"The Fool" <kands00@hotmail.com> wrote:
:|So says a fool...
:|
:|We live in a world greatly influenced by the devil. Have you ever
:|noticed that the devil gets the praise, while God gets the blame. If
:|something is great, kids today say it is "wicked," yet that is not new.
:| Even Michael Jackson praised the fact that he was "bad." The devil's
:|music is supposed to be good music. Halloween is a day of parties.
:|However, if a storm comes, even insurance companies say it is an "act
:|of God." However, that is not scriptural. Consider this scripture...
:|
:|"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of the world,
:|according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
:|worketh in the children of disobedience." Paul's Letter to Ephesus 2:2
:|
:|Did you notice that Satan was called the prince of the power of the
:|air? You don't think that has anything to do with Hurricanes?
:|
:|Remember, as well, that even Jesus faced storms on his ship a few
:|times. If God was in charge of the storms, why would He bring a storm
:|upon Himself. Yet, Jesus was never afraid of Satan's storms. He knew
:|Satan didn't have the authority or power to hurt Him. In fact, He
:|slept in the middle of one of Satan's storms and then dissipated the
:|storm with a few words after his disciples asked Him to. This is
:|exactly what God is waiting for us, His disciples, to do today. All we
:|need to do is ask, and God can dissipate any storm, even today.
:|
:|Just remember, Satan may be the prince of the power of the air, but God
:|is the King of the Universe.
:|
:|Ken Clifton
SATAN'S CRITIQUE OF CHURCH-STATE SEPARATION
http://bc-alliance.org/CSS/satan.html
written and presented by Clark Moeller
This has been presented in dramatic form to groups in PA, NY, MD, UT during
2004 and 2005. April 14, 2005 edition
Good evening.
President Bush's faith-based grant (FBG) initiative is a remarkable event
in America's 218 year history. I have a unique historical perspective to
foresee the effect these grants will have. My perspective starts at the
beginning ... of recorded history.
After the Fall, when I was unceremoniously expelled from Heaven, I began
plotting my revenge. At first, I encouraged Eve's budding curiosity. Then I
toyed with Job's faith, - - just to annoy God.
But this needling was trivial and unsatisfying, I hungered for a ruinous
revenge more befitting my rightful status in the firmament.
Then one night while brooding at the edge of the abyss, inhaling the
sulfuric vapors, I had a startling thought: I would have all of God's
precious faithful leave their houses of worship, leave of their own
volition." That was the revenge I had been seeking.
I embraced it as my diabolical mission. To accomplish this, I would leave
no trace of my involvement Not a finger print, not a nick from my
razor-sharp tail. I am Satan and I am no fool.
My mentor would be that famous Homeric hero, clever Odysseus. He
understood men's weaknesses and how to manipulate these to his advantage.
Odysseus exploited the gullibility of King Priam of Troy with brilliant
guile. He offered the king a gift of peace to end their 10 year war. This
gift was a beautifully crafted, monumental, wooden horse, .... sized just
right for the pride of King Priam.
Gullible King Priam opened wide Troy's gates in good faith. The Trojans
pulled their gift Horse into their high-walled city, celebrating the end of
the war.
In the belly of that Trojan Horse crouched tight-lipped Greek warriors
....listening. When all was quiet in the dead of night, they dropped, as if
on cats' paws, into sleeping Troy, ....sword blades drawn for slaughter
....glittering in the moon light.
Troy was sacked and burned all night. In the "rosy fingered dawn," the
Greeks set sail for home across the Aegean, their ships "rich in gold" rode
low in the "wine dark sea."1
Following the example of successful Odysseus, I have been exploiting
men's weaknesses: - their betrayals - their inclinations to take the lazy
way, - the seduction of easy money, - the abuses of power of their
institutions.
For example, in the 1400s, I exploited the greed and lust for power of
the Roman Catholic Church with my own gift Horse draped in ermine-lined
Papal robes. - Inside? ..... Indulgences to expunge sins, priced just right
for the adulterer, ... as well as the snitch.2 - Inside for sale? .... the
ecclesiastical offices of priest and bishop. - To fund the "Godly work" of
these priests and bishops, inside were poor peasants taxed bone-thin, their
children hollow-eyed with hunger. - To stifle any questions about the
fearful power of the Church, inside was the Papal inquisition torturing old
women suspected of being witches.
