The following is from a column by Robyn Blumner in the St. Petersburg Times yesterday.
"Thanks to President Bush and his plan to Christianize the nation's provision of social services one's relationship with Jesus Christ has become a real resume booster...Bush has ushered in affirmative action for the born-again.
"In 2005 alone, more than $2 billion in federal tax money went to groups affiliated with Christian religions. Reallocation of social services money from secular agencies to religiously affiliated programs resulted in shifting employment opportunities, some of which have a shocking job requirement: only Christians need apply.
"For example, a group that provided prison inmates with job training posted an ad for a site manager. It said that the applicant must be 'a believer in Christ and Christian Life today, sharing these ideals when the opportunity arises.' Apparently, experience and qualifications are secondary.
"Before Bush, employees paid with public funds to provide social welfare were hired on the basis of merit, not piety. But this distinction was eradicated when Bush issued a series of executive orders approving taxpayer financed religious discrimination."
Blumner cites the case of a 24-year employee of the Salvation Army who had administered such programs as foster home placement, day care services and similar secular assistance who was forced to resign due to her non-Christian beliefs. Prior to 2003, the S.A. had always been meticulous about keeping its evangelical side from mingling with its provision of social services. But Bush changed that by striking a deal with the Salvation Army: in exchange for the administration passing regulations protecting faith-based groups from state and local antidiscrimination regulations relative to gays, the S.A. agreed to promote the administration's faith-based agenda.
"Here it is, church and state working hand in glove, with tax money and government sanctioned intolerance as the prize...Meanwhile, money is flowing into religious coffers wthout anyone watching...A few organizations even admitted to praying with clients while providing government-funded services. As to kicking out non-Christians on the staff, the Bush Justice Department says that is perfectly okay."
Does this incense you as much as it does me? It seems to me that the US has come full circle: from escaping King George's religious persecution to falling into the new King George's born-again clutches. The very premise on which this country was founded, freedom to worship (or not) as we saw fit, is being ripped asunder as we watch. Suddenly, our leaders have decreed this to be "a Christian nation", regardless of the large non-Christian population who came here seeking sanctuary, regardless of the founders' clearly stated ukase against a state religion, regardless of the Supreme Court's unequivocal separation of church and state. Why are we sitting still for this abhorrent distortion of our Constitution? Why are we allowing this obscene trampling of our basic rights? Why are we not all standing in our windows screaming "I don't like it and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
TAKE A STAND, PEOPLE. PRAY FOR ATHEISM!
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Comments: 7
Fish, If some one is in need a church should be willing to help that individual regardless if they are christian or not. Just as Jesus healed the gentile woman's son. It did not matter to Jesus that she was not Jewish. However, I will be the first to admit when many people go to a church in need the church will look at the person as a recruiting opportunity.....which is soooo wrong. I am sure that is why alot of people are intimidated to ask a church for help. I am sure there could be other reasons as well.
But let's assume that a faith based initiative is open to all as I believe they are. I suspect there may be a few bad apples, but on the whole, I do think that religion-sponsored charitable institutions are sincerely interested in helping those who need it. But there are overtones and opportunities available to the ones who are spreading the bucks.
First, there may be no exclusion, but I think it's pretty obvious that there would be preferential treatment. Here's my scenario: A church has an assistance program for, say, reduced-rate childcare for working, single mothers. I cannot imagine that a non-christian or even a christian of a different church would get a spot over a member of the congregation. I'm not faulting a church for that, it's what any decent institution would do: take care of their own.
Second, religion-based charities use the opportunity to proselytize. This could be active proselytizing as in sermons, hymns, prayers, scripture readings or religious videos. Or it might be as innocuous as posters and God's Li'l Handbook quotes hanging on the wall. Whatever the level, the message that is given -- and consciously given -- is that you, the recipient, are enjoying charity in God's name and you should be grateful to Him for it.
In both cases, the fact that taxpayer money is used in these circumstances is quite literally government sponsorship of bringing christianity to the unwashed masses.
Joe.. it's good to be afraid of the Christian agenda... in fact, be VERY afraid! That's gonna be one pissed-off mob when the rapture doesn't show up as expected.