SCORES of conservative Baptists have joined forces with liberal Protestants, Jewish leaders and even Wiccan priestesses in opposition to President Bush’s plans to fund social work conducted by faith-based charities.
In an open letter to the President, 850 religious leaders claimed that his faith-based initiative would “entangle religion and government in an unprecedented and perilous way”. “The flow of government dollars and the accountability for how those funds are used will inevitably undermine the independence and integrity of houses of worship,” the letter said.
Under the Bush plan, religious charities would be able to compete for more than 100 federal grants to administer a variety of social services, including drug rehabilitation and community policing.
One of the most controversial aspects for religious conservatives is the rule that actively proselytising groups, which require religious conversion by participants, should not be eligible for federal funds. The White House has been caught by surprise by the wave of criticism from religious conservatives.