#  Freedom of Religion Issues in Government 

 





June 27, 1999

 

 

Source: The Boston Globe

On June 27, 1999, *The Boston Globe*  published an articleon the stances being taken by presidential contenders on the issue ofreligion in politics. Both George W. Bush and Al Gore are in favor ofgiving federal moneys to faith-based organizations to administergovernment services, like drug treatment, combating homelessness, andyouth-violence prevention programs. Andrew Kohut, director of the PewResearch Center for the People & the Press, stated: "Our pollingsuggests people are much