So much "faith", so little time.
March 9, 2006 10:08 AM   Subscribe

"Faith-Based Homeland Security" ? - the "Stealth Presidency" To scant media coverage, George W. Bush has signed an executiver order establishing a "Faith-Based" office within the DHC. The Washington Post depicted this as relating mainly to the Katrina relief effort. But is this The Stealth Presidency" ?: Jim Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, "confirmed [ to Esther Kaplan, author of "With God on Their side..." ] that no direct federal grants from his program had gone to a non-Christian religious group" . Prior to 2000, many Christian right groups were on the skids, says Kaplan, but many are now riding high on wave of [ largely unaudited and untracked ] faith based federal and state $. How much ? Bill Berkowitz ventures an asessment. TheocracyWatch has a compendium of all things "Faith Based". Prisons, science, sex ed....
posted by troutfishing (42 comments total)
 
I couldn't link to it on the front page, but I covered a recent related story - which I depicted rather bluntly : $500 Million for federal "bigotry based" initiative ? [ 365gay.com titled the story Millions In Federal Funds Handed To Anti-Gay Groups" ]

Further, the lack of attention paid to to the sheer scale of the burgeoning "faith based" quasi governmental realm [ that some would call "theocratic" ] is bizarre given that the pool of federal funds open - in theory - to grant applications from religious groups ranges as high as $100 billion dollars. I seem to be one of the few besides Esther Kaplan and Bill Berkowitz who has attempted to asess the possible monetary scope of the new "faith based realm. But, that was a relatively cursory effort on my part.

Basically, nobody really knows. Jim Towey says his office doesn't keep records of how much "faith-based" federal cash it shovels out....
posted by troutfishing at 10:21 AM on March 9, 2006


I have Faith that the situation in the US is gonna get a lot weirder before it gets any better. This is, in a word, heinous.
posted by dbiedny at 10:24 AM on March 9, 2006


Also, DefCon, "The campaign to defend the Constitution", has just launched an add campaign - both TV and print - to highlight A "faith based" gambling initiative of sorts.
posted by troutfishing at 10:25 AM on March 9, 2006


No religous based charity should get anything from the government no matter what. I don't care if you pulled a baby from a well and nursed him back to health, not one thin dime! I'm serious I see no compelling reason why, every dollar that is allocated to faith based relief is a dollar removed from secular relief. And people of this country should have the right not to finance other people's religions.
posted by I Foody at 10:27 AM on March 9, 2006


troutfishing: Basically, nobody really knows. Jim Towey says his office doesn't keep records of how much "faith-based" federal cash it shovels out....

This sounds like a book keeping issue of massive proportions. The government is spending out money and doesn't even know how much of it they are spending? The church and state mix is offensive and likely goes against the Constitution, but the lack of proper accounting is, IMO, even more infuriating. Does believing in God absolve the Federal Government of proper accounting procedures?
posted by Joey Michaels at 10:27 AM on March 9, 2006


"Jack Ambramoff's Accidental Faith Based Gambling Initiative ?"



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posted by troutfishing at 10:29 AM on March 9, 2006


Joey Michaels - Well, nobody has been paying much attention.
posted by troutfishing at 10:30 AM on March 9, 2006


This country just makes me sad, any more. I remember when Gore caved in 2000, thinking to myself, crestfallen, “It’s no big deal, so we get 4 or 8 years of another Bush...”

Holy shit, was I wrong. Bush has made this country someplace I don’t even want to live in any more. Every week, there is at least one thing that this government does that completely disgusts me, and that is utterly corrupt and against core American principles.

*sigh* I guess we had a good run.
posted by teece at 10:37 AM on March 9, 2006


You guys just don't remember the part of the gospels where Jesus ran around organizing charities based on Roman donations, and gave himself and his apostles healthy six-figure salaries.
posted by bardic at 10:41 AM on March 9, 2006


These fiscal contributions help offset some of the emotional damage suffered by Christians during the last War on the Christmas; surely some of this money will help assuage the pain they will feel in the upcoming campaign, as well.
posted by billysumday at 10:41 AM on March 9, 2006


God! I hate Christ, somone should kill that guy.
posted by I Foody at 10:49 AM on March 9, 2006


If I wasn't already so furious, I would be furious.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:03 AM on March 9, 2006


For a minute I was hoping it was this DefCon that was involved...
posted by mrbill at 11:12 AM on March 9, 2006


Towey: "I just throw all the money up in the air, and whatever God catches, I report."
posted by mr_crash_davis at 11:15 AM on March 9, 2006


And i yet again iterate that you have two responses to this: you either start blowing shit up in response and shooting people, or do like me just sink into a state of futile anger and rage, impotent to do anything at all.

