Ed Miliband: I don't believe in God



New Labour leader Ed Miliband has said he does not believe in God
New Labour leader Ed Miliband does not believe in God, he has said.

Mr Miliband had previously said his religious views were a "private matter", and his declaration means two of the three leaders of major British political parties are self-proclaimed atheists.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also confirmed he does not believe shortly after being named Liberal Democrat leader, while David Cameron last year said religious faith was "part of who I am" but admitted he did not go to church regularly.

The Labour leader's atheism puts him in stark contrast to his predecessors Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, for whom religion was a central part of their lives.

In an interview on Radio 5 Live, Mr Miliband was asked by presenter Nicky Campbell: "Do you believe in God?"

The Labour leader replied: "I don't believe in God personally, but I have great respect for those people who do. Different people have different religious views in this country. The great thing is that, whether we have faith or not, we are by and large very tolerant of people whatever their view."

Mr Miliband and brother David are of Jewish descent, but religion did not play a large part in their upbringing by their Marxist father Ralph Miliband.

David has said publicly he is an atheist, and was the target of some criticism for sending his son to a Church of England school.

Despite spin doctor Alastair Campbell's famous comment to reporters that "we don't do God", Mr Blair has confirmed since leaving power that his religious faith was "hugely important" to his premiership. He said he did not speak publicly about his belief while in office out of fear voters would think him a "nutter".

Since leaving Downing Street, he has converted to Roman Catholicism, and in his recent memoir, A Journey, he wrote: "I have always been more interested in religion than politics."



http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=154802581

Ed Miliband: I don't believe in God

there goes his chance of ever becoming PM

I hope this guy is not for real, but just kidding!

The earlier you guys realise that most of these guys in western countries tend not to believe in God thses days the better.

To stay for Naija, na wahala, UK sef no dey easy now. Conservatives = austerity, Labour = No God.

God save us o!

@Femi4love,

Na wah my brother. we better all start looking at fixing our own country if not we are finished.

Na wa ooo . . . so because the man does not believe in God means life in the UK is now terrible for those out there? O ga oo!!! All the ones wey dey shout "God" here and there, how much more those ones don do una?

MrPrsdent:

there goes his chance of ever becoming PM

This is the UK where pple dont go to church. Not the US.

@monkeyleg

I agree with you, but where do we start from? I always have this strange feeling that it will get worse before something revolutionary will happen in Naija.

The kind of dreams I have about Naija, including the one I had this morning are always scary. We pray for Naija in the house, but our Naija experience in March doesn't really give much hope for the country except we are constantly holding the shield of faith.

A lot of people might not know that there's trouble all over the world, including Naija. Ironically, some of my friends of 30 years who have been here for like 24 years have just gone back to Naija, while some are struggling to come here. There's confusion everywhere.

@KoboJunkie

There's no way someone who doesn't believe in God will have the fear of God, even when it comes to dealing with others. Some who claim they know God don't even manifest the fear of God, how much less atheists?

femi4love:

@KoboJunkie

There's no way someone who doesn't believe in God will have the fear of God, even when it comes to dealing with others. Some who claim they know God don't even manifest the fear of God, how much less atheists?

The Fear of God? If you willing admit that even many who claim to know God lack it, why then do you believe all must have it to deal well with others?

Nigeria today is tagged the most religious country in the whole world yet, some of the worst attrocities against mankind are carried out by mostly religious beings, beings who claim to know and love God.

Pennywise:

This is the UK where pple dont go to church. Not the US.

They might not go to Church but when it comes to politics ,the electorate prefer a church-going PM

trust me,i know

@Femi4Love,

I know what you mean, but no matter how bad it is, there is nowhere like home, and I am extremely passionate about Nigeria, even though Nigeria has not done much for her citizens, I still love her, because I see the potential. As a people if we drop our selfish greedy attitude, we can do great things, but we live in Hope.

femi4love:

@KoboJunkie

There's no way someone who doesn't believe in God will have the fear of God, even when it comes to dealing with others. Some who claim they know God don't even manifest the fear of God, how much less atheists?

this is utter rubbish.i got more humane treatment when i was in uk by the so called people that do not have fear of God to people here in naija who shout God from morning till night ever did

Kobojunkie:

The Fear of God? If you willing admit that even many who claim to know God lack it, why then do you believe all must have it to deal well with others?

