We Do not 'Do' God

The year was 2003.

Tony Blair was our Prime Minister.

Apparently, 'Great' Britain had grown up (read: was too educated to believe in God);

had lost its unwanted baggage from the past (read: had forgotten its history);

and was now basking in a new glory (read: had a swaggering pride in youth and cared nothing for the wisdom of the aged).

The US President, George W Bush had been in the UK on a state visit, and Tony Blair was being asked whether faith bonded them. As soon as the American journalist asked Mr Blair this question about his belief, Alastair Campbell, who was the Prime Minister's communications manager and an avowed atheist, stopped the interview in its tracks: "We don't do God," he barked from the sidelines.

The Daily Telegraph reported after this incident:

One could write a book about everything that this little intervention has to tell us about Mr Blair and his style of government, and about Britain in 2003.

What does it tell us about modern Britain, that Mr Blair's chief adviser on his 'image' should think that it would look bad for him to mention God?

We don't do God

I remembered this incident the other evening as I watched our last Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, leave office. He made a short speech, but was careful not to mention God in any way.

He said he was thankful that, although he was losing this part of his life, he still had his most important areas: that of being a husband and father.

No mention of thanking God for this.

He ended by saying: 'Thank you, and.....

(Surely he'll say 'God bless you')

....Goodbye'.

Yep. It seems to be true: We don't do God in the UK anymore.

Queen Victoria once said that, 'England's Greatness was to be attributed to the Bible. When she loses the Bible, 'Great' Britain, will no longer be Great.

I guess that says it all.