Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Toto · 09-16-2002, 12:15 PM

Featured on the <a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/top10/02/84.html" target="_blank">Top Ten Conservative Idiots</a>:

<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18354-2002Sep14.html" target="_blank">GOP Using Faith Initiative to Woo Voters</a>

Quote:

Office's Officials Have Appeared With Republican Candidates in Tight Races

Republicans are using the prospect of federal grants from the Bush administration's "faith-based initiative" to boost support for GOP candidates, especially among black voters in states and districts with tight congressional races this fall.

. . .

"Madison and Jefferson understood the lesson of human history -- that when you start combining the power of politics and the power of religion, you end up with politicians using religion as means to their own ends," Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Tex.) said.

Another critic of the initiative, Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said, "The Bush administration has been fishing for African American voters, and faith-based funding looks like the answer to their prayers." Possible grants, he said, "are being dangled to select church pastors in the African American community as a kind of lure, with the expectation that those churches will get out and support Republican candidates."

See also this column:

<a href="http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/15/Columns/Bush_s_religious_pres.shtml" target="_blank">Bush's religious prescription</a>

Quote:

At one of these outreach conferences put on by the Administration of Children and Families, part of HHS, the proceedings seemed more like a tent revival than a government function. The large gathering at the Sheraton Hotel in New Orleans in May was opened with two invocations and songs sung by ACF's own gospel choir.

In a break-out workshop, the featured speaker was Jackie Jaramillo of Faith Partners in Colorado Springs. Jaramillo's program pairs welfare families with church mentors who promise to pray for the family for a year. The program is bankrolled partly with federal funds from the Temporary Aid to Needy Families program, a welfare-to-work block grant to the states. The church mentors are supposed to strategize and offer the family tangible help toward a more productive future. But, according to an audience member, Jaramillo said that much of the first six months is simply spent praying together.

The crowd was so excited by her presentation that a man in the assembly leapt to his feet and asked if he could lead the group in prayer. At least one audience member started speaking in tongues.

Here is your tax money at work.

. . .

The federal government's "faith-based" offices are dominated by people whom the spirit moves but the Constitution doesn't. Robert Polito, director of the HHS Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, came out of Faith Works of Milwaukee, a program he founded which was partially struck down as violating church-state separation. At the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the faith-based director, Steven Wagner, is planning to open grant programs to religious groups that employ only members of their own faith.

It appears we are entering a new era in Washington, one where the wall separating church and state has been razed to a pile of rubble and the IRS has become one giant collection plate.

Splat · 09-16-2002, 07:48 PM

This bites large. I just hope there are a few Wiccans out there planning to sue for their handout.

Toto · 09-19-2002, 02:44 PM

From the Newswire: <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0918/p10s02-comv.html" target="_blank">Pork in the Pulpit</a>

Peregrine · 09-19-2002, 07:21 PM

Bob Ehlich (Rep. running for Governor in Maryland) is selling the faith based crap to the black churches. Sad fact is that they are buying it.

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09-16-2002, 07:48 PM	#2
Splat Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Hell, PA Posts: 599	This bites large. I just hope there are a few Wiccans out there planning to sue for their handout.

09-19-2002, 02:44 PM	#3
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	From the Newswire: <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0918/p10s02-comv.html" target="_blank">Pork in the Pulpit</a>

09-19-2002, 07:21 PM	#4
Peregrine Regular Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 385	Bob Ehlich (Rep. running for Governor in Maryland) is selling the faith based crap to the black churches. Sad fact is that they are buying it.

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