Faith-based funding has fans, enemies
Re “The Supreme Court narrowly protects Bush’s ‘faith-based initiative,’ ” June 26
This article barely touches on work the churches are doing in communities whose tax bases are too small, or overwhelmed by high demand, to support all the social services needed in those areas.
These funds aren’t going to religions, they are going to help substance abusers, the homeless and children. The churches just happen to be doing the heavy lifting. I am not a churchgoer, but I do donate to organizations of various faiths that just happen to be providing the services. People forget that Habitat for Humanity was founded as a faith-based charity.
RAY TORRES
Menifee, Calif.
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A lot of Americans have about had it with faith-based anything: faith-based initiatives, politics, economics, international relations, education, science, war. It’s nothing more than lies and babbling, packaged as patriotism and morality.
Now we’re told that the faith addicts in government can shovel all our money down the unaudited coffers of their favorite church and we can’t even ask questions about where and for what it’s going.
The world’s people of faith should take their faith in hand, make that great leap of faith they continually yammer about and leave the planet. Then -- with them out of our hair and their nonsense out of our ears -- the rest of us can get on with the ugly job of cleaning up the mess they’ve left behind without them in the way. Where is the Rapture when you need it?
CHUCK ALMDALE
Santa Monica
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Re “Faith and taxes: maybe,” editorial, June 26
Your editorial was right on target. The Supreme Court’s weird Hein vs. Freedom From Religion Foundation ruling means that taxpayers may go to court to challenge violations of the 1st Amendment’s establishment clause by Congress but not identical violations by the executive branch. Thus the Bush court has removed several more bricks from our constitutional wall of separation between church and state and further eroded religious freedom.
EDD DOERR
President
Americans for
Religious Liberty
Silver Spring, Md.