22.9.03
Bush moves to give money to "faith-based" aid
The Bush administration has apparently issued regulations allowing religious groups to compete for "$28 billion in grants to provide social services such as drug abuse or mental health treatment, or housing".
Although it is claimed that these new regulations will not be "discriminatory", it is hard to imagine that the Church of Satan or the Church of the Subgenius will get the same shot at all of that taxpayer money as, oh, say the Southern Baptists.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist, or an ordained minister, to see that this tax-payer money will actually be subsidizing construction of new religious buildings and the dissemination of religious messages. Money that religious groups would normally be spending elsewhere (i.e., on whatever social services they currently offer) will now be freed up for promoting their propaganda. The Bush administration basically recognized as much:
Or start your own church and apply for some of that free money.
The Bush administration has apparently issued regulations allowing religious groups to compete for "$28 billion in grants to provide social services such as drug abuse or mental health treatment, or housing".
Although it is claimed that these new regulations will not be "discriminatory", it is hard to imagine that the Church of Satan or the Church of the Subgenius will get the same shot at all of that taxpayer money as, oh, say the Southern Baptists.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist, or an ordained minister, to see that this tax-payer money will actually be subsidizing construction of new religious buildings and the dissemination of religious messages. Money that religious groups would normally be spending elsewhere (i.e., on whatever social services they currently offer) will now be freed up for promoting their propaganda. The Bush administration basically recognized as much:
In response to complaints that government money could help build churches, a draft regulation was modified to prohibit grants from financing a "principal place of worship."My suggestion to anyone upset with seeing their tax dollars going to fund religion: get in touch with the ACLU.
Or start your own church and apply for some of that free money.
