No More Sermons at the Soup Kitchen

[AdMan]

Faith-based organizations may no longer conduct worship services or proselytize while providing social programs funded with federal money. President Obama has amended a 2002 Executive Order from President George W. Bush that allowed faith-based social programs to get federal aid.

Source.

It's about time this was reversed.

 

[madurobob]

It's about time this was reversed.

Agreed. I have no problem with faith-based groups proselytizing when they run programs for the needy, as long as there is no federal money involved. Federal funding = you must be secular in my opinion.

 

[volcano]

This seems like a great improvement over the previous policy, although it's not a full reversal (as many had hoped for):
http://www.npr.org/2010/11/17/131397631/obama-clarifies-rules-on-faith-based-partnerships

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

They prey on people who are in dire straits.

(Well, not the guitarist, but the others, certainly.)

 

[AdMan]

they prey on people who are in dire straits.

(well, not the guitarist, but the others, certainly.)

Ha!

 

[alfaniner]

Fortunately (or tragically), Edith Keeler and James Kirk met before this.

 

[AdMan]

Fortunately (or tragically), Edith Keeler and James Kirk met before this.

Wow, semi-obscure City on the Edge of Forever reference. I'm impressed.

 

[AlBell]

Any statistics yet on how many Soup Kitchens are closing due to the ruling?

No. They'll just stop taking Federal funds & scale back operations is my actual guess.

 

[MontagK505]

Fortunately (or tragically), Edith Keeler and James Kirk met before this.

I don't think there was any evidence that Edith Keeler was receiving US Federal grant money. Kirk wasn't for sure.

 

[qayak]

Federal funding = you must be secular in my opinion.

Not just federal, any government funding in my view.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Any statistics yet on how many Soup Kitchens are closing due to the ruling?

No. They'll just stop taking Federal funds & scale back operations is my actual guess.

Or ignore the ruling because they answer to a higher power. One that doesn't give them money, just orders.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Any statistics yet on how many Soup Kitchens are closing due to the ruling?

No. They'll just stop taking Federal funds & scale back operations is my actual guess.

Or they'll keep taking the money and find a way to proselytize just outside the food serving area.

From the OP link:

President Obama's amendment mandates separation of the two activities, in time or place, and forbids making participation in a religious activity a requirement for receiving the benefits of the federally funded program.

Tell me Al, do you favor forcing the hungry to hear sermons if they seek a handout from the church? Doesn't that fit more with a commercial enterprise than a Christian charity? Free weekend at the timeshare, but plan on being required to attend the sales pitch hour.

 

[ParrotPirate]

Maybe somebody could start a totally secular organization to run soup kitchen type operations. Call it "Meals Without Messages".

 

[Dunstan]

Any statistics yet on how many Soup Kitchens are closing due to the ruling?

No. They'll just stop taking Federal funds & scale back operations is my actual guess.

That would say something about their priorities, wouldn't it?

 

[psionl0]

Tell me Al, do you favor forcing the hungry to hear sermons if they seek a handout from the church?

That would be SCANDALOUS if soup kitchens are doing that now.

 

[Cainkane1]

Source.

It's about time this was reversed.

This is no good because it will discourage religious organizations from helping these people. If you eat their food you should have to listen to what they have to say. I'm an atheist and their words would go into one ear and out the other.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

This is no good because it will discourage religious organizations from helping these people. If you eat their food you should have to listen to what they have to say. I'm an atheist and their words would go into one ear and out the other.

You don't think they should have a choice as to whether or not they are exposed to propaganda?

 

[Flo]

Where is your nearest Atheist Charity soup kitchen?

Other than JREF awarding "sckolarships" and "TAM freebies"?

I love it; a flock of (un)holier-than-you dicks congratulating one another on de-funding soup kitchens for Thanksgiving.

Y'all have a good one ya'hear?

Where I live, it's called "Les Restaus du Coeur" (restaurants from the heart). It's been set up about 20 years ago by a French comedian named Coluche, who organised galas and concerts in order to raise funds. He died in a motorcycle accident but his organisation is going on strong, collecting funds, food, coordinating volunters for food banks and soup kitchen all over France. No religion involved, ever. Coluche just decided it wasn't right for a rich country like France to have so many almost starving and homeless people, and that the rich and famous people like him had to do something in order to a) correct the problem and b) try to shame the government that did nothing about it (fat chance !).

He was a left-leaning atheist, but he did put his money where his (big) mouth was, and had enough dignity not to preach to vulnerable people in their hours of need. He's missed, but fortunately many of his peers are continuing his work.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Al, you really have no clue about the USPS? That would mean you've never donated. Not surprising. If there were christians in this country such charities would not be needed, of course.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Keep it secret then. Good plan.

Hardly secret, the entire USPS participates and everybody who receives mail at home hears about it. You're on your own from this point.