By the 1500s, the consequences of these abuses were a disaster for the
Vatican.
The revulsion of the faithful erupted into the Protestant Reformation.
Many disillusioned Catholics abandoned their church.
Bloody religious wars about absolute truths swept Europe. - Protestants
sacked Catholic churches. - Catholics burned Protestant cities. - And
terrified heretics hiding in tall haystacks were skewered with long lances.
As the Reformation destroyed the Vatican's monopoly on ecclesiastical
power, I saw another opportunity to advance my mission.
I crafted a new gift Horse painted the pious color of gold to stimulate
expectations among poor Protestant congregations of financial security and
protection from a wounded, angry Vatican.
Stowed in my new Horse were promises of: - state-established religion ...
for selected Protestant churches - the largess ...... of state financing
for these congregations. - and, comfortable civil-service job security for
their clergy.
The seduction of these rich promises opened wide church doors. Once
inside, my horse deposited on the beautifully tiled sanctuary floors an
invoice for the delivery on its promises: - civil service regulations to
govern the clergy, - government spending limitations for the congregation,
- and pointed political guidance for revising ecclesiastical policies.
These controls ..... stilled the fiery Sunday morning sermons criticizing
government corruption.
These muted the clergies' homilies about the wealthy man and the eye of a
needle.
By the mid 20th Century, the moral authority of these churches was a
faded memory. - Church attendance was as low as 5% throughout Europe.3 -
Those still in the pews were old and bent. - Many churches had closed. -
The tourists keep open the rest.
In the end, it was the disillusioned faithful who emptied
state-controlled churches, emptied the pews of their own volition.
They are the ones who had skeptically asked - Was their church still a
sanctuary for religious contemplation or had it become a hotbed of hidden,
political agendas fueled by the corrupting influence of government funding?
- Were their clergy still guided by a moral compass, or were they reacting
to political triangulations?
Their answers reflected the distrust that closed the doors of so many
churches and accomplished my mission in European.
Because I was busy in Europe, I did not turn my attention to the New
World until mid 20th Century.
Then I learned that way back in 1791 the concepts of separating church
from state and state from church4 became the law of the land when Congress
ratified the First Amendment to the Constitution, which states in part:
"Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion; or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
It was obvious to me that C-SS had changed the age-old pattern of church
& state entanglements and related violence that I had relied on for my
sweeping success in Europe.
C-SS freed religions from the grip of government control and prevented
any religion from seizing that control to suppress the freedom of other
faiths.
This innovation of religious liberty for all stimulated religious
vitality in America unequaled in most other countries: - church membership
had increased from 17% in colonial America5 to 62% by mid 20th Century.6 -
The number of denominations had grown from 11 to over 2000.7 - There were
over 300,000 religious congregations professing every shade of religious
conviction.
Such religious diversity in the past has usually entertained me with
scores of bloody religious pogroms.
But with C-SS, the U.S. has achieved a distressing record - of
maintaining peace among its religious communities and - peace between these
communities and your government.
Clearly, C-SS posed a threat to accomplishing my mission. I needed a new
plan. ...... What should that be? ...... Ahhh....... of course!
................. Now, all I needed was a bit more information.
I eavesdropped on the prayers of the most entrepreneurial clergy ....and
heard their deepest worries, "only about 47% of the U.S. population
actually attended houses of worship."8
When they slept, I seeded their dreams with reassurances, "you get them
all to attend your houses of worship but you must first destroy C-SS, that
ungodly manifestation of their secular society.
With righteous indignation many religious leaders began: - lobbying for
prayer in public schools, - railing against evolution in school curricula,
- posting the 10 Commandments in government buildings, - splitting
denominations and purging congregations over issues - of Biblical accuracy,
- female clergy, - reproductive freedom, - and everything related to
......... homosexuality.9
Much to the consternation of these clergy, their self-righteous,
holier-than-thou attitude was polarizing the faithful. By the year 2000, -
church membership had declined by 6%,10 - church attendance had dropped by
33%,11 - church contributions sank by 38%,12 - student enrollment in the
nation's largest system of parochial schools plummeted by 44%, from 4.5
million to 2 million.13
My plan was gaining traction!
Once again I eavesdropped on the prayers of the clergy and heard them
plead in desperation for heavenly intervention. But it was I who was there
for them.
