Sorry, prospective adoptive families.

This is another example of faith-based organizations turning to the government for funding to fulfill their mission. ” DuBois represents a new generation of faith leaders who believe their faith can and should change the world. ” Unfortunately, DuBois needs the weight of the US government to carry out this belief, when he represents a slender portion of the religious picture of the world. God forbid a creche appear on a town square, but let's ensure abortion remains a legal and government-funded activity through the cloaking of a greater faith purpose.

However I am unclear how the President's words comport with his actions. On January 23rd, he signed an executive order allowing federal funds to go toward international family planning groups, “family planning” being an Orwellian euphemism for abortion. The President also told a group of Planned Parenthood supporters that the first thing he wanted to do as president was to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, also known as FOCA, which clearly does not aim to reduce abortions.

Mr. Wallis, could you clarify for Sojo readers the seeming inconsistency of the President's actions with his words? Otherwise, I am left thinking the President says one thing and does another.

I look forward to reading your response, either here, or in you Sojomail newsletter.

That sounds like sound, conservative advice to me. Unlike the liberal view which is always to throw more money at the problem, without dealing with the underlying issues. Alas, perhaps liberals and conservatives could one day sit down together at the table of brotherhood and hash out their differences. Of course, that would require doing away with pride inherent in both sides.

Besides, that masks the real issue — as I asked before, are we really uplifting the poor or simply helping to manage their poverty?

That said, I wouldn't mind faith-based organizations registering people to vote, regardless of party affiliation. Interestingly enough, that's one thing you never hear so-called compassionate conservatives encouraging — wonder why? It seems to me that real change comes from the bottom up and with giving the people a sense of their own destiny. If the “faith-based” programs do that, wonderful. But if all they do is manage poverty, they will end up worse off than if they were on welfare.

But they're definitely not faith-based so hopefully they wouldn't have access to this money.

The Seattle schools in m y area just closed many inner city schools where minorities were the majority attending , this right after a charter bill was opposed for pure idealogical reasoning . Minority organizations supported them because they believe they have been left out of the funding process. I do believe the stimulus bill is supporting Charter schools which is good .
but not sure why some of the money here is in the stimulus package , seemed it should have been in a separate bill .

I caught a soundbite on the news with Wallis explaining some of his views on this . He was refering to religious organizations supportiog adoptions and such being helped by Federal Funding . I am in favor of such things , including supporting religious organizations that reach out to the homeless and such . Among drug abusers religious organizations have a better track record on recovery percentage wise , but the numbers of people getting treatment through religious organizations are quite low , one reason is funding problems.

Their is power in the Gospel , when no one is looking , when no one is their to help the individual having problems n life , if you introduce them to a loving and merifull God they have a resourse that is always there to support them , even when the counselors are home in bed .

The problem from many on the secular left is similiar to what many from religious pro life views against supporting organizations like Planned Parenthood with health issues ,because helping them with health issues also means they have more money then to utiize free abortions or lower cost abortions . Helping religious organizations with meals, school books , etc , allows them to continue to promote the Gospel because the expense of the “neutral areas” . are taken care of .
In this state any tax dollars with a religious organization is a no no among the liberal elected .

The philospy goes both ways I believe in not wanting tax dollars mingled in abortion providers or religious organizations that help . Just coming from Wallis I agree it becomes suspect in regards to really doing anything about abortion rates . Perhaps he needs to allow his staff to have a few people where pro life issues are really as important as poverty or how he defines social justice issues .

As far as federal legislation goes, this seems pretty clear … and I can understand why a Religious Right groups might oppose it, but the least they can do is oppose it for what it actually says instead of concocting some nonsensical myth in order to get it stripped from the bill.

I hope that this sets the record straight. I don't want my tax dollars going to construct buildings for Rastafarians, Hindus, Muslims, Wiccans, or any other religious group.

Stimulus bans universities and colleges from using funds to renovate buildings where students engage in “religious worship”

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) made the following statement after Democrats voted 43-54 against his amendment to strike language from the economic stimulus bill that discriminates against students of faith. Senator DeMint’s amendment would have eliminated a provision that bans any university or college receiving funds to renovate buildings, from allowing “sectarian instruction” or “religious worship” within the facility. This would in effect bar use of campus buildings for groups like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Campus Crusade for Christ, Catholic Student Ministries, Hillel, and other religious organizations.

Now maybe Jim DeMint is barking up the wrong tree, but either way it seems like this would be an important issue for a Christian public policy group to address.

LV