Why Are We Giving Our Tax Dollars to Churches for Faith Based Initiatives?

[RepublicansRZombies]

First of all, Republicans SAY they do charity all on their own, which is why we don't need government.

They don't pay even pay taxes and they are taking our money for their social programs?

What. the. Fuck!

It's been about a decade since the White House started inviting faith-based groups to bid for government social services contracts (first under Clinton, then in a much more expansive way under Bush, and now continuing under Obama). It's time for the reports and conferences and opining!

Today, experts, government officials (including Joshua DuBois, head of the White House's Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships) and other interested folks met at the Brookings Institution think tank to look assess the program:

_ Since Bush launched the faith-based initiative, saying it was necessary in part to empower an army of churchgoers to do more social service work, there has been no change whatsoever in the behavior of congregations. That's what the current research shows, according to Mark Chaves, Duke University sociologist and director of the National Congregations Study, which has been done since 1998. Chaves says the Bush office boosted congregations' interest in social service work, but that hasn't translated into more congregations doing social service work, hiring staff to do social service work, etc.

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/undergod/2010/02/one_year_into_the_obama_faith-based_office_let_the_opining_begin.html

[msongs]

1. because the primary purpose of churches is to make $$ any way they can? nt

[RepublicansRZombies]

2. I really like this comment on the news story- even if it is all caps

THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO WASTE OUR TAX MONEY ON ANYTHING FAITH BASED...IT'S A LIE!!!

KEEP THE PHONY RELIGIOUS RIGHT OUT OF OUR GOVERNMENT!!!

I DON'T WANT MY TAX DOLLARS TO BE GIVEN TO ANY CHURCH THAT FORCES PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN THEIR GOD BEFORE THEY GET ANY HELP!!! FACT!!

ALL CHURCHES SHOULD HAVE THEIR TAX EXEMPT STATUS REVOKED...YOU RUN YOUR CHURCHES LIKE BUSINESS...YOU LOBBY GOVERNMENTS ON YOUR BEHALF AND YOU SPEND MONEY TO SUPPORT POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS SO YOU DO NOT DESERVE ANY TAX FREE STATUS!!!

PAY YOUR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES YOU CROOKS AND EVERYBODY WILL BE BETTER OFF BECAUSE OF IT...NOW THAT WOULD BE A TRUE MIRACLE!!!

[liberal N proud]

3. It all started back in the bu$h regime

[RepublicansRZombies]

6. a lot of crap started in the Bush regime that needs to be ended

a lot of expensive crap that we are still paying for and getting blamed for.

[HiPointDem]

4. good question. been happening since bush 1, i believe, and it's a monumental hypocrisy. i've

seen it in real time, church people/church personnel ranting about how wasteful the government is and denigrating other organizations that take government money -- even as they themselves are taking government money.

foiking hypocrites with their hands in the till.

[RepublicansRZombies]

5. 'monumental hypocrisy' is the Republican platform

But we don't have to put up with this BS.

Our 'leaders' are followers, WE the People need to start calling the shots.

[RepublicansRZombies]

7. kick

nt