When the president takes the oath of office this week, he will, as 42 presidents before him have done, place his hand on the bible. This upsets some who want no public acknowledgement that ours in a society of faith, freedom, and family. such dissent leads other Americans to think their faith is under attack by "secularists". President Bush, who particularly animated in discussing his own religious fauth in a wide-ranging interview last week in the Oval office, is not one of them. He is bemused by the furor, such as it is, not angry.
"I dont' see how you can be president- at least form my prespective- without a relationship with the Lord, "he said. " I think people attack me because they fearful that I will then say that you're not equally as patriotic if you're not a religious person. I've never said that."
Mr Bush however, insists that faith based community organizations not be discriminated againstif, for example, they can use government resources to help drug addicts or Aids sufferers as long as they don't proselytize on behalf of their religion. He places his faith-based initiative in the tradition of civic and community groups as identified by Alexis de Tocqueville, the French aristocrat who toured America in the 1830's and saw such associations as "the great strength of America."
If faith itself isn't under attack, the president's faith based initiative is, from liberals and some conservatives. Liberals, who say it collapses the wall between church and state, prefer the paternalism of the New Deal and big government.
Conservatives challenge the idea from a different direction. They don't want government money interfering with religion or influencing those who, as a religious duty, work for the underclass; they think it demeans the ethical spirit. They prefer faith-based voluntary organizations freeof government money, free of the strings that such money always comes with..
more................
www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20050116-095825-6903r.htm
"I dont' see how you can be president- at least form my prespective- without a relationship with the Lord, "he said. " I think people attack me because they fearful that I will then say that you're not equally as patriotic if you're not a religious person. I've never said that."
Mr Bush however, insists that faith based community organizations not be discriminated againstif, for example, they can use government resources to help drug addicts or Aids sufferers as long as they don't proselytize on behalf of their religion. He places his faith-based initiative in the tradition of civic and community groups as identified by Alexis de Tocqueville, the French aristocrat who toured America in the 1830's and saw such associations as "the great strength of America."
If faith itself isn't under attack, the president's faith based initiative is, from liberals and some conservatives. Liberals, who say it collapses the wall between church and state, prefer the paternalism of the New Deal and big government.
Conservatives challenge the idea from a different direction. They don't want government money interfering with religion or influencing those who, as a religious duty, work for the underclass; they think it demeans the ethical spirit. They prefer faith-based voluntary organizations freeof government money, free of the strings that such money always comes with..
more................
www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20050116-095825-6903r.htm
