"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, ..."
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AUSV Focus: Faith-Based Initiative
The office of faith-based Initiative was created to funnel U.S. tax dollars to religious organizations. With little or no congressional oversight, this initiative has doled out billions to religious groups who are supposed to provide social services. Since these billions are not 'added' or extra funding for services, the total dollars currently being spent is actually lower than in previous years.
We believe that it is by upholding the wall of separation between religion and government that religious organizations are able to flourish and remain independent of political influence. It is also through this wall of separation that our political organizations are able to remain religion-neutral and make laws that are respectful of the religious diversity of our country.
Faith Based Initiatives work to undermine this wall of separation between religious organizations and government, under the guise of charity. The results from this are:
- Weakening and/or disappearing religion-neutral services for the needy
- Using public funds for religious indoctrination and conversion of the needy and vulnerable
- Using public funds for religion based discrimination in hiring
- Using public funds to gather votes by politicians
- Offering only services which are deemed acceptable by religious groups
- Offering services to those who are deemed acceptable by the religious organization
- Pitting faith groups against one another
Resources on faith-based initiative:
Call to members and supporters -Please ask your local religious leader and social service professionals to join the Coalition Against Religious Discrimination, a network of 70 organizations that oppose "faith-based-initiatives" and other efforts to allow federal tax dollars to fund religious discrimination. Please visit Stop Religious Discrimination for more information.
'Faith-Based' Intitative Brochure from AU
'Faith-Based' Initiatives / Taxpayer Funded Religious Discrimination
Ruling Is A Sharp Rebuke To President George W. Bush's 'Faith-Based' Initiative
This is an open letter to our U.S. senators and representatives from the Silicon Valley Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State:
Dear Senator/Representative:
We are aware that a number of organizations in California have received Faith Based Initiative funds of approximately 100 million dollars in 2005. It appears that the recipients of these funds may not be required to provide accountability for how these funds are used, nor are their services evaluated systematically for effectiveness or quality.
I would like to ask for your help to change this situation. By this I mean changing the system in the following ways:
1. Hold these organizations accountable for how these funds are used. Even if the organizations receiving Faith Based Initiative funding have the best of intentions, because of their religious nature, our tax dollars can easily find their way into supporting a religious activity. Ensure that they do not violate the rules of Faith Based Initiatives and the Establishment Clause.
2. Monitor their activities for quality and appropriateness of service and effectiveness in a systematic manner. Currently, there does not seem to be such an evaluation procedure for organizations receiving Faith Based Initiative money. Much of these kinds of services can be offered by secular alternatives, which can be evaluated or their processes reviewed by an independent body.
3. Require that their hiring practices do not discriminate based on religion. Since these organizations are allowed to discriminate when hiring based on religion, it is likely that they appear discriminatory to those who wish to receive services as well. This would likely narrow their outreach to those who are of the same religion.
4. Hold them to the same standards as secular organizations. Since this funding could have otherwise been given to religion-neutral secular organizations, which cannot discriminate on the basis of religion and appear neutral to those needing their services, then religious organizations receiving Faith Based Initiative funds should be held to the same standards. This would include hiring based on qualifications as opposed to religion and providing services at a place other than the religious organization so that they appear neutral to those who need their services.
We would very much like to know what you, our representative in government, are doing to hold these organizations accountable, how you are overseeing this use of public funds, and how you are ensuring the neutrality of their outreach.
I know you would agree that as taxpayers, we have a right to know, at a minimum, how these funds are spent and if they are spent effectively to provide appropriate services, in a fair and neutral fashion.
Your response would very much be appreciated.
Sincerely yours,
Armineh Noravian
Silicon Valley Chapter President
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
If you become aware of a church/state issue in a publicly funded program, please write to us at: President@ausv.org Dear Senator/Representative:
We are aware that a number of organizations in California have received Faith Based Initiative funds of approximately 100 million dollars in 2005. It appears that the recipients of these funds may not be required to provide accountability for how these funds are used, nor are their services evaluated systematically for effectiveness or quality.
I would like to ask for your help to change this situation. By this I mean changing the system in the following ways:
1. Hold these organizations accountable for how these funds are used. Even if the organizations receiving Faith Based Initiative funding have the best of intentions, because of their religious nature, our tax dollars can easily find their way into supporting a religious activity. Ensure that they do not violate the rules of Faith Based Initiatives and the Establishment Clause.
2. Monitor their activities for quality and appropriateness of service and effectiveness in a systematic manner. Currently, there does not seem to be such an evaluation procedure for organizations receiving Faith Based Initiative money. Much of these kinds of services can be offered by secular alternatives, which can be evaluated or their processes reviewed by an independent body.
3. Require that their hiring practices do not discriminate based on religion. Since these organizations are allowed to discriminate when hiring based on religion, it is likely that they appear discriminatory to those who wish to receive services as well. This would likely narrow their outreach to those who are of the same religion.
4. Hold them to the same standards as secular organizations. Since this funding could have otherwise been given to religion-neutral secular organizations, which cannot discriminate on the basis of religion and appear neutral to those needing their services, then religious organizations receiving Faith Based Initiative funds should be held to the same standards. This would include hiring based on qualifications as opposed to religion and providing services at a place other than the religious organization so that they appear neutral to those who need their services.
We would very much like to know what you, our representative in government, are doing to hold these organizations accountable, how you are overseeing this use of public funds, and how you are ensuring the neutrality of their outreach.
I know you would agree that as taxpayers, we have a right to know, at a minimum, how these funds are spent and if they are spent effectively to provide appropriate services, in a fair and neutral fashion.
Your response would very much be appreciated.
Sincerely yours,
Armineh Noravian
Silicon Valley Chapter President
Americans United for Separation of Church and State