Ma, maybe you didn't understand my statement. What I mean is that, it is easier to even fear God when one believes in Him than when one does not. Everyone in life has a conscience, whether dead or living conscience, which is a constant reminder of the need to love our neighbours as ourselves. The fact that some ignore or delibrately "kill" their conscience doesn't diminish the truth.

Some deal with others not necessarily out fear of God, but their personal convictions, but I hope you'll agree with me that it's easier to bring good out of good than good out of evil?

MrPrsdent:

They might not go to Church but when it comes to politics ,the electorate prefer a church-going PM

trust me,i know

what do you know?

MrPrsdent:

They might not go to Church but when it comes to politics ,the electorate prefer a church-going PM

trust me,i know

are you a political pollster or something? did you take a door to door survey to support your argument?

take your ann coulter scare tactics somewhere else jare.

femi4love:

Ma, maybe you didn't understand my statement. What I mean is that, it is easier to even fear God when one believes in Him than when one does not. Everyone in life has a conscience, whether dead or living conscience, which is a constant reminder of the need to love our neighbours as ourselves. The fact that some ignore or delibrately "kill" their conscience doesn't diminish the truth.

Some deal with others not necessarily out fear of God, but their personal convictions, but I hope you'll agree with me that it's easier to bring good out of good than good out of evil?

that is all there is, to it, my brother. who will you entrust something important to, one who is in fear? or one who has convictions, choose wisely.  

asha 2:

this is utter rubbish.i got more humane treatment when i was in uk by the so called people that do not have fear of God to people here in naija who shout God from morning till night ever did

Sorry to know about your "experience" but you are not the only one. It may sound like rubbish, but I personally prefer someone who believes in God to be my country's PM or president than someone who doesn't believe in God.
Whatever he does with his belief and his acts will be judged eventually by God.

Whether we like it or not, a person's belief will have an influence on him/her no matter how obvious or little it is.

femi4love:

Sorry to know about your "experience" but you are not the only one. It may sound like rubbish, but I personally prefer someone who believes in God to be my country's PM or president than someone who doesn't believe in God.
Whatever he does with his belief and his acts will be judge eventually by God.

Whether we like it or not, a person's belief will have an influence on him/her no matter how obvious or little it is.

How? And you live in this same UK
Are we being lead by a dictator (absolute power) or via a parliamentary system?
You see most people in the western world don't hide behind religion.

femi4love:

Sorry to know about your "experience" but you are not the only one. It may sound like rubbish, but I personally prefer someone who believes in God to be my country's PM or president than someone who doesn't believe in God.
Whatever he does with his belief and his acts will be judged eventually by God.

Whether we like it or not, a person's belief will have an influence on him/her no matter how obvious or little it is.

hehe naija guys and God sha.no wonder it is easy to decieve us using God's name.  

jay bee:

How? And you live in this same UK
Are we being lead by a dictator (absolute power) or via a parliamentary system?
You see most people in the western world don't hide behind religion.

i know right, checks and balances isn't just a textbook idea.

asha 2:

hehe naija guys and God sha.no wonder it is easy to decieve us using God's name.  

Are you saying we should now forget about the reality of God because some of us have been deceived by people claiming to know God?

Folks, in my view, Ed Milliband is one of the most humane of the breed of young politicians in the UK. He has always been a champion of the environment, developing countries, and a believer in social justice. Sounds good to me. And to think that the politicians ruining our country Nigeria proclaim at every opportunity to be 'God-fearing,' ah, well.

Some have said on here that because of lack of Faith, he will never be voted in as a UK Prime Minister (PM). That's incorrect. Whilst I agree that he prob will never be a UK PM, that's entirely because his party (Labour) is blamed by many for the current economic mess in the UK. Also, the political cycle is not in his favour - his party was voted out of office less than 6 mths ago, after almost 13 yrs (some1 correct me) in office. They are unlikely to to come back to power for a long while yet. After one or 2 poor election results, his party will prob kick him out (yes UK politics can be ruthless!), or he will resign. But thats got absolutely nothing to do with his Atheism.

Also, while a sizable proportion of the indigenous UK folks may still believe in God, less than 5% of them go to church on a regular basis. Christianity or indeed any form of religion is rarely visible in UK political life. This is not America or indeed Nigeria.

femi4love:

Are you saying we should now forget about the reality of God because some of us have been deceived by people claiming to know God?

All i am trying to say be rationale in the way you see things.

femi4love:

Are you saying we should now forget about the reality of God because some of us have been deceived by people claiming to know God?

which God? the reality of Sango?

asha 2:


All i am trying to say be rationale in the way you see things.

Well without apologies, my rationale is based on my personal opinions.

DeLaRue:

Folks, in my view, Ed Milliband is one of the most humane of the breed of young politicians in the UK. He has always been a champion of the environment, developing countries, and a believer in social justice. Sounds good to me. And to think that the politicians ruining our country Nigeria proclaim at every opportunity to be 'God-fearing,' ah, well.

Some have said on here that because of lack of Faith, he will never be voted in as a UK Prime Minister (PM). That's incorrect. Whilst I agree that he prob will never be a UK PM, that's entirely because his party (Labour) is blamed by many for the current economic mess in the UK. Also, the political cycle is not in his favour - his party was voted out of office less than 6 mths ago, after almost 13 yrs (some1 correct me) in office. They are unlikely to to come back to power for a long while yet. After one or 2 poor election results, his party will prob kick him out (yes UK politics can be ruthless!), or he will resign. But thats got absolutely nothing to do with his Atheism.

Also, while a sizable proportion of the indigenous UK folks may still believe in God, less than 5% of them go to church on a regular basis. Christianity or indeed any form of religion is rarely visible in UK political life. This is not America or indeed Nigeria.

I agree with your submission. Atheism may not be an issue where UK politics are concerned, but I will be surprised if people of some faith will vote for someone who doesn't believe in the existence of God rather than someone of some faith background.

bawomolo:

which God? the reality of Sango?

I'm talking of the Almighty God not some idol. Do you think Atheists believe in the existence of the so-called idols? I hope you don't.

femi4love:

I'm talking of the Almighty God not some idol. Do you think Atheists believe in the existence of the so-called idols? I hope you don't.

but Sango is considered a God. can you trust someone who has the fear of sango in him? or the fear of Zeus?

Hey Femi, I agree that many in the UK, predominantly Catholics, African Christians, and probably some Muslims may not vote for an Atheist, but remember that you dont need everyone to vote for you to win elections. The 3 groups I mentioned are still in the minority in the UK. Traditionally, the UK is predominantly Anglican, but the ranks of Anglicans has been so depleted in the UK, it is mindboggling.

Most large 'white' churches (except Catholic) in the UK have 100 or less worshipers on a typical Sunday, even though in the 70s, the congregation would have been close to 3 times that number.

Majority of voters in the UK would prefer an Atheist, to a Christian that proclaims his Christianity at every opportunity. Did you know Tony Blair rarely mentioned his faith when he was PM? He only started talking about it after he left office. When asked why, he said it would have caused a lot of 'distraCtion' - a political code for saying the press/and most Brits may not have liked it!

Nonetheless, I believe in God, and I wish Milliband did.

@DelaRue

I agree with what you said and I'm not disputing the fact that claiming to be a Christian or of whatever religion may bring an adverse result to anyone's political ambition in the UK because the nation has long put God away from their daily life.

Being a country with diverse people of different belief background will make a leader in this environment not to over emphasise their religious belief. People will rather want you to keep your belief to yourself rather than coming out and upset people like me. I also don't believe that because someone says he believes in GOd will make him perform better, but certainly not believing makes me "very afraid".

Coming to Nigeria, could you imagine what the likes of Abacha would have done to the country if they were professing  Atheists? Forget the fact that they only believe in God in words only not in acts?

Choose one


Ed Milliband that claims he doesnt know God or a GoodLuck who professes God but cant show Christ Like qualities in this life.