restoring our biblical and constitutional foundations
President Bushs Faith-Based Initiative Un-Godly, Un-Christian, Un-Biblical, and Un-Constitutional
President Bushs continued pushing of his so-called faith-based initiative which is really nothing more than a program to entice churches to get on Federal welfare is un-Christian, un-Constitutional, and a disgraceful example of pork-barrel politics at its worst and most dangerous.
In his recent address to the Knights Of Columbus in Dallas, Texas, Mr. Bush used his talk to announce $188 million in grants to help religious charities compete for Federal funds. He said his goal was to end unfair discrimination against faith-based charities by the Federal Government. He pointed out, however, that the recipients of these Federal funds will not be allowed to proselytize.
In other words, for example, Christian groups who receive these Federal funds are forbidden to practice the faith upon which they are based! They are forbidden to proselytize, to preach the Gospel which our Lord commands (Matthew 28:19-).
Instead of trying to, in Mr. Bushs words, level the playing field by trying to get faith-based groups on the Federal welfare there should be no such field at all, none, for anybody. Instead of trying to get Christian groups ON Federal welfare, he should be getting non-faith-based groups OFF of Federal welfare.
Nowhere in the Bible does Gods Word allow any civil government to fund faith-based groups. Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is there any authorization for the Federal-funding of faith-based groups.
And in purely practical and political terms, for any Christian group to receive Federal welfare would involve them in a bureaucratic nightmare, wrap them in miles of Federal red tape and lead to such things as IRS audits and much, much more Federal intrusion.
In addition, while Mr. Bush said in his talk that his faith-based welfare program would apply to all faiths, Christian, Jew or Muslim, it will NOT be limited to these faiths. It will only be a matter of time before some judge somewhere rules that faith-based means the Wicca/witch religion, Satan-worshippers, those who practice voodoo and, literally, only God knows what other faiths.
The Lord Jesus Christ says we must render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesars; and unto God the things that are Gods (Matthew 22:21). Amen! But neither Scripture nor our Constitution say that Caesar is allowed to give money to faith-based organizations. And those Christian groups who seek and receive Federal welfare reveal that, ironically, they have no faith because they do not believe that God can provide for their needs.
August 5, 2004
Mr. Michael Peroutka is the 2004 Constitution Party presidential candidate. He may be reached for comment here.