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Obama signs new rules for faith-based groups
By Michelle Boorstein
UPDATE: 1:18 P.M.:
President Obama signed an executive order today to tweak the rules governing how faith-based social service groups do business with the government. The changes are meant to please church-state people on both sides of the ideological spectrum but still sidestep the most explosive, unresolved issue: whether such groups can discriminate in who they hire.
The changes are among those recommended by an independent panel Obama picked to advise him on church-state issues. The panel, which has since been disbanded, made its recommendations in March.
From the White House, the key provisions of the order:
- · "Requires the government to protect beneficiaries of federally funded social service programs by providing referrals to alternative providers if the beneficiary objects to the religious character of the organization providing the services;"
- · "Clarifies that decisions about financial awards must be free from political interference or even the appearance of such interference;"
- · "Affirms that faith-based organizations that receive Federal financial assistance may use their facilities to provide social services without removing or altering religious art, icons, scriptures, or other symbols from these facilities. In addition, a faith-based organization that participates in a social service program may retain religious terms in its name, select its board members on a religious basis, and include religious references in its organization's mission statements and other chartering or governing documents;"
- · "Requires the federal government to monitor and enforce standards regarding the relationship between religion and government in ways that avoid excessive entanglement;"
- · "Requires agencies that provide Federal financial assistance to post online regulations, guidance documents, and policies that reflect or elaborate upon the fundamental principles of the Executive Order;"
- · "Requires agencies to post online a list of entities that receive Federal financial assistance for the provision of social service programs;"
- · "Clarifies the principle that organizations engaging in explicitly religious activity must perform these activities outside of and separately in time and location from programs supported with Federal financial assistance, and that participation in any explicit religious activity must be voluntary;"
Comments from religious leaders:
I just spoke with Rev. Welton Gaddy, president of The Interfaith Alliance and a member of the president's task force reviewing these church-state issues, who said the executive order "is a significant step forward which can be applauded with caution. I don't think anyone concerned about civil rights and discrimination can be elated about an executive order that doesn't address the religious hiring issue."
Nathan Diament, director of public policy for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations, and a member of the President's Advisory Council:
"I am very pleased with the Executive Order which President Obama has issued today. The Order adopts all of the key principles and recommendations that our Council put before the President. The Order thus champions fundametal constitutional principles, protects the religious liberties of individuals and promotes the effective and important partnerships the Federal government has with faith-based organizations."
"Through this Executive Order, and the ongoing efforts of the White House's 'faith-based initiative,' President Obama has advanced America's social welfare sector and protected constitutional principles."
Michelle Boorstein
| November 16, 2010; 7:29 PM ET | Category: God in Government , Under God Save & Share:
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Posted by: FutureJumps | November 17, 2010 2:08 PM
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I find the "leaders" of any church that claims their church to be a 501 C (3) organization for tax purposes to be infidels.
The liberal gaggle of geese on the Hill know that churches and church leaders are very influential in their respective affiliations, and since these churches are "held hostage" by their federal status, these "leaders" would most likely convince their parishoners to be good civil obedient sheep and Stepford Citizens for the gov't.
The churches of today are more political than they are spiritual. They suggest who one should vote for, instead of feeding the sheep from the bread of life.
Megachurch pastors are the worse offenders- Eddie Long out of ATL comes to mind- hosting Coretta Kings funeral, Bush has visited there, high profile politicians are members of his church, and mega churches like his.
I long for separation of church and state.
Posted by: obamaalmighT | November 17, 2010 3:04 PM
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The government shouldn't be in the business of writing checks to churches.
Posted by: kenk33 | November 18, 2010 10:53 AM
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Clarification - does the hiring issue involve the charities wanting to hire only people who belong to that particular sect or denomination, or wanting to hire only straight people? Or both?
Posted by: Carstonio | November 18, 2010 11:19 AM
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President Obama's Office of Faith-based Partnerships is obviously unconstitutional. For a President to so openly violate the
Constitution is disgraceful: "What is directly prohibited cannot be indirectly permitted, lest the Establishment Clause become a mockery." Does the President or his staff know in which Supreme Court case the preceding quote is written? Does the President or his staff know who said, "Stongly guarded as is the separation between Religion and Government in the Constitution of the United States, the danger of encroachment by Ecclesiastical Bodies may be illustrated by precedents already furnished in their short history"?
James Madison, Father of the Constitution, William and Mary Quarterly 3:555.
Read Everson v. Board 330 U.S. at 15 and see
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb7SbUWw9dM .
Posted by: GeneGarman | November 21, 2010 11:17 PM
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