To each one I whispered: - "You alone have the absolute truth. - All your
clergy colleagues are apostates, heretics, and some are even closet ....
secular humanists. - Now, prove your faith by smiting C-SS.
With mounting anger they renewed their denunciations on radio and TV: -
"There is no such thing as C-SS."14 - "American is a Christian nation."15 -
"Only Christianity can solve the problems facing our nation."16
This steady drumbeat divided your nation, ...... the ideal conditions for
phase II of my plan.
I introduced a gift horse just for America. Inside were promises to
"level" the playing field for religion with: - presidential executive
orders to distribute faith-based grants,17 - Supreme Court decisions to
approve parochial school vouchers,18 and - Congressional bills19 and
Republican campaign strategies to allow congregations to engage in the
hard-ball politics of election campaigning without losing their tax-exempt
status.20
My gift horse was welcomed into many houses of worship, particularly by
those who claim to be God's most faithful servants: - President George W.
Bush - Senator Rick Santorum of PA, - Dr. Dobson of Focus on the Family,
and many others.
Excuse me for grinning.... as Odysseus did when those Greek sword blades
glittered in the moon light.
A dribble of seductive faith-based grants seeped through the
wall-of-separation in 2001 as President Bush doled these out to religious
institutions, - encouraged them to proselytize with these tax dollars,21 -
encouraged them, with a wink, to ignore civil rights laws prohibiting
religious discrimination with your money.22
These First Amendment violations were encouraged despite a Supreme
Court's decision that states, "No tax in any amount, large or small, can be
levied to support any religious activities or institutions, whatever they
may be called, or whatever form they may adopt to teach or practice
religion."23
By 2003, that dribble of FBGs had swelled to a flood as religious
organizations that traditionally were not eligible for tax funding were now
authorized by the Bush administration as eligible applicants24 for over $8
billion of federal grants.25 By 2004, over $1.7 billion had been
distributed.
Don't blame only the Bush Administration for undermining C-SS. - Many
religious leaders have stood in line to make deals for the social security
of FBGs.26 - These grants are the easy path for most clergy who hate
begging their flock for more donations.
I have seen many deals like these in my long experience of skulking
around dark alleys.
A drug dealer .... a willing buyer. ..... to hell with the law, ......the
First Amendment be damned!
The powerful seduction of your tax money hooks many. The path to this
addiction is no mystery. It's paved with good intentions: - save the
sinners in prison - heal the drug addicted - house the homeless - repair
the old roof on St. Basils27 - and, .... exploit the seductive glow of
government gold to attract new congregation members. (WINK)
However, the FBG regulations do not reveal the strings28 I attach to the
monkeys on the backs of those religious leaders who get comfortably hooked
on your tax money. And I am pulling every string.
For example, traditionally in America each house of worship has had
control over its ecclesiastical business and its programs of good
intentions.
But with FBGs this control is now eroding as government regulations take
hold.29
In much the same way, fiscal audits of vouchers and FBGs are transforming
the once-private activities of religions institutions into public records,
- available to the media, - featured on the front pages of newspapers, -
the fodder for juicy gossip in bars and beauty parlors.
FBGs are challenging to administer. As professionals are hired to do the
heavy lifting, they tend to push aside, ....... ever so politely, devoted
volunteers who enliven each congregation's fellowship.
As volunteers feel superfluous, many will look elsewhere for
organizations that need them.
Other parishioners will question, "My taxes are now funding our church's
good intentions. Why should I pay twice with contributions?"
As collection plates got lighter, I sensed rising panic. I eavesdropped
on FB administrators who were: - fretting about their first FBG
applications, - others worried being refunded and complained about all the
time they had spent on contract compliance.
I revealed myself to them in the guise of a federal-grant director "
Friends, don't take those grant applications so seriously. - To apply you
no longer need to be incorporated, be a 501c3, or even have a church board
or board of directors.30 - All you have to do - is wear a cross to get
funded."
As to the contract compliance, all my subordinates down the chain-
of-command, have gotten the word – give those FBG a pass when you
‘monitor.' - So, you can fudge your financial quarterly reporting with
impunity. - Use your creativity to "document" your program's progress. -
And ignore the contract specifications about respecting C-SS"31
Many of the FBG administrators were delighted to trade in their integrity
to get your tax money without the hard work of accounting.
