more on DHS to have a Faith-Based Center ?!?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [IP] DHS to have a Faith-Based Center ?!?]
Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2006 10:32:09 -0800 (PST)
From: Karl Auerbach <karl () cavebear com>
Reply-To: Karl Auerbach <karl () cavebear com>
To: h_bray () globe com
CC: David Farber <dave () farber net>
References: <44106F28.4050606 () farber net>


> I don't understand...what's odd about this?  It makes perfect sense.  Ever
> hear of the Salvation Army?  ...

> It'd be a dereliction of duty for DHS not to have liaison with these
> outfits.  You need to chill.

I disagree.

My concern is not in the fact that there are good people who do good work
under the umbrella of religion-related organizations.

Rather, my concern, is that the US Federal Government has established
mechanisms to elevate and extend its relationships with "faith based"
organizations but not with organizations that might be based on
"skepticism" or "science".

I see this as yet another instance in which Bush is establishing, and I
use that word most definitely in the Constitutional/First Amendment sense,
a government religion, by building preferences for people and
organizations who, at their core, act and think on the basis of unprovable
beliefs rather than scientific principle.

By selecting out "faith based" organizations this executive order
de-selects all other organizations.

Had the goal of the executive order been to improve DHS the order could
have called for "Community Initiatives" alone rather than "Faith Based And
Community Initiatives".  It is that special preference for religion based
bodies that raises my hackles.

                --karl--


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