Comments on: Mr. President, Rebuild That Wall! http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:33:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Alex Fear http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-261336 Alex Fear Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:26:06 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-261336 The ironic thing is that Bush and his cronies used the Religious Right with promised action on faith-based initiatives that never materialised. The Religious Right sold themselves and their congregations out just so they could fool themselves into thinking they had any influence on Washington politics. Faith Based initiatives was a scam - read up the facts. Jim Wallis revealed all this in his book God's Politics. Oh and well done for once again misinterpreting the intention behind separation of church and state <em>yet again...</em> The ironic thing is that Bush and his cronies used the Religious Right with promised action on faith-based initiatives that never materialised.

The Religious Right sold themselves and their congregations out just so they could fool themselves into thinking they had any influence on Washington politics.

Faith Based initiatives was a scam – read up the facts. Jim Wallis revealed all this in his book God’s Politics.

Oh and well done for once again misinterpreting the intention behind separation of church and state yet again…

]]> By: MY LIFE » Blog Archive » Rebuild the Wall of Separation! http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-261149 MY LIFE » Blog Archive » Rebuild the Wall of Separation! Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:33:22 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-261149 [...] Friendly Atheist reports that FFRF will be running this quarter-page ad on January 20 in the Washington [...] [...] Friendly Atheist reports that FFRF will be running this quarter-page ad on January 20 in the Washington [...]

]]> By: Joe Zamecki http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-261099 Joe Zamecki Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:05:11 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-261099 That's a great ad. I think all national Atheist groups should do something like that. That’s a great ad. I think all national Atheist groups should do something like that.

]]> By: hoverFrog http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-261088 hoverFrog Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:58:39 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-261088 I don't have a copy handy but didn't Obama say in The Audacity of Hope that it was wrong to leave religion at the door when it comes to government? This is not to say that he thinks that religion is a controlling factor in decision making but as one factor among many that should not be discarded. As a man of proclaimed faith he cannot separate his faith from his thoughts. Instead he should factor in how his faith creates a bias and ensure that his bias does not favour one group above another. He strikes me as someone reasonably and intelligent enough to manage this so I don't see him supporting any new faith initiatives. Equally I don't see him cutting back on anything that is seen to work either. As much as the idea of faith based initiatives might turn your stomach it is still fair to say that some of them do appear to work. Faith is a powerful motivator after all and having it turned in a direction where it could do good is better than nothing. If programs are to be cancelled they will be on the grounds of effectiveness rather than religion. I can see a lot of funding being cut in the next few years and those that are wasteful or ineffective must go first whether they are secular or faith based. There are over 170 faith based initiatives but would you really want to cut funding on a community level drug counselling service because it ran out of a church or a vaccination program run by Christian doctors? What should be cut are things that are harmful like state funded abstinence only education or creationist attacks on school education programs. Unfortunately if you say you want to cut faith initiatives it is the former type that is focused on which makes you look like a cad. Rebuilding that wall of separation should mean an end to new faith initiatives and a dismantling of initiatives with no secular charitable purpose. I think that this should include tax exemption for churches that perform no charitable work. I don’t have a copy handy but didn’t Obama say in The Audacity of Hope that it was wrong to leave religion at the door when it comes to government? This is not to say that he thinks that religion is a controlling factor in decision making but as one factor among many that should not be discarded. As a man of proclaimed faith he cannot separate his faith from his thoughts. Instead he should factor in how his faith creates a bias and ensure that his bias does not favour one group above another. He strikes me as someone reasonably and intelligent enough to manage this so I don’t see him supporting any new faith initiatives.

Equally I don’t see him cutting back on anything that is seen to work either. As much as the idea of faith based initiatives might turn your stomach it is still fair to say that some of them do appear to work. Faith is a powerful motivator after all and having it turned in a direction where it could do good is better than nothing.

If programs are to be cancelled they will be on the grounds of effectiveness rather than religion. I can see a lot of funding being cut in the next few years and those that are wasteful or ineffective must go first whether they are secular or faith based.

There are over 170 faith based initiatives but would you really want to cut funding on a community level drug counselling service because it ran out of a church or a vaccination program run by Christian doctors? What should be cut are things that are harmful like state funded abstinence only education or creationist attacks on school education programs.

Unfortunately if you say you want to cut faith initiatives it is the former type that is focused on which makes you look like a cad. Rebuilding that wall of separation should mean an end to new faith initiatives and a dismantling of initiatives with no secular charitable purpose. I think that this should include tax exemption for churches that perform no charitable work.

]]> By: Cannonball Jones http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-261047 Cannonball Jones Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:28:04 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-261047 I doubt it'll have much effect, Obama's already chucked his hat in with the religious crowd. However I'll gladly send FFRF a wee donation even though I'm from another country because the ad is so well thought-out and presented. I doubt it’ll have much effect, Obama’s already chucked his hat in with the religious crowd. However I’ll gladly send FFRF a wee donation even though I’m from another country because the ad is so well thought-out and presented.

]]> By: Siamang http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-260798 Siamang Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:32:10 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-260798 I ditto Debbie Downer. WHOOO... who designed THAT ad? Tony Alamo? I ditto Debbie Downer.

WHOOO… who designed THAT ad? Tony Alamo?

]]> By: amanda http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-260767 amanda Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:52:44 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-260767 I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but it looks like it belongs in the back of a magazine with the "I lost 45 pounds with one pill!" ads. It's only missing the, "For more info, send a SASE to PO Box...." I would gladly offer them my design services in the future. For serious. I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but it looks like it belongs in the back of a magazine with the “I lost 45 pounds with one pill!” ads. It’s only missing the, “For more info, send a SASE to PO Box….”

I would gladly offer them my design services in the future. For serious.

]]> By: Miko http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-260752 Miko Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:10:54 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-260752 It's a nicer ad in terms of tone than some of the other things that have come out of FFRF recently. But it'll have no policy effect; Obama's going to expand faith-based initiatives. It’s a nicer ad in terms of tone than some of the other things that have come out of FFRF recently. But it’ll have no policy effect; Obama’s going to expand faith-based initiatives.

]]> By: SarahH http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-260747 SarahH Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:52:39 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-260747 <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/03/AR2008070302453.html" rel="nofollow">During his campaign</a>, Obama said multiple times that he'd fund faith-based initiatives (as well as secular charities) but only if they did as the ad suggests - keep their charity and their religious teachings separate. During his campaign, Obama said multiple times that he’d fund faith-based initiatives (as well as secular charities) but only if they did as the ad suggests – keep their charity and their religious teachings separate.

]]> By: Dan http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/01/15/mr-president-rebuild-that-wall/#comment-260739 Dan Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:04:48 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=7797#comment-260739 That's a great ad! I only hope Obama takes it to heart and acts on its message. That’s a great ad! I only hope Obama takes it to heart and acts on its message.

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