January 30, 2009

I have never been a fan of the so-called “faith-based” initiative, started by now former president Bush and continuing with important changes under Barack Obama.

The name is being changed to the Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Sounds something like community organizing, doesn’t it?

The man who will head it is a 26-year-old and close friend of the new president. Anyone receiving federal money will not be allowed to share their faith, which of course is at the heart of the change produced in the people being helped. Furthermore, and this is also important, organizations receiving tax dollars can’t discriminate against the people they hire, meaning Christian groups can’t hire only Christians.

This will reduce the faith-based groups to the level of the secular organizations which fail to produce the results government claims to want.

For Christian organizations, which can testify to life-changing results from introducing people to Jesus Christ, taking government money is a no-win bargain with the devil. Better to rely on God, not government, and pray in the money.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.