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White House renews drive for
"faith-based initiative" |
| White House considers renewed drive to
fund churches through ''faith-based initiative''
Bush Push To Win 'Charitable Choice' Grants For
Religion Would Be Deeply Divisive, Charges AU's Lynn
Press release from Americans United for Separation
of Church and State
Dated September 25, 2001. Posted here on 9-26-01
A renewed White House push to secure Senate passage of "charitable
choice" funding for churches would be "deeply divisive,"
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has warned.
The Washington Post reported today that Bush
administration officials are considering an aggressive drive on behalf
of the "faith-based initiative," a package of proposals that
would subsidize churches and other ministries that operate social
services.
According to the newspaper, some Bush advisors want to
push for provisions of the initiative that have broad bipartisan
support, such as a tax break measure that gives taxpayers new incentives
to donate to religious and other charities.
Other advisors think the president should press for
the full "faith-based" package, which includes highly
controversial direct funding of churches (the so-called "charitable
choice" provision). They are apparently convinced that the
president's soaring popularity in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks will help pass the problem-plagued initiative. Such a move would
be a serious mistake, said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of
Americans United, the group that has led opposition to the Bush plan.
"Americans are united at this time of national
crisis," said Lynn, "but that does not mean they are prepared
to rubber stamp every item on the president's domestic agenda. Direct
federal funding of churches violates our basic constitutional
principles, and it must not become law."
Continued Lynn, "The 'charitable choice'
provision of the faith-based initiative remains highly controversial. It
would be wrong for the president to press forward on a deeply divisive
issue at a time when national unity is crucial."
The Community Solutions Act (H.R. 7) -- a measure
enacting the full Bush initiative -- has already passed the House of
Representatives. It has bogged down in the Senate over concerns that the
initiative violates the First Amendment by directing tax aid to
religion. The initiative also undercuts civil rights laws by allowing
religiously based employment discrimination with tax dollars, pits
houses of worship against each other in a bid for federal funding and
could subject needy Americans to unwanted proselytism.
"Interfaith peace is especially important in
these difficult times," said AU's Lynn. "Under the president's
plan, a fundamentalist Christian charity could run a federally funded
social service program and hang out a sign saying, 'No Catholics, Jews,
non-believers or Muslims need apply for work here.' That's completely
unacceptable, particularly in a time when we are trying to bring all
Americans together.
"The faith-based initiative remains deeply
flawed," Lynn said. "At this difficult time in American life,
we would do better to honor our fundamental principles, like the
separation of church and state, not undercut them."
Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog
group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization
educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in
safeguarding religious freedom.
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created this new blog
for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship and activism,
Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the voices of
feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy, students,
exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers and
devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God in
whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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Witherspoon’s Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, Witherspoon’s
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views, or initiate
a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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John Harris’ Summit to Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical reflections on
everything between summit to shore, including kayaking, climbing,
religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology, politics, culture,
travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New York City and the
Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive New York City
Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the Witherspoon
board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian Church in
Flushing, NY. |
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John
Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently serving as
pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton, Tenn., blogs
about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized and
disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and lightening
up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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Plan now for our 2010 Ghost Ranch
Seminar!
GHOST RANCH SEMINAR
July 26-August 1, 2010
WE’RE
ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
CONFRONTING THE STRUCTURES OF INJUSTICE |
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