Obama must get rid of this “faith based” crap

Posted by Greg Laden on January 30, 2009
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But he’s not.

President Barack Obama has chosen Joshua DuBois to lead his White House-based effort to steer federal social service dollars to religious charities and get them more involved in government anti-poverty efforts.

DuBois, a political strategist who was religious affairs director in the Obama campaign, will head the President’s Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, a senior administration official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made by Obama.

Obama said during the campaign that he wanted to expand White House faith-based efforts begun under former President George W. Bush.

But while he endorsed Bush’s initiative to give religious groups more equal footing when getting federal funding, he also promised to tweak it.

How about tweaking this abomination out of existence?

More details here.

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Comments

  1. #1 Jack Kolinski
    January 30, 2009

    I couldn’t agree more, Greg, which is why YOU need to organize the “CURE for RELIGION.” Religion is and has been every bit as deadly as almost any disease one can think of going back to the bubonic plague and yet no one seems to be actively seeking a cure. If not now, when? If not YOU, WHO? Time to stop swatting at all the peripheral issues like “faith based initiative” and “ID” and go right for the jugular. Let’s find the god gene and turn it off before it kills us all. Not that simple? Nothing worth while doing ever is simple or easy. Abolition of Slavery. Women’s voting and reproductive and HUMAN rights. Neither simple nor easy but very much worth the effort. You can do this Greg. “How about tweaking this abomination out of existence?” You will have LOTS of help.

  2. #2 Mike Haubrich, FCD
    January 31, 2009

    Jack, there is a virus called “education.” It is working slowly but surely to destroy religion. It will take about a thousand years, so I hope you have patience.

    The problem with Faith-Based_Initiatives is that they give religious preference for program funding without exercising the proper controls over how the money is spent or whether or not the recipients illegally discriminate in employment. Otherwise, social service funding through private organizations is fine.

  3. #3 Russell
    January 31, 2009

    While Obama was preferable to the alternative, he is religious. We’ll at least see the related funds go to secular purpose and administered without religious discrimination. No Chuck Colsons under Obama. But he’s not just going to say, “out, out, damn spot.”

  4. #4 Jackal
    January 31, 2009

    The Secular Coalition for America has a letter writing campaign to discourage the senate from including funds for faith based initiatives in the stimulus package. Please add your voice.

  5. #5 Jack Kolinski
    January 31, 2009

    “Jack, there is a virus called “education.” It is working slowly but surely to destroy religion. It will take about a thousand years, so I hope you have patience.
    Mike Haubrich, FCD | January 31, 2009 7:33 AM”

    Surely we can speed the process up with behavioral psychology, genetics, et cet. My patience (not much to begin with) was used up on two wives and four daughters YEARS ago. Dawkins or Hitchens must be working on this. I just want to know what website I can go to to keep informed. Tragically, I’m going to miss my one good opportunity to see Dawkins live by arriving in Detroit the day after he speaks at MSU. Bummer.

  6. #6 Notagod
    February 2, 2009

    Each one of us can help. At least by challenging those that state christian mythology as if it were fact. And by informing government representative that we support separation of religion from government functions and practices.