Soon after, - contract abuses, - First Amendment violations, - and
voucher fraud multiplied in AZ, TX, WI, MI, OH, and Bradford County, PA.32
And, as far as I know, none of the FBG administrators have complained
when the government began treating their church as a state-established
religion: -by giving them more FB funding33 - rejecting FBG applications
from the administration's critics, - misplacing the applications from
denominations unpopular among likely-voters,34 - adding to the Home Land
Security's watch-list those congregations that witness for peace or carry
signs ridiculing the administration when marching in protest.
This religious discrimination by government35 will sour the sweet
contentment of many congregations with bitter resentment for which there is
no redress36 without the protection of C-SS.
Nevertheless, it is C-SS that many faith-based organizations are
betraying by illegally proselytizing with government funding. Now some
faithful are growing skeptical. They are asking, "is our congregation's
moral compass spinning?"
Oh great Odysseus, if you are watching, I know you are enjoying the
brilliance of my guile. I have never attacked the faith of God's faithful
to achieve my mission of emptying houses of worship. It is their mistrust
that I nurture.
If any of you have ever been betrayed, you know the bitter taste of its
toxin that dissolves trust, poisons affection, and arouses angry suspicions
about the betrayer's family and relations.
In much the same way, betraying CSS will undermine trust in other civil
rights because all civil rights are interrelated.37
For example, - As religious liberty is eroded, people become cautious
about what they say because the free exercise of religion and free speech
are connected. - As our public speech becomes self-restricted, fewer people
will talk openly with the press. - With less information, the usefulness of
a free press is weakened. - A weaker press will be less capable of sounding
the alarm when the independence of the judiciary is in jeopardy. - Without
a independent judiciary, due process is quietly smothered behind the closed
doors of national security. - Without due process to ensure fair elections
democracy itself will become a faded memory.
Don't shake your head in disbelief as if this chain reaction can't
happen. The last I heard, the laws of cause and effect have not been
suspended.
And, please don't look at ME as if I'm the culprit. All I have related is
self-inflicted.
Come on now, let's see just a glimmer of aesthetic appreciation. You are
watching an artist at work! Not a finger print, not a nick of my razor
sharp tail!
Raise your glasses, join me in toasts of appreciation to those who are
still essential to the completion of my diabolical mission in America.
First, to President George W. Bush for his ambitious start in
reestablishing the age-old tradition of state-controlled churches. How long
do I have to wait for the religious violence of bloody pogroms?
And now, please toast the legions of clergy and their congregations who
remain complacently silent as their freedom of religion is being gutted.
Join me, as I give them thanks for their quiet acquiescence.
May they live long, languid lives of self-absorbed contentment until they
awaken .... screaming on the rack ... to find they are the heretics in the
next inquisition.
###
Endnotes:
1 Homer, The Odyssey
2 Arnold, Dr. Jack L., The Roman Catholic Church of the Middle Ages:
Reformation Men and Theology, page 4. (Website: www.
Thirdmill.org/files/english/html/ch/Ch.arnold.rmt.1.html) Also search on
the web for "indulgences" for many other sources.)
3 Hoge, Warren, "Archbishop of Canterbury Enthroned," The New York Times,
28 February 2003, p. A10.
4 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), pp. 39-41.
5 Stark, Rodney, and Finke, Roger, Acts of Faith: Explaining the Human
Side of Religion, (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2000), p.
225.
6 Stark, Rodney, and Finke, Roger, Acts of Faith: Explaining the Human
Side of Religion, (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2000), p.
257.
7 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), see index to references to
"church abuses to government funding," p. 46. (Text notes 10 denominations
as Christian + a Jewish denomination = 11.) This document can be downloaded
from: www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
8 Putnam, Robert, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American
Community (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2000), . 71
9 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), pp. 1-2, 22-26. This
document can be down loaded from www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
10 Putnam, Robert, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American
Community (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2000), p. 70.
11 Putnam, Robert, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American
Community (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 2000), p. 70.
12 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), p. 66, n189. This document
can be down loaded from: www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
13 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), p. 31. See endnotes 189 and
190. This document can be down loaded from: www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
14 Benen, Steve, "Church, State and the 108th Congress," Church & State,
Vol. 55, No 11, December 2002, p. 5.
