I decide if you're faith based, not you
Quote of note:
Many organizations insist they do not belong on a list of faith-based organizations, even though they may have religious roots. White House officials said the list included groups that had identified themselves as faith-based and groups that officials thought were religious, based on their names.More common: groups with a religious perspective that steer clear of proselytization.
"We intentionally avoid references to God and his works in our educational material so that no one will feel intimidated or avoid our services because they're of a different religion," said Sue Ortiz, a home ownership counselor at Inner City Christian Federation in Grand Rapids, Mich., which got $65,000 in 2003 and $150,000 in 2004.
But religion inspires their work, she said: "We do what we do because of God's love."
AP: U.S. Gave $1B in Faith-Based Funds
By Laura Meckler
The Associated Press
Monday 03 January 2005
Washington - In New Haven, Conn., AIDS counselors don't hesitate to stop and pray anytime someone needs a boost. In Charleston, S.C., Crisis Ministries provides shelter and meals for the homeless and the hungry.
Both are on a White House list of "faith-based organizations" that together received more than $1 billion in federal grants in 2003. But when it comes to religion, the groups' philosophies are quite different.
The Connecticut AIDS program doesn't hesitate to incorporate religion into its program. But in South Carolina, Crisis Ministries doesn't consider itself religious at all.
"Someone has obviously designated us a faith-based organization, but we don't recognize ourselves as that," said Stacey Denaux, executive director of Crisis Ministries.
Hers was one of many groups with entirely secular missions that were surprised to find their names on a list of faith-based groups provided to The Associated Press by the White House.
Other grant recipients are overtly religious, offering social service programs that the government may have deemed too religious to receive money before President Bush launched his "faith-based initiative."
