http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080129/us_nm/bush_faith_dc_1
BALTIMORE (Reuters) – President George W. Bush reflected on his battle with alcohol abuse on Tuesday, acknowledging that he once drank too much, as he sought to showcase the religious-based programs that have been one of the controversial initiatives of his presidency. Bush, who gave up alcohol at age 40, made the comment during a visit to the Jericho program, run by the Episcopal Community Services of Maryland, which helps recently released prisoners re-enter the workforce.The visit was part of an effort to highlight one of his domestic priorities — providing government funding for religious-based organizations to help their communities.”Addiction is hard to overcome. As you might remember, I drank too much at one time in my life,” said Bush, who has often stated that religion became a greater part of his life after he gave up alcohol.”I understand faith-based programs. I understand that sometimes you can find the inspiration from a higher power to solve an addiction problem,” he said.Faith-based programs like Jericho should not be forced to give up their spiritual underpinning to receive federal funding, Bush said.Critics of the initiative oppose the use of taxpayers’ money by faith-based groups because it blurs the line separating religion and government.Some supporters of the program have also voiced concerns that Bush has not provided as much money to these organizations as he promised. A study by the Rockefeller Institute found the number of faith-based organizations that received federal funding rose to 762 in 2004 from 665 in 2002.In his State of the Union address on Monday night, Bush asked Congress to guarantee funding permanently for faith-based groups.
Yes, watch out for those pesky liberals who want to take away these wonderful programs, right?No Mr. president, for the zillionth time, it’s not about the organizations operating as charities, and it’s not even about them getting government money. Religious organizations that genuinely wish to do charitable work have ALWAYS been allowed to do so, by forming a separate organization, with a separate bank account, and operating a charity. They do good work, manage their funds, and provide the same service to all who need it. Piece of cake, many do it.The Faith-based Initiative is NOT about helping the needy — it’s about allowing churches to provide a service, at government expense, WHILE preaching and discriminating, and without oversight to make sure the plans are effective and the money is spent properly. The faith-based organizations receive government funding with the expressed permission to break laws and NOT prove how they spent their (our) money. They are allowed this privilege simply because they believe in a deity. Government-sponsored religious discrimination.Now would be a great time to remind your Congressman that you want your money managed and spent with equality and accountability.
Bush’s reason for finding jesus is the most common one used.
“I used to make bad decisions and screw up my life.”
“Then I went to church and them there people explained to me that I shouldn’t make bad decisions.”
“Now I’m clean and sober because jesus helped me.”
No you idiots, you helped yourself.
This is why religion spreads through prisons, poor countries and alcoholics and drug addicts cling to it like a life preserver.
You don’t need jesus to know not to drink a fifth of whiskey every day.
Religion is for the weak-minded.
As for funding their stupid programs with my money they need to use the TITHE money they scam from the believers. That’s what it’s for isn’t it?
A friend of mine in Alcoholics Anonymous here in England tells me that fully half of his fellow AA attendees are atheists! Conversely, he says, he’s never met an atheist when attending AA meetings in the States.
AA atheists generally adopt the group as a ‘higher power’ symbol. My friends uses the House of Lords because, says he, like God they’re completely useless!
Hyper religiosity is a hallmark sign of recovering alcoholics who are just substituting one drug for another. Pathetic.
It is in the vulnerability of an addict that religions prey on the most. Addicts are the people who fail the most when they are held up against a morality system that is against their particular addiction.
Well, religion itself is an immoral addiction, and that fails the most when it is held up to the objective morality of atheism. Therefore, all religions are immoral in the eyes of an objective atheist, but people like George Bush keep on sinning against reason without even knowing it!
Nay, actually all religions are immoral in the eyes of the secular majority as legislated by the House and the Senate seems to be a better fit.
Church is a Ponzi scheme, a confidence game. What suckers!
“Less Jobs, More War”
McCain for president.
I remember as a kid being forced into going to church and other religious functions and listening to people talk about how they sold drugs, had risky sex, sold their bodies, voted Libertarian …etc until they found Jesus.
My ADHD made these events utter hell, particularly since Christians have little tolerance for hyperactive kids, but I was struck by the idiocy of using these people as a spokesmen for your product.
If religions are borrowing money from the US government, and the US government is borrowing money from China which in turn has no regard for US copyright laws, then isn’t it the American scientists and the inventors that are ultimately being screwed over here by the religious idiots.
An old article on a faith-based initiative by Bush that is hardly mentioned anymore. The Slate writer Easterbrook is usually an idiot, but this time he got it right.
“Bush Unveils Faith-based Missle Defense”.
http://www.slate.com/id/101070/nav/navoa/
“WASHINGTON?President George W. Bush announced an initiative to develop a faith-based missile defense. “For too long, military planners have been denied the use of the supernatural in attempting to protect American citizens from attack,” Bush declared today in a speech to the National Association of Amateur Submarine Captains. “There is no reason why we cannot maintain a healthy separation of church and state while still calling on divine intervention for the Pentagon budget. Faith-based missile defense will be constitutional and fully consistent with the way the Founding Fathers expected this great nation to handle ICBM threats,” the president said.” . . .
bernarda,
That is hilarious! I’ve got an idea how about we get rid of all our guns, missiles, rockets, and military and just pray instead.
Surely jesus will intervene and stop the terrorists.
All those prayers for peace sure have helped the world out.
Prayer is that powerful!
Don’t question it.
OOPS, it’s been a while.
One other point needs to be made Dave about government funding of religious organizations by the current administration, it is actually pay-back for helping get Bush-Cheney elected.
That is why “faith-based funding” is particularly wrong. It is nothing more than political pay off for a job well done. Money, access, and power for those who help get you elected is the sole reason to get involved in politics.
So can all those religious orgs who take Bush’s political payola, really call themselves religious? I think not. They are really just Jack Abramoff’s. They are in it for the money, which is the primary reason for all religious organizations.
Well said Peter. They are literally paying these people to vote for them.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HBtL_sq-vGA&feature=related
Faith Based Initiative
Pray it all gets better.
How about faith-based health insurance? A single-prayer system if you will.