15 Menendez, Albert J., Three Voices of Extremism: Charles Colson, James
Dobson, D. James Kennedy (Silver Springs, MD: Americans for Religious
Liberty, 1997), 69-74; According to Barna Group, a consulting/survey firm,
about 33% of Americans want a constitutional amendment declaring America a
Christian nation. Source: AU Bulletin, Church & State, September 2004, p.
3.
16 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), p. 21. This document can be
down loaded from www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
17 The political context for government funding of social services was
radically changed when President George W. Bush signed Executive Order
#13279 on Dec. 16, 2002. This executive order removed the regulatory
restrictions that had prevented government funding of non 501c3 religions
organizations. The executive order directed federal agencies to revise
policies consistent with the President=s interpretation. As federal
agencies complied with this executive order, over $8 billion dollars were
made available to these newly approved religious institutions for various
purposes. Because of President Bush=s Executive Order #13279, federal
agencies are now funding houses of worship, such as churches, religious
institutions, and so-called faith-based organizations some of which do not
even have church boards or boards of directors.
18 Of these, one of the biggest setbacks for church-state separation was
the United States Supreme Court's June 27, 2002, decision approving the use
of taxes to fund religious schools. This 5 to 4 decision in Zelman v.
Simmons-Harris, "...was undeniably the bombshell of the court's 2001-2002
term," stated an editorial in The New York Times. It continued, "... by
upholding a [Cleveland voucher] program in which 96 percent of the
[student] participants attend religious schools, the court removed a number
of bricks from the wall separating church and state." Also see Moeller,
Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda, PA:
Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), p. 62, n169. This document can
be down loaded from www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
19 H.R. 235, House of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, Sponsor Rep.
Walter B. Jones, (R, NC) Source: AU Bulletin, Church & State, September
2004, p. 3.
20 H.R. 4520: the "American Jobs Creation Act of 2004," Its provision,
"Safe Harbor for Churches": would revise IRS tax conditions for churches
allowing church leaders to "unintentionally" endorse or oppose candidates
up to three times per year." Introduced by U.S. Rep. William M. Thomas
(R-Calif); Kirkptrick, David, "Bush Campaign Seeks Help From Thousands of
Religious Congregations," The New York Times, 3 June 2004.
21 When President Bush began handing out faith-based grants, he encouraged
religious organizations to proselytize with these monies. He set a tone
that has had far reaching effects in undermining church-state separation.
("Bush Backs Faith-Based Program in Arkansas that Converts Jobless," Church
& State, Vol. 55, No. 7, July/August 2002, p. 16.) Also see Moeller, Clark,
Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda, PA: Pennsylvania
Alliance for Democracy, 2004), pp. 25-26. This document can be down loaded
from www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
22 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), p. 26. This document can be
down loaded from: www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
23 Everson v. Board of Education of Ewing Township, 330 U.S. 1, 18 (1947).
24 The political context for government funding of social services was
radically changed when President George W. Bush signed Executive Order
#13279 on Dec. 16, 2002. This executive order removed the regulatory
restrictions that had prevented government funding of non 501c3 religions
organizations. The executive order directed federal agencies to revise
policies consistent with the President=s interpretation. As federal
agencies complied with this executive order, over $8 billion dollars were
made available to these newly approved religious institutions for various
purposes. Because of President Bush=s Executive Order #13279, federal
agencies are now funding houses of worship, such as churches, religious
institutions, and so-called faith-based organizations some of which do not
even have church boards or boards of directors.
25 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), p. 29. This document can be
down loaded from www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
26 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), p. 29. This document can be
down loaded from www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
27 Lowenstein, James, "U.S. House of Reps approve $350 K for Dushore hall
[St. Basil=s Catholic Church in Dushore, PA]." The Daily Review, 9 Jan.
2004, p. 1.
28 "... as Melissa Rogers of the American Baptist Convention notes, the
[government] regulatory language of the statute is "just the tip of the
regulatory iceberg." Other laws effecting grants administration include the
1988 Civil Rights Restoration Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, requirements to keep racial and ethnic data, fiscal record keeping
and audit requirements, etc. [Source: Rogers, Milissa, "The Wrong Way to Do
It Right: Charitable Choice and Churches," in Welfare Reform and
Faith-Based Organizations, Ed. D. Davis and B. Hankins, (Waco, Tex.:J. M.
Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies,1999) pp. 61`-88. As cited in
Tanner, Michael, "Corrupting Charity: Why Government Should Not Fund
Faith-based Charties," CATO Institute Briefing Papers, No. 62, March 22,
2001, p.7]
29 >"Jaquelin Triston of the Saltation Army put it this way, 'If you can't
do it the way you want, then you'll take your program and fit it into
whatever they'll give you money for.' " [Source: Loconte, Joe, Seducing
Social Services (Boston, MA: Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research,
1997) p. 2. As cited in Tanner, Michael, "Corrupting Charity: Why
Government Should Not Fund Faith-based Charties," CATO Institute Briefing
Papers, No. 62, March 22, 2001, p.9]
30 Blain, Laura, and Moeller, Clark, The Performance of The Firm
Foundation of Bradford County: A study of the performance of a faith-based
organization and the quality of oversight provided by the responsible state
and local agencies. (Towanda, PA, Bradford County Alliance for Democracy,
2004), pp. A2-1 to A1-3. This can be downloaded from www.bcad.info.
31 Blain, Laura, and Moeller, Clark, The Performance of The Firm
Foundation of Bradford County: A study of the performance of a faith-based
organization and the quality of oversight provided by the responsible state
and local agencies. (Towanda, PA, Bradford County Alliance for Democracy,
2004), This can be downloaded from www.bcad.info
32 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004). See index, p. 75 to "church
abuses of government funds." This document can be down loaded from:
www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.; Moeller v. Bradford County filed in
federal court 2/17/05 (www.bcad.info); Blain, Laura, and Moeller, Clark,
The Performance of The Firm Foundation of Bradford County: A study of the
performance of a faith-based organization and the quality of oversight
provided by the responsible state and local agencies. (Towanda, PA,
Bradford County Alliance for Democracy, 2004). This can be downloaded from
www.bcad.info; Fager, Chuck, Health Ministry Fraud Alleged, Christianity
Today, March 9, 2001; Trexler, Phil, "Minister Family Liable In Suit,"
Akron Beacon Journal, 26 May 2004. Associated Press, "Judge Halts Grants
Over Religion," The New York Times, 16 January 2005: as of 1/16/05 see
www.foxsearchlight.com/sideways/index_nyt.html.
33 Rob Boston, "Philadelphia Church That Endorced Bush Gets $1 Million
'faith-based' Grant," Americans United for Separation of Church And State,
Washington DC, news release, 6/23/04.
34 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), p. 25-26. This document can
be down loaded from www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
35 >Stephen Burger, executive director of the International Union of
Gospel Missions, points out the difficulty of defining what terms like
"proselytizing" mean and warns, "As well intentioned as Congress is in
passing [Charitable Choice], it will be the government bureaucrats and
civil-libertarian lawyers who enforce it." (Source: Burger, Stephen, "New
Hope for Gospel Missions: The Devil's in the Details," USA Today, 3
September 1996, as cited in Tanner, Michael, "Corrupting Charity: Why
Government Should Not Fund Faith-based Charties," CATO Institute Briefing
Papers, No. 62, March 22, 2001, p.7)
36 >During the 2000 presidential election campaign, the then-candidate
Bush was asked if he would be willing to provide funds to the Nation of
Islam. He replied, "I don't see how we can allow public dollars to fund
programs where spite and hate is the core of the message." Of course, the
meaning of "hate" is subjective. Some observers have accused Catholics and
evangelical churches of preaching hate of gays and Jews.a ... Bob Barr
(R-Ga) has called for prohibiting Wiccans from conducting religious
services U.S. military bases. One wonders what Barr=s reaction would be if
a Wiccan group were given a grant to provide social services.=b (Source: a
Boston, Robert, "President Bush and Faith-Based Initiative," AU Report
Frequently Asked Questions, Americans United for Separation of Church and
State, January 29, 2001. bPage, Clarence, "Barr's Witch-Hunt Moves to
Military Bases," Chicago Tribune, 18 June 1999. Both a and b as cited in
Tanner, Michael, "Corrupting Charity: Why Government Should Not Fund
Faith-based Charties," CATO Institute Briefing Papers, No. 62, March 22,
2001, p.6)
37 Moeller, Clark, Church-State Separation: A Keystone to Peace (Towanda,
PA: Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy, 2004), pp. 17-18. This document
can be downloaded from www.padnet.org/CSSmoeller2.pdf.
.
|
