[Boston-editorial] submission

[monkerud]

Do you put out a newspaper or do I post to this list?

best, Don

Please consider publishing the following column.

Bush Commits Government to Support Religion
By Don Monkerud

After recent criticism for not doing enough to promote his 
faith-based program, President Bush reaffirmed his commitment to 
erode barriers against religion in government-supported programs and 
to grant more money to religious groups. The President made his 
pledge Tuesday before 250 religious leaders at a White House-called 
conference in Washington D. C.

The commitment follows closely on the heels of his State of the Union 
address, where Bush called for the passage of his faith-based 
initiatives to transform America "one soul at a time." Deciphering or 
restating the sometimes confusing double-talk helps us understand the 
intent of this seemingly benign program.

At the conference, the President revealed that government funding of 
religious groups increased over the past year to $2 billion-ten 
percent of federal charity funds now go to some 600 religious 
organizations-which he said "isn't perfect," but "progress."

"It's a revolution," said Jim Towey, director of the White House 
faith-based office. "There's a change under way. It takes time to 
take root, but philosophically we have to end discrimination against 
faith-based groups. They've been treated like second-class citizens 
in the public square."

The President said religions could not discriminate based on 
religion-a Catholic recovery program cannot discriminate against 
Methodists-and that people would not be "forced to choose a 
faith-based provider." Carefully hedging his remarks for bringing 
religion into government programs as "expanding individual choice," 
Bush bragged that his administration allowed religious groups to use 
federal money to rebuild churches, fund groups filled with religious 
leaders on their boards, and fund buildings used for religious 
services. Using government funds to support religion in these ways is 
a radical break with the American tradition of not funding religion 
and keeping religion and government separate.

Throughout his speech, the President used code words to reiterate his 
drive to allow religious intrusion into government-funded programs. 
Using the word "faith" over 60 times, Bush said the best way to quit 
drinking is to "go to a place that changes your heart," and he lauded 
a "tough love" treatment program that made a woman feel as if she had 
an "angel sitting on (her) shoulder." Bush continually used the terms 
"faith-based and community groups," as if they were the same, 
although community groups have always been allowed to apply for 
government funds. He spoke fondly of "the armies of compassion" as if 
they were a military operation (armies of the Lord), and said he 
could think of no better role for government than supporting such 
armies.

"We stand ready to help energize that army," Bush said. "I want to 
thank you for being generals, lieutenants, sergeants and privates in 
the army of compassion."

As for using government funds to support religious programs, the 
President said that if a program works "because of a belief in the 
Almighty, give it a shot." In short, programs that save souls or lead 
people to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior-paid for by 
tax dollars-are fine because they work. Critics point out that there 
are almost no studies of whether these programs work or not because 
the government has never before supported these programs.

"You can't promote religious activity and worship on government 
money," said Jim Towey. "But we aren't going to require you to alter 
your identity. That could rob you of the very effectiveness of your 
program."

Bush laid out a program that will lead to even closer religious ties 
to government. He is sending several proposals to Congress which 
would increase funding for religious sponsored drug and alcohol 
treatment programs, push state and local governments to fund more 
religious social service groups, allow religious programs to 
discriminate in hiring by employing only those from the same religion 
because they have "shared values and religious identity," allow write 
offs for food donations, and allow retirees to make tax free 
contributions from their IRAs to religious groups. If Congress fails 
to pass these new laws, Bush pledged that he would make the changes 
by as executive orders.

"It's a simple change, but it's a substantive change to law," Bush 
said. "They don't need the tax law to encourage tithing, for example. 
But it always helps on the margin to have good tax law."

Whether Bush's proposals are pandering to the religious right-as some 
contend-or reflect a heartfelt desire to "save souls," the awarding 
of government contracts to religious groups is unprecedented. By 
manipulating language and phrasing questions in a seemingly 
well-meaning and innocent way, Bush pays back his religious 
supporters and blurs the lines between religion and government.
The End
Copyright 2005

Don Monkerud
2220 Pleasant Valley Road
Aptos, CA 95003
831-724-2059
Monkerud at Cruzio.com