The country has been threadjacked to almost biblical proportions. Every other "choice" is not a choice at all, it's something little kiddies delude themselves into thinking before they've actually grown up- shit like "we can still fix this!" or "we can make a difference!". No actually- you cannot. This is a runaway train, and it's not getting fixed.
posted by hincandenza at 11:16 AM on March 9, 2006


You guys are fucked down there, unless you can make some serious progress in the November elections. By the way, have I mentioned recently that Canada's immigration system fast-tracks political refugees?
posted by slatternus at 11:17 AM on March 9, 2006


Is there a legalese Gubmint definition of "Faith Based" anywhere?

As long as they don't limit things to christians and jews I can't see the harm in this.

Somehow I doubt "religious diversity and tolerance" will be their watchwords though.
posted by Dillenger69 at 11:27 AM on March 9, 2006


Situations like this are conflicting to me: I don't know whether to be vindicated that my judgements of the party in power and the system it belongs to were accurate or to despair of the direction the nation is taking.

I'm leaning towards despair. Despair and substantial foreign investment. Despair and foreign investment and an up-to-date passport. Despair and...I'll come in again.
posted by Skorgu at 11:30 AM on March 9, 2006


The harm in this is that every dollar that goes to a faith based initiative frees up a dollar that church was previously spending on charity to spend on politics. There is a reason the Christian Churches of the U.S. have been so much more effectivly getting out the vote lately, and part of that reason is that they have a lot more money available to them than they did six years ago.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:32 AM on March 9, 2006


If you want to "do" something about it, start moving money out of the country. You'll be setting yourself up for some level of expatriate retirement, and more importantly, hurting the Feds in the only place it matters:

tax revenue.
posted by solipse at 11:33 AM on March 9, 2006


Remarkable. Essentially, the US Admin is forcing its citizens to tithe. What's next, crucifying the non-believers?

Take back your country already, dammit!
posted by five fresh fish at 11:38 AM on March 9, 2006


Your Faith Based tax dollars at work: A right-wing organization, posing as a Christians, has somehow found 20 million dollars to purchase and silence Air America in Phoenix.

Air America had rocketed for a zero rating to third in the Phoenix market in one year. It appears the liberal talk station is more a victim of success than failure. Now Phoenix listeners will have eighth religious stations and no progressive voice. Air America is fighting back.
posted by BillyElmore at 11:39 AM on March 9, 2006


Canada is so fucking awesome.
posted by chunking express at 11:43 AM on March 9, 2006


To translate the document into English: the Salvation Army will be able to get FEMA money for helping disaster victims.
posted by Pollomacho at 11:44 AM on March 9, 2006


America sucks more every day.
posted by wakko at 11:46 AM on March 9, 2006


Seriously, America does seem hell bent on proving Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" hypothesis - that a social policy that drives the brains away will lead inevitably to social collapse.
posted by slatternus at 11:54 AM on March 9, 2006


I had faith on 9/10/2001 that the federal government and armed forces that they would do everything they could to prevent (or limit) the possibility of a heinous terrorist attack on American soil.

Since 9/11, I have had no faith.
posted by psmealey at 11:55 AM on March 9, 2006


Canada is so fucking awesome.

Why because they have been funding faith-based groups with federal funds all along?
posted by Pollomacho at 11:56 AM on March 9, 2006


slatternus: The thing is, when the shit truly hits the fan in the US, I worry that Canada will end up as collateral damage of some sort. Now New Zealand...that might be far enough away to be safe (for awhile, at least)
posted by MikeKD at 11:58 AM on March 9, 2006


Canada's immigration system fast-tracks political refugees

Don't be running up here like the Tories did. Stay and fight to fix your country.
posted by CynicalKnight at 11:59 AM on March 9, 2006


MikeKD: It's true. When the Elephant goes down, the mouse gets crushed. And then there's our supply of fresh water - largest in the world. I don't want to think about what's going to happen when America starts getting thirsty.
posted by slatternus at 12:04 PM on March 9, 2006


Why because they have been funding faith-based groups with federal funds all along?

