Federal Money to the Churches

This leads one to ask; Why should the American People give to charity at all?

The Bush administration is taking faith base funding one step further, and FEMA will pay back churches and other religious groups for their charity efforts in the wake of Katrina and Rita.

This is a huge mistake.

Our churches and faith based groups gather contributions to fund just these sorts of activities. People have given these groups millions in the last couple of weeks to enable them to function, and now the US Government is going top off this payment.

Are these churches going to return any contributions they have received?

In the past smaller operations were funded in part by the larger national groups, the red cross, salvation army, ERD ect. Since these groups may not be approached now, are they going to return some of their contributions?

FEMA needs to revisit this decision, and advise these smaller operations to approach some of the national groups for cost reimbursements. Church and state do not need to mix. Each serve a vital service to society, but neither need to try to do the work of the other.

One real positive is the number of church groups who have indicated that they will not take this money. The make it clear that their work is a mission of charity, paid for by people of faith, and should not be mixed with taxpayers funds.