Sunday, September 21, 2008

INTOLERANCE: Taxpayer supported cristophobia!

The USA is not the only place where Christians feel their government is cristophobic.
The Archbishop of York has spoken of Government ‘intolerance’ against Christian groups when it comes to funding community initiatives. [TCI]

While faith remains a primary motivation for charitable and voluntary work in Britain, increasingly voluntary groups which have a Christian foundation are viewed as ‘tainted and unsuitable for receipt of funding’ by public bodies.
[Cranmer]
Of course the "separation of church and state" is enshrined in the left's mythological Constitution of the United States, where only hard fought victories are achieved through "faith based" efforts; no such ironclad and arbitrary barrier to government funding exists across the pond.
... Dr Sentamu has noticed ‘a chill wind that blows around grant makers and managers of funds’ when they consider the plans of faith groups. He said: “We must resist any trend in national or local Government where the decision as to whether a solution works is not based on results, but upon the intolerance that sees a project motivated by faith as being tainted and unsuitable for receipt of funding. Rather there should be a recognition of the valuable work being carried out by groups motivated to serve the common good by a belief in dignity of all as God’s creatures in which his divine spark resides.”[Cranmer]
So many volunteers have opted out of faith based work and so many organizations have given up under governmental cristophobic intolerance and disdain. This has resulted in many not receiving much needed care and service which might have been provided.
Christian groups “are working at the coalface of pastoral care and social practice,” he said, “motivated by nothing more than their love of God and the love for their neighbour”.

Many are working with the elderly, children and the disabled. Dr Sentamu said there are 22,000 religious charities helping people in England and Wales, while churchgoers contribute more than 23 million hours of voluntary service each year.
[TCI]
I'm not aware of the comparable American data, so I can't say with any certainty the contribution of our people and organizations. However, any reasonable analyst must admit it is a least as good per capita/dollar of contribution.

More TCI ...
More Cranmer ...

No comments: