The Virginian-Pilot
©
WASHINGTON
President Obama's courtship of religious conservatives put him on a collision course Thursday with some of his staunchest political allies, including U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News.
As the White House announced plans for a revamped effort to provide federal aid to religious groups that run social service programs, Scott and an array of civil liberties groups charged that the initiative will permit discrimination in hiring against nonbelievers or members of different faiths.
Scott dismissed assurances from the president and other administration officials that the program will be structured to maintain separation of church and state.
"We have to expose it for what it is..." Scott said. "I don't think most people expect that you can apply for a job paid for by the federal government and be told, 'Oh, no, we don't hire people of your religion.' "
Scott, who was one of Obama's earliest and most prominent Virginia backers, said that until the administration of former President George W. Bush, it was understood that public funds could be used only for church-run programs that do not discriminate in hiring.
Last year's Democratic platform pledged that the party would "ensure that public funds are not used to proselytize or discriminate," and Obama endorsed that view in the campaign, Scott noted.
Obama outlined the program during the annual National Prayer Breakfast. The top priority of the new White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will be "making community groups an integral part of our economic recovery and poverty a burden fewer have to bear."
The president said the office will work with nonprofit organizations "both secular and faith-based" and help them determine how to make a bigger impact in their cities, learn their obligations under the law and cut through government red tape.
To lead the office, Obama appointed Joshua DuBois, a 26-year-old Pentecostal minister who headed religious outreach for his Senate office and his presidential campaign. He also named 25 religious and secular leaders to a new advisory board.
The Rev. Frank Page, a past president of the Southern Baptist Convention and a member of the advisory council, said, "I think it's appropriate to let the faith-based organizations be true to their own convictions in who they hire and don't hire. "
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com
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YES KEEP GOVERNMENT OUT OF OUR CHURCHES
Obama's faith based activity appears to me be to be both the proverbial camel in the tent and a trojan horse.
I agree with another responder who foresees the tentacles of secular humanist government reaching into the pulpit because of its financial involvement.
As of the fears of those on the left about employment discrimination, I would like to state for the record that I know of one very special Christian charity that does not discriminate in it's hiring based of religious views. I have seen its employment policy based on ability and have seen it help individuals based on need. I know of a number of its employees who do not share the Chirstian beliefs and yet they are nonetheless treated as family, with love and respect, within the organization. Nor does it discriminate in its social service based on any religious views. It's members are out in the streets providing help to drug addicts, homeless men and women. When one asks it for help, it doesn't ask about religion but how can it help based on its core desire to fulfill the love of God! When it helps it also shared the Gospel. That organization does wonderful work and I hope that it doesn't fall into the government's
Waste
I was against this under Bush and I'm against it under Obama. I applaud the people that want to help out and work with organizations within their church, but you should not be getting federal funding. We should not be using our tax dollars for this, and although I disagree with my congressman Bobby Scott on many issues I'm glad to see him taking this stance.
Uh
Uh, that was part of the campaign. It's Unconstitutional and rather bigoted to exclude based on religion anyway.
Archie ....
Then that means your logic dictates there's no reason any organization that helps people should receive funding ... "not a one".
Any weak attempt to inject separation of church and state into this conversation and that's the end of this discussion.
religious programs
If programs sponsored by religious groups are open to and benefit anyone regardless of religion (or lack of) then I see no problem with funding or assisting faith-based programs. The standard should be based on a lack of discriminatory practices, not the beliefs or values of the organization. Catholic charities are no less valuable than muslim charities, which are no less valuable than secular charities.
By the way, if you throw money in the Salvation Army kettle you are donating to a religious charity. Oops! If you receive a blanket from the Salvation Army after a hurricane you are benefitting from a religious charity. Ooopsy!
Keep the government out of the churches
The next thing will be the government trying to tell the churches what to preach, just like the companies that have been bailed out are now being told how much they can be compensated. Whatever happened to our Constitution? It looks more and more like it's being thrown out the window. Instead of less government, we are getting more and more government. Hopefully the churches will be smart and not take a government handout because there will definitely be strings attached.
Archie ....
Then that means your logic dictates there's no reason any organization that helps people should receive funding ... not one.
Any weak attempt to inject separation of church and state into this conversation and that's the of of this discussion.
What Could Obama Be Thinking?
There is no instance in which a religious organization should receive public funding. Not a one.
We're on our way to being good little Obama Socialist
Well I said he will be the worst president since Carter and now it's appear that I'm right. This president is just making everyone burning mad, he just does what he want and dares you to get in his way. His approvel rating will be lower than Bush before the year is over, but people wanted change didn't they? even if it's the kind of change they didn't expect. This man said there would pork in any of this bills, but he has his Pork bill out in hopes the republicans or even his democrats will be dumb enough to sign it. This Pork bill wants to spend money we don't have, your grand kids and their grand kids will be stuck with it.
Wake up democrats before it's too late, get out of the Obama rocks mode and realize that he's going to screw up Amemrica,he's a kid in a candy store. This man is so out of touch with the world that he wants a Nuke treaty with Russia,he needs to be thinking about having one with Iran or one of the other little countries who will get nukes or already has it.