The Truth Behind Faith-based Initiatives

A few weeks ago Lincoln Davis, Dem. rep. of TN’s 4th Congressional district, gave a speech in which he said, “having faith in one particular religion doesn’t necessarily matter.” This ACLU/Secularist sentiment was declared, in a speech where he was advocating that Democrats
need to “reframe the debate” along the lines of Faith-based Initiatives.

His claim was that certain, federally-sponsored, bureaucratic programs somehow qualify as “faith-based initiatives” in so much as they involve good intentions and were Democrat proposals. How convenient! Programs such as: labor laws, Social Security, the GI bill, the Dept. of Education, Road Projects & Environmental Regulations were cited. No doubt these items had their place and were well-intentioned for their time, but to contend that they were faith-based is just flat-out wrong, unless Davis is inferring that it is a Faith in Government he’s professing!

The truth of what constitutes “faith-based initiatives” is President Bush’s campaign from 2001, which was an effort to encourage the help of churches and other private organizations in the delivery of charitable services to the poor and needy. His efforts are based on the sound realization that government bureaucracies don’t always work best in identifying and correcting social problems. Many churches and voluntary groups have demonstrated over the years a far greater capacity for actually helping people improve their lives, than government. The result of a truly compassionate program should be measured by results- ie. how well it helps individuals to become independent, not de- pendent, as is so often the case with government-based welfare.

There have been trillions of dollars spent by the federal government since Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. What have we gotten for all of these transfer payments that have redistributed wealth from the workers of our society to the non-workers? The rate of poverty has stayed relatively constant through the decades, but the National Debt has grown by nearly ten-fold. In
addition, we have established a new class of people who work harder to qualify for new government handouts than they ever do for getting off the dole!

Yes, Mr. Davis, Religion does matter! Our current War with the Religiously- inspired Islamic-terrorists should tell you that. And, the Religious teaching that is particular to our Judeo-Christian, conservative heritage: “to do unto others as we’d have others do unto us,” serves as the Faith that has defined our national character since it’s foundation, and one in which we must turn to again, if we are to long survive as a free and God-fearing nation.

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