AMERICANS UNITED CRITICIZES 'FAITH CZAR' FOR COMMENTS ABOUT 'FRINGE'
RELIGIONS

Towey Remarks Show Bush Administration Does Not Intend To Be Even-Handed

'Faith-Based' Initiative, AU Charges


Americans United for Separation of Church and State has criticized White
House "Faith Czar" James Towey for suggesting that "fringe" religious
groups won't get funding under the Bush administration's "faith-based"
initiative.

During a Nov. 26 online "Ask the White House" question-and-answer session,
Towey was asked about the possibility of Pagan groups getting tax funding
to provide services to the poor and needy.

According to the White House transcript of the session, Towey replied, "I
haven't run into a pagan faith-based group yet, much less a pagan group
that cares for the poor! Once you make it clear to any applicant that
public money must go to public purposes and can't be used to promote
ideology, the fringe groups lose interest. Helping the poor is tough work
and only those with loving hearts seem drawn to it."

In a letter delivered to Towey today, Americans United Executive Director
Barry W. Lynn asked the administration official to apologize to members of
the Pagan community and reaffirm his support for the principle that
government will treat all religions equally.

"Your reply is problematic for several reasons," Lynn wrote to Towey.

troublingly, it implies that the Bush administration intends to
discriminate against certain faith-groups from the outset. This is a
curious stand for you to take, as you have repeatedly insisted that the
administration will not play favorites among religious groups under the
faith-based initiative."

Lynn urged Towey to retract the comments, writing, "I urge you today,

of all, to apologize to the members of America's Wiccan/Pagan community
and, secondly, to reaffirm the administration's commitment to the

that no religious groups will be summarily excluded from faith-based
programs because of prejudicial or inaccurate perceptions of any religious
organization."

Lynn charged that Towey and other administration officials have misled the
American people by claiming that the faith-based initiative will be open

all religious groups but then asserting that certain groups will be
summarily denied funding.

"Government can't play favorites when it comes to religion," Lynn said.

religiously affiliated social services are funded, it must be done on an
even-handed basis. Mr. Towey's recent comments indicate that the
administration does not seem to understand this basic principle.

"This incident demonstrates once again that the 'faith-based' initiative

a bad idea," Lynn concluded. "When government tries to fund religious
ministries, constitutional problems are inevitable."

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in

D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the
importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.


****************************************************************

AMERICANS UNITED CRITICIZES ‘FAITH CZAR’ FOR COMMENTS ABOUT ‘FRINGE’
RELIGIONS

Towey Remarks Show Bush Administration Does Not Intend To Be
Even-Handed In ‘Faith-Based’ Initiative, AU Charges


Americans United for Separation of Church and State has criticized
White House “Faith Czar” James Towey for suggesting that “fringe”
religious groups won’t get funding under the Bush administration’s
“faith-based” initiative.

During a Nov. 26 online “Ask the White House” question-and-answer
session, Towey was asked about the possibility of Pagan groups getting
tax funding to provide services to the poor and needy.

According to the White House transcript of the session, Towey replied,
“I haven't run into a pagan faith-based group yet, much less a pagan
group that cares for the poor! Once you make it clear to any applicant
that public money must go to public purposes and can't be used to
promote ideology, the fringe groups lose interest. Helping the poor is
tough work and only those with loving hearts seem drawn to it.”

In a letter delivered to Towey today, Americans United Executive
Director Barry W. Lynn asked the administration official to apologize
to members of the Pagan community and reaffirm his support for the
principle that government will treat all religions equally.

“Your reply is problematic for several reasons,” Lynn wrote to Towey.
“Most troublingly, it implies that the Bush administration intends to
discriminate against certain faith-groups from the outset. This is a
curious stand for you to take, as you have repeatedly insisted that
the administration will not play favorites among religious groups
under the faith-based initiative.”

Lynn urged Towey to retract the comments, writing, “I urge you today,
first of all, to apologize to the members of America’s Wiccan/Pagan
community and, secondly, to reaffirm the administration’s commitment
to the principle that no religious groups will be summarily excluded
from faith-based programs because of prejudicial or inaccurate
perceptions of any religious organization.”

Lynn charged that Towey and other administration officials have misled
the American people by claiming that the faith-based initiative will
be open to all religious groups but then asserting that certain groups
will be summarily denied funding.

“Government can’t play favorites when it comes to religion,” Lynn
said. “If religiously affiliated social services are funded, it must
be done on an even-handed basis. Mr. Towey’s recent comments indicate
that the administration does not seem to understand this basic
principle.

“This incident demonstrates once again that the ‘faith-based’
initiative is a bad idea,” Lynn concluded. “When government tries to
fund religious ministries, constitutional problems are inevitable.”

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.


****************************************************************

In a letter delivered to Towey today, Americans United Executive Director
Barry W. Lynn asked the administration official to apologize to members of
the Pagan community and reaffirm his support for the principle that
government will treat all religions equally.
“Your reply is problematic for several reasons,” Lynn wrote to Towey. “Most
troublingly, it implies that the Bush administration intends to
discriminate against certain faith-groups from the outset. This is a
curious stand for you to take, as you have repeatedly insisted that the
administration will not play favorites among religious groups under the
faith-based initiative.”