about DOCTRINE)” Doctrine is important, in fact vital, for believers and non believers to understand. I agree with you. But just because Blair is not looking at it, doesn’t mean he believes its unimportant. The Faith Foundation doesn’t exist to try and get everyone to agree on doctrine, its not their role. You can’t expect a secular organisation to put out material on doctrine – if they tried they’d probably just get it wrong anyway.
I see no issue with this either: “it is possible to find common ground without watering down religious teachings” All this means is that I believe Jesus is the way to God and a Muslim doesn’t. This is an important area of disagreement, but it doesn’t mean that I can’t work with him on other less important issues. This is common sense. Of course we can debate important areas of doctrine, but doing that doesn’t mean that I can’t associate with him!
Your final bottom line is completely laughable in this context. You haven’t shown how you’ve arrived at that conclusion at all. Your bottom line does not relate to the rest of the article in any way shape or form.
Joseph says
Very well written. Don’t let anything or anyone deter you from obeying God. God bless you!