As long expected, Tony Blair has converted to Catholicism. And his welcoming committee is laying out the red carpet.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) reacted with surprise to the news of Mr Blair’s conversion.
“During his premiership Tony Blair became one of the world’s most significant architects of of the culture of death, promoting abortion, experimentation on unborn embryos, including cloned embryos, and euthanasia by neglect,” said John Smeaton, SPUC’s national director.
“SPUC is writing to Tony Blair to ask him whether he has repented of the anti-life positions he has so openly advocated throughout his political career.”
John Kerry had it easy. He was born into the faith. I hope Blair focuses more of his attention on repenting for all the death he needlessly helped cause in Iraq.
Don’t hold your breath.
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Blair: Invasion of Iraq God’s Decision ¶ Bush: God’s Mission
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."He’s switching from Anglicanism to Catholicism, a change that is much akin to switching from Folgers to Maxwell House. Blair didn’t “find religion” per se, he just switched brands.
Booman Tribune ~ Blair’s Welcome into the Catholic Faith
There is a significance in the brand change nevertheless. Nobody pays too much attention when the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury says anything because their is a protestant tradition of telling the Church to mind its own business when it comes to politics (sadly not extant in the US).
The Roman Catholic Church, on the other hand, often seeks to force the compliance of its members in matters of social teaching even when those members are politicians representing a largely secular society. Tony Blair would have risks severe censure if not excommunication for many of his policy decisions had he been an RC whilst PM. Indeed, it is doubtful whether he would have been elected Labour Leader in the first place.