Your New Faith-Based Office

Take your time.

I'll say it again:
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Please keep government out of religion. They can't be trusted with each other.

I'm still hoping for a Faithless-Based iniative program. We did get a shout out during his inauguaral address you know. As part of the vast heathen horde, we have been ignored for far too long. The chrisitians have been carrying off the booty for years. I want what's behind door #3.

...the concerns of the faith community will be considered in the Obama White House...
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Which faith community?
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Mormons?
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Muslims?
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Roman Catholics?
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Pentecostals?
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I hadn't realized that there was such broad consensus amongst all of these organizations with respect to their "concerns".
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Or is there some other faith community of which I'm unaware, Amy Sullivan?
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What are you talking about?

Amy why is the point of your stories so often about the players rather than the game? Sometimes I get the impression that you and your colleagues would rather be political strategists. If so there's nothing stopping you from becoming a political consultant. However, if that's not the case then tell me about the differences between Obama's faith based initiatives office and Bush's. What are the policy expectations, because its my impression that for Bush it was all show. What are the faith communities expecting.

At least, lets get this thing away from the politicos and the likes of crackhead mullahs like Pat Robertson and the Immoral Minority (used to call themselves the Moral Majority or some such).
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Let the 700 club raise their own money if they want to continue propagandizing for the GOP.
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BTW, when you religious crackpots leave, see ya!
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And good riddance...

which involved unprecedented outreach and inclusion of religious leaders and organization across the ideological and interfaith spectrum
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I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this means Baptists, Lutherans, Pentacostals, Episcopalians and Catholics.

The Catholics might be stretching it, I should have wrote Jehovah's Witnesses instead.

I'm not a christian but I'm not anti-christian either. I do agree with Friar Tuck though. If your faith is important to you, why on earth would you ever want something as dysfunctional as the federal government involved with your faith in any way?

Replace "faith" with "community" and have at it.

One of my favorite Radio Open Source programs from a while ago on Roger Williams (seems like the type of thing Amy would be into):
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http://www.radioopensource.org/what-would-roger-williams-say-and-do/
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I especially like the distinction between "purpose" and "conscience." I'm fully in the conscience camp.

Cliff,

I think you have it upside down, unfortunately(?). The old Main-Line denominations have completely dropped out of the equation. We had our seat at the table of power in the '50s and '60s, but that's pretty much over now.
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To me, that's a good thing - we sold our souls for a mess of pottage, but that generation is dying off. Unfortunately, the "head office" hasn't adjusted to this (in the main - I'm making hysterically broad generalizations here, my bad) and still wants to regain some of its political muscle, which ain't gonna happen.
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Unfortunately, Amy is still looking at things from the point of view of the "head office."

Clarification:
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I define "Main-Line" as the list Cliff gives above, plus Catholics, minus Pentacostals. Agruments about this, of course abound, and nobody cares.

"Agruments"? Arrgghhh.

Friar Tuck - I was making an obscure point that I wasn't sure anyone was going to get.
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It seems to me that whenever someone like Amy starts talking about broad spectrums of religious practices, they mean Protestantism, Catholicism, and Judaism, and that's about it. So I'm saying that her 'rainbow of belief' probably has six WASPs and a dude in a yamaka.

Oops, I left out the Methodists and the UCC. It's a good thing I'm using a pseudonym.

I don't have a problem with faith organizations getting funds to help the homeless and the hungry. There are plenty of community based programs in the basements of churches that help everyday people facing tough times that could use these funds. So many times when people need help they fall outside the guidelines, as if you make a dollar more than the poverty line you are in much better shape. But in the community where they know your name and your kids and you can't pay your light bill, put oil in your furnace or buy your kid a new coat they aren't going to turn you away because of that dollar and that's the difference these kinds of organizations make. They have the ability to take a more holistic approach.
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The only fear I have is if there are no government alternatives and all you have is faith based services and some might feel coerced into joining in order to be served. Yes that would be a problem.

@cliff -

I read you now, and I think you're spot-on.
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I think my comment stands, though, to the extent that Amy's view of what "protestantism" means is not only too monolithic, but seriously out of date. The six WASPS are probably all Evangelicals and Non-Denominationals.

Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that AS is not so concerned about the separation of C&S? That politicians involving themselves in religion and vice versa is, like, the primary rationale for her job.
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El pres. sadly deserves any excoriation he gets on this. Playing the game to get elected, fine, but once elected ... But I'm a dirty nihilist/agnostic.
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And Stuart, et al, your use of the 2nd person in addressing Amy is in jest? Has she EVER responded to commentary? After all, when you're on the end of the line with liquid Jesus, can one be expected to consort with the laity?

the political challenge of eliminating Bush's executive order exempting religious organizations from non-discrimination laws

Which religious organizations want to discriminate and want federal funding to support those efforts? I am aware that some mainline Christian churches, including the United Methodist Church and the American Baptist Church, spoke out against George Bush issuing that provision in the first place.
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(FYI: the United Methodist Church is the second largest Protestant denomination in the US, and the third largest Christian denomination. Southern Baptist Convention is #2 and the Catholic Curch is #1.)

After Katrina,while local, state, and federal government authorities were trying to figure out what to do, 18 wheelers from religious groups from all over - I know of Baptists, Presbyterians, Operation Blessing (700 Club), Catholic Charities came rolling into South Louisiana and Mississippi and the people were so touched. I'm sure there were other denominations. There was lots of food and other supplies donated from these groups. Mostly it was volunteers. High school and college kids decided to forego their spring breaks to help rebuild. In addition to other things it donated, I have to say one of the strangest things I heard of was 700 Club putting mosquito-eating fish in festering swimming pools! I think if we could harness this generosity, maybe something good could come out of it. I glad President Obama wants to do this. What do y'all think?

I have to imagine that other graduates of Harvard Divinity would be gibbering with rage at the some of the stuff that AS posts if they bothered to go on Swampland at all. She sure enough drives me nuts, and I set on a much less lofty perch.
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[Insert mental image of Porky Pig as Friar Tuck lounging on a tree limb]

rainbow68 - I think it's not a bad idea. Seems like, according to a few things I've read, there's been a shift in younger Christians that puts a greater emphasis on charity and taking care of the Earth.
I'm not sure how much weight to place on those reports, but they seem like good signs at the least.

I think those groups did not need to discriminate to help people.

Oregon JC:
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I started out that way with all of the Swampland posters...