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By Pastor Chuck Baldwin
April 24, 2003
NewsWithViews.com
One of G.W. Bush's primary domestic policy initiatives has crashed and burned. The so-called "Faith Based Initiative" was recently defeated in the U.S. Senate. Hooray!
Bush doubtlessly thought passage of this unconstitutional policy was a slam dunk. After all, both he and Al Gore supported it on the campaign trail. Most, if not all, of the notable televangelists supported it-with open hands, of course. Plus, after sailing through the House of Representatives with ease, it looked as if passage was certain.
However, what Bush didn't expect was opposition from both the right and the left. Though coming from divergent points of view, those liberals and conservatives who opposed the policy saw the glaring abridgment of constitutionality the initiative caused.
If anything violated the First Amendment, the Bush-Gore "Faith Based Initiative" did! Furthermore, it is unconscionable that churches and Christian ministries would look to government for their sustenance and support. You can bet, however, that many of them were no doubt salivating over the prospect of receiving government handouts and must be crying in their communion juice today. Yet, they should have known better.
Beyond that, any church or Christian ministry that thought they could receive funding at the hands of the federal government without bowing to its tyrannical rules and regulations regarding hiring practices and its restrictions on free speech was living in a dream world! It's scary to think that perhaps these "ministries" had thought it through and had already decided that getting a handful of money was worth the price of a limber spine and a folded knee.
Another scary thought is that of the federal government underwriting the activities of the various religious cults that currently dot the American landscape. As Christians would not want their tax dollars supporting these misguided institutions, neither should they expect or desire that the federal government would support their activities.
Do not ministers preach that God is their source, not government? If Christ is their Head, how could they allow their ministries to be bribed by Caesar, which is exactly what the Bush-Gore "Faith Based Initiative" was?
So, hooray for the U.S. Senate! By killing the Bush-Gore "Faith Based Initiative," they lived up to their oath to the U.S. Constitution. If only they would do it more often!
© 2003 Chuck Baldwin - All Rights Reserved
Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.
Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.
To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state E-mail: chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com
"If anything violated the First Amendment, the Bush-Gore "Faith Based Initiative" did! Furthermore, it is unconscionable that churches and Christian ministries would look to government for their sustenance and support."