Nope, for all sorts of other reasons.
posted by chunking express at 12:12 PM on March 9, 2006


From the whitehouse.gov link: "The purpose of the Center shall be to coordinate agency efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the provision of social and community services."

So basically, the purpose of this office is to circumvent the separation of church and state (read: circumvent the constitution)? Does anybody else find this disturbingly brazen? To setup an office whose documented purpose is the removal of church and state separations. Damn I hate W.
posted by Farengast at 12:47 PM on March 9, 2006


Sec. 2. Purpose of Center. The purpose of the Center shall be to coordinate agency efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the provision of social and community services.

Obviously overlooking : WHY were the "obstacles" there in first place, maybe because most religious people wouldn't accept compromise with their religion ? I recall the pharmacists not wanting to give abortion pills, the doctors not wanting to practice abortion , but the example list is probably a lot longer then this.

Yet something is far more dangerous then a few alleged "church leader" stealing some money from the government : religious indoctrination. Well financed religious indoctrination is DANGEROUS, human values are used as hostages and proclaimed as if they were the property of some religion.

I resisted it throught my life living in Rome and I don't want any of my childs and the childs of others to suffer what I suffered and the damages my relatives and parents suffered from indoctrination.

So if you see a child near a pastor of any confession, remove the kid from the pastor attention. Don't EVER bring a kid to a church and watch out for pastor activites in school. You want your kid to become a modern Taliban or a sexually repressed person, afraid of invisible Sky Gods and afraid of fictionary Hell and Paradise ?
posted by elpapacito at 1:57 PM on March 9, 2006


Why yes, and more !




( just kidding )
posted by troutfishing at 2:23 PM on March 9, 2006


I don’t know that these people are seriously believers.
Remember the warden from “The Shawshank Redemption”? Kinda like that guy.

....shot himself didn’t he?
posted by Smedleyman at 2:51 PM on March 9, 2006


the real question is, have i reported this post to the Department of Faith-based Gratuitous Spaces Before Question Marks ?
posted by quonsar at 2:55 PM on March 9, 2006


Hey, in matters of taste there is no judgement.....

Metafilter is a weird space, hence the charm -

Hi quonsar.
posted by troutfishing at 5:08 PM on March 9, 2006


Ok, get your minds off accounting for a moment and read the entire thing.

This could be a LOT more than just a matter of funnelling money into oppressing the gays. (that's really just a side bonus)

From Section 3:

Sec. 3. Responsibilities of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In carrying out the purpose set forth in section 2 of this order, the Center shall:

...

(b) coordinate a comprehensive departmental effort to incorporate faith-based and other community organizations in Department programs and initiatives to the greatest extent possible;

...

(d) propose the development of innovative pilot and demonstration programs to increase the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in Federal as well as State and local initiatives; and

(e) develop and coordinate Departmental outreach efforts to disseminate information more effectively to faith-based and other community organizations with respect to programming changes, contracting opportunities, and other agency initiatives, including but not limited to Web and Internet resources.


Did we catch that? NOWHERE in this document does it spell out what exact "social and community services" it's talking about.

Strictly speaking, this document *could* authorize the creation of neighborhood spying rings. "Have you been disloyal, neighbor?" Or just start directly using churches to disseminate government propaganda.

I mean, it's probably intended just to funnel money to the churches... but it could be abused. Easily.
posted by InnocentBystander at 7:18 PM on March 9, 2006


They'll pray those hurricanes away, and throw holy water on those terrorists, and call for Jesus to turn that anthrax into wine...it'll be fine--you don't need competent people or competent government when God's around, right?

and what the hell is an "anti-person"??? (scroll down, 3rd from bottom)
posted by amberglow at 10:49 PM on March 9, 2006


Innocent, many states and local places already have faith-based offices set up.
posted by amberglow at 10:53 PM on March 9, 2006


Nehimiah Scudder, anyone?

Mota, save us!

St. Robert, pray for us! St. Ginny, pray for us!
posted by Goofyy at 12:59 AM on March 10, 2006


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