Place tin hat upon head and enter with caution...

[CornField]

I've been thinking about the GOP. Mostly I've been thinking about the push for faith-based initiatives and the recent cuts to food stamps and utility assistance. I'm just wondering if I'm the only person to have put together what will happen when people cannot feed themselves or the families or cannot afford to warm thier households. Where will they turn? To the churches.

Now, which churches have benefitted the most through the faith-based initiative programs?

Partial answer to my own question
In 2003, a total of $1,169,701,573 was given to faith-based organizations.

In 2004, that figure increased by 14% to $1,333,924,483.

This tally is kept by the Department of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives and can be found: http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/final_report_2004.pdf

Since the monies are actually disbursed by the various departments (HUD, DOL, DOJ, etc.) I'm guessing I'll have to research at each of those sites in order to find out who received what and for what program.

I remember Frontline piece done during Bush's first term. Toward the end of the piece, the faith-based initiatives were discussed. In that piece, the narrator explained it was extremely difficult to discover how much money had been disbursed and to whom. The White House provided one figure which did not add up to what the various departments were reporting.

It was also stated in that same Frontline piece that all disbursements had gone to Christian-based groups and only a handful of interfaith groups. This happened despite the fact that several organizations of various religions had applied for the grants. (Jewish, Muslim, pagan, etc.)

[uppityperson]

1. Many will turn to each other, not the organized churches.

We will help each other. Then they will revolt.

[BooScout]

3. They won't revolt.......

The people of this country are too chickenshitted to revolt.

[ret5hd]

16. hunger (real true deep hunger) has a way of stiffening spines.

[lildreamer316]

4. You are right, but

I think the churches THINK they will turn to them; or they are going to make it so that they are the ONLY place to get basics for living (for the people who do not know how to provide for themselves)

[lildreamer316]

2. You know,

that is brilliant and I don't know why I didn't see that before. Really. What was that group called in the Regan years? Christian Coalition? No, that's not it.....help me out. I think you have hit the nail on the head. The problem is, how do you counteract it? They are like the Vatican in America, but worse....kind of DaVinci code-ish/Crusade-ish/Protestant-Catholic war in Queen Elizabeth reign-ish.
Ralph Reed
700 club
LOTS and LOTS more, and we are not paying any attention.

Kick and vote; I'd like to see some more discussion on this.

[CornField]

7. The Moral Majority

I think that's the one you're trying to name.

[dweller]

9. and the counter bumpersticker of the time

The Moral Majority are neither.


still applies.
dp

[Freedom_from_Chains]

11. It got updated to: The Christian Right is neither. n/t

[LostinVA]

5. LIke the Irish Potato Famine

Many Protestant sects came in like frigging VULTURES, and promised to feed those literally starving to death if te hy converted.... Soup Protestants. Salvation, no matter your beliefs, does not come with conditions.

[CornField]

6. Yes, that's exactly what has come to my mind lately

If the only means you have of feeding yourself or your children is to hear the word of god, would you risk that food by turning in the group for violation of the faith-based initiatives? I don't think so.

Above all else, American people are taught not to bite the hand that feeds them. I can see nothing but bad being produced as a result of this union (the churches to our tax dollars).

[valerief]

8. Yes, it's the Talibanization of America

Mega-church fundies = Taliban American-style. Great way to control the population. Take reason out of the equation and replace it with faith and desperation.

[Wilms]

10. yep. n/t

[Freedom_from_Chains]

12. Well, the whole idea is to turn America into a theocracy. n/t

[slipslidingaway]

13. !

[canichelouis]

14. There may be more to this than most would dare to imagine

I watched Charlie Rose on Thursday night and he had this eccentric Yale prof, literary critic, Harold Bloom on as a guest. He was promoting his new book, which actually was very thought provoking, having to do with Jesus and Yahweh. The guy was way out there, and thus hard to follow, but very interesting.

On several occasions he brought current politics into the conversation, which was oddly out of place. He interjected harsh criticism of the current administration, which seemed to rattle Charlie a bit, and only peeked my interest in this character.

At one point he told Charlie that he feared that the US is turning into a theocracy. Mr. Rose, who obviously held this man in high esteem, was stunned. ----Pause---"A theocracy?"

(loved his answer)
"Yes, my dear. A theocracy."

Charlie, again, (Pause) "Really, a theocracy"?

Bloom then said something like, "Yes, my dear, believe me, a theocracy".

It was one of those odd, unscripted, unedited moments one rarely sees on t.v. So, the idea is out there. Buried on public television, but even on the airwaves.

I just love wise old birds who can get away with calling another man 'dear'

[CornField]

15. Here's a link to that Frontline piece I spoke of in the OP

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/

"The Jesus Factor"

The full program is available for online viewing.

[Nikki Stone 1]

17. kicking this

Can't recommend it because it is past the 24 hour time period.