Can someone explain Bush's, "Faith-based initiatives"? And does the $ go

[Pryderi]

back into political donations somehow?

[Kalisiin]

1. Well, I Can Tell You This Much...

NO Unitarian-Universalist church program has ever gotten a single penny from *'s Faith-Biased (sic) Inititives.

Seems if your "faith" does not require a belief in the Christian God or Jesus, you are shit out of luck if you want any of that money for your faith organization.

Can anyone tell me if any Jewish or Muslim organization has gotten any? I think the money all goes to nothing but bigot, redneck, stumpjumper, hayseed, hillbilly, Southern BAPTIST churches only...and they use the money to help ONLY people thier religion approves of (i.e. no gay or lesbian person in need needs to apply) and only after they are also allowed to ladle on a heaping dollop of proseltyzation on the head of the recipient.

Hell, as far as I know, they might even be able to force conversion to their "religion" before giving any help whatsoever. Knowing Bush, I wouldn't put this past him. Knowing Baptists, I wouldn't put it past THEM, either.

[Pryderi]

2. Like the "Patriot Pastors" that register neo-cons to vote?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/6/1/171415/3286

[Kalisiin]

3. Yeah, Kinda Like That

[Hamlette]

5. has any Unitarian Universalist church applied for money?

some churches have opted out because they don't want the government "interference" and other reasons.

The Mormon church has never applied for the money, and says it won't. For instance.

There are some good programs run by churches and supported by the government. This was going on long before Bush. My state welfare office uses Catholic charaties for refugee youth, they do a great job. We've done it for as long as I can remember (at least 20 years).

We would gladly give money to the local Unitarian church if they wanted to provide a program for the poor and apply.

[Kalisiin]

7. I'm Not Positive

but I DO know that the government tried to take AWAY the Unitarian Universalist Church's TAX EXEMPTION, in Texas...and, after ten days, and a huge public outcry, they were forced to give it back. They tried to base the take-away on the fact that UU's do NOT have a central creed that members are forced to adhere to.

We UU's believe in a free and responsible search for truth and meaning...and we believe in respecting the dignity and self-worth of each and every individual...and that includes respecting their spititual path, even though it may be different from our own.

Thus it is that we have no actual central creed that members are forced to adhere to. On this basis, the State of Texas attempted to take away the UU's tax exemption. (Certainly, had they lost the tax exemption, they also would have been deemed ineligible to receive funds from the FBI - Faith-Biased Initiatives. (note the misspelling IS intentional.)

I do believe that the plan is biased, and is intended to be such. It is intended to tear down the wall of separation between church and state, and it is an attempt to force Christianity onto people who may not share those views, or want those views shoved down their throats.

I am so pissed off with the Christo-fascists in this country.....

[Bridget Burke]

8. Carole Keeton McClellan Rylander Strayhorn did that....

I don't know if I got all her names/former names in the right order. She's a firm believer in the institution of matrimony--she's been married several times. (Her son is Bush's mouthpiece.)

Ms Whatever is the State Comptroller who tried ot refuse a UU church's exemption. She's also running as Governor--as an Independent, although she's really a Republican.

[Kalisiin]

10. Yep. I Know Who She Is

I used to live in Austin.

And I hope Kinky Friedman wins the Governorship in 2006.

[SoCalDem]

4. Here's how it works.. plain and simple

Say a church usually spends $5K of their own money for charitable works, and $5K for preaching/outreach and $5k for political money (on the QT)...

Now they get faithbased money to the tune of $10K.. They now have extra money to either add to their preaching money or their donation money.

[Initech]

6. Faith based initiatives = government funded religion

That's pretty much how it works!

[Bridget Burke]

9. Religion-based groups have gotten Federal money before.

But they had to prove that their charity work did not involve proselytization. No hiring decisions could be made on the basis of religion.

The "Faith Based Initiatives" definitely ignore Church/State separation. Do away with all those pesky "regulations."