gsx1138

I'm sure they'll apply this to atheists as well so don't be surprised if it comes around your way. I said that faith based funding would only apply to major religions and it seems I was right.


James Towey the White House Deputy Assistant to the President and
Director, Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives hosted a Q
and A session on Whitehouse.gov web site today, and amazingly
answered a thoughtful question with this bigoted reply:

Quoted from www.whitehouse.gov 11/26/2003---

Colby, from Centralia MO writes:
"Do you feel that Pagan faith based groups should be given the same considerations as any other group that seeks aid? "

Jim Towey
"I haven't run into a pagan faith-based group yet, much less a pagan group that cares for the poor! Once you make it clear to any applicant that public money must go to public purposes and can't be used to promote ideology, the fringe groups lose interest. Helping the poor is tough work and only those with loving hearts seem drawn
to it."

Notice that he never actually answers the question. Also, the fact that he thinks Pagans would use the money to promote their ideology shows he doesn't know shit about Paganism.

Karalora

Also that he refers to us as a "fringe group". According to this site, estimates of the number of Pagans in the US range from 200,000 to a full million (not counting Hindus, who rate their own group and number well over a million). How numerous do we have to be before we're no longer considered a "fringe"?

I would be very surprised if any religious group that was sincerely interested in social work for its own sake would be put off from seeking public funding merely by the stipulation that they not be allowed to proselytize. More likely, the Pagan organizations aren't going for the government money because they already know it will be denied to them.

How much do you want to be that proselytizing efforts by Christian groups receiving federal funding will be allowed to slide, but any Islamic groups that do the same will be nailed to the wall?

Rusting Car Bumper

nevermind.

beyelzu

until you believe in christ, I think that dipshit would consider you to be in a fringe group.
how do you know that pagan groups would or have been denied. not that it would surprise me, however.

Karalora

Just a hunch. Remember, our current Chief Executive is the one who, as governor of Texas, argued against Wiccan chaplains in the Armed Forces on the grounds that "I don't think [it] is a religion." (Source: the Quotations section of this religioustolerance.org page.

gsx1138

Well my local Pagan Org. (if you can call it that) may be finding out soon whether the Government will allow it or not. We already do charity work and training for nurses at the local hospital so we'll see.

Karalora

Good luck with that and Blessed Be. And if they deny you, raise the biggest stink this side of a skunk convention.

beyelzu

well, of course its obious that paganism isnt a religion, yall dont believe in jesus


I cant believe he said something that fucking stupid.

beyelzu

good luck.

external solipsism

Thank Zeus for the seperation of church and state....