I guess god doesn't want people to eat...

An interesting article in the L.A. Times discusses the new budget cuts proposed by the Bush administration and its redistribution of money to faith based programs. The article shows that Bush is pushing the advance of faith-based charities who do work with marriage preservation, abstinence programs and drug awareness. However, he is also pushing massive cuts in food stamps, Medicaid, and community developement. So, Bush is essentially taking money for food, medicine, and housing from the poor so he can push his faith based programs ahead. I think this is all nicely summed up by the following quote...

"The administration wants to abandon commitments that the federal government has made to serve low-income families, and to replace those practical commitments with very small pots of money and lip service about the faith community," said Deborah Weinstein, executive director of the Coalition on Human Needs, an alliance of social welfare agencies and labor unions.

I am uneasy about giving federal money to religious charities. I think that most religious charities do great work, and many are certainly worthy of federal money, but how do you distribute that money fairly amongst all the religions? I personally think it's a dangerous door to open, but I guess we shall see in the next few years whether faith based programs are worth all these federal dollars they will receive. My biggest concern with faith-based programs is people who need help will always wonder one thing BEFORE they seek aid... Are these people here to help me or convert me?