"God In Government " Documentary

[TexasSissy]

I just watched part of a documentary on the station "Link" (I have DirecTV satellite). It was titled "God in Government."

The part I watched was about Bush and in particular, his faith-based initiatives program. Congress did not pass it, so Bush passed it by Executive Order. Let me tell you, what Bush has done is chilling, frightening.

Let me say that I started thinking, well, it's not a bad thing to include faith-based programs, as long as they are doing things like providing beds for the homeless, etc. What difference does it make if they are secular or faith based? Then information started coming out that secular programs are LOSING their federal funds, while the faith based programs are getting millions (I think he said over $1 BILLION dollars this year). One veterans' program was denied its $415,000 federal funds. It re-applied as a faith-based program and was GRANTED $2 MILLION DOLLARS.

Additionally, there is not follow-up or crosschecking of the programs to ensure that they are not using the funds for strictly religious purposes, rather than their social services. Some of the faith based programs the interviewer talked to were not even aware they could not do that. They were using the funds for Bible studies, prayer meetings, etc., rather than all for their social services programs.

A couple of ministers, as well as the head of the Christian Coalition here in America, expressed concern over the funding of religion, which is what this program may in fact be doing. One minister said what he fears is that when a preacher preaches, he may have to preach in the way that doesn't offend the administration, so as to cont. to get federal funds. One religious social service organization refuses to take the federal funds, because the leader said he'd then have to tailor his program to meet the guidelines, and the federal govt would have say so over who he hires to help with the program.

This is so frightening and chilling to me. It seems that Bush is directly funding religion. What's more, it will be the religion that the administration approves of. And it will in essence force groups to become religious in order to get federal funds.

We must win on November 2nd. Our country is in grave danger. Very grave danger. This is not the America I grew up in. True, when I was a child, people were more religious, communities were smaller, life seemed better in many respects. But THIS? Our leaders when I was a child would never have allowed this sort of thing. It's a clear breach of the separation of church and state.

Watch this documentary, if you get a chance! (and if you can take it)

[sandnsea]

1. I agree

My husband worked for a drug/alcohol treatment program a long time ago, it was set up by Lutheran Family Services. First one in Oregon, actually. Anyway, the people in that office had no connection to the Lutheran Church and religion just didn't come into anything they did. They all had professional degrees, as well. I've seen day cares in churches that had no religious angle to them at all. In some small towns, a day care in a church is the only one that exists. So it seems logical to allow them to get federal funds, especially when they often do a better job than the government funded programs. That's what Kerry is talking about when he talks about faith-based programs. The reason the program got set up may be faith-based, but the program is just a good program that works.

Unfortunately, that's not enough for the fundies. They have to cram their religious views down everybody's throat and that's the only way they're "doing God's work". Using the best social and pscyhological information we've obtained for 100 years or more is thrown out the window. Just believe. Yeah, that worked so well. Grrrr.

[sam sarrha]

2. Bush is taking VERY limited Treatment funds away from professionals

after some Psychopathic sociopath Mass murder go postal and slaughter everyone in some Church clinic.. they might reaccess..

I saw that young couple who hung themselves over the highway on a bridge in Portland, because they were addicted to Herion and had to wait 2 years to get into a clinic to detox... no one in their right mind will go to a Sky Pilot Clinic..

[DBoon]

3. Very important point

One minister said what he fears is that when a preacher preaches, he may have to preach in the way that doesn't offend the administration, so as to cont. to get federal funds.

This is the price they are going to pay. These fundamentalist denominations that play politics will find politics playing them instead. They are pawns in a game of total power, and like any pawn they will find themselves sacrificed for the sake of the king