God is making a comeback even less expected than Leonard Cohen’s. I’m Your Man, growled Len, but for many their man is upstairs: 43% of Americans are born-again Christians; fanaticism fans across the Muslim world; a devout Catholic who fears gay rights is set to become the European Union’s justice commissioner.

Here, there is talk of Tony Blair converting to Catholicism, which could render him even more madly messianic. Adding to the spiritual lucky dip, Princess Michael of Kent says Prince William’s future other half could be Muslim. Faith is the latest designer label: witness Madonna’s “belief” in cranky, pseudo-Jewish Kabbalah.

So what, you might shrug. Sure, it is odd that after 2,000 years of scientific advance more, not fewer, souls seek solace, but it is a harmless comfort in an empty, materialist world, right? Nope.

An adviser to George Bush states America now “creates our own realities”; in such spirit Bush told Pat Robertson, an evangelist, that America’s casualties in Iraq would be zero; from papal infallibility to presidential fallibility, perhaps.

Robertson knew better: “The Lord told me the war was going to be a disaster.” With these important folk enjoying direct lines to God, might they not call BT to ask if there is a fault on the line? But there is scant criticism. John Kerry talks of the fun he had as an altar boy, and no one dares even snigger. Well, as Andrew Sullivan writes on page 19, he does need the Catholic vote.

The downer with converts such as Blair and Bush is they actually believe. Now Blair “knows” he is right on Iraq after his prayer session with Bush. And that is dangerous.

If Bush wins, he will pack the Supreme Court with religious judges. Blair takes care that new bishops are “on message” (to him); how long before he follows his faith schools initiative with further religious intrusion? After all, he has already allowed a “creationist” who rejects Darwin to sponsor schools.

It would be wrong to hinder him if he wants to be left-footed, (or turban-headed). Freedom of worship should be for all. But still I worry: if church and state are divorced, ironically faith will boom. Privatise any dead institution (BT, the Church of England) and it perks up.

Even Cohen, 70, has become a Zen monk, (part-time, for when he is not busy making us glum). So who will deliver us from dogma?

Band Aid – a plaster only for our conscience

The first hint of Christmas is no longer the tawdry line of tinsel in the high street; it is news of a “new” Band Aid single.

So another generation of rocker will choke on the line “there won’t be snow in Africa” (“Wot, no coke? Well, we won’t play Darfur on our world tour”). Teenagers will emote and feel their pocket money has saved a continent. Tony Blair will smile that we have at last healed the scar that is Africa. Oh, but of course the dying will go on.

In Uganda 20,000 children have been taken hostage by rebels, but hey, Saint Bob Geldof will sort out the politics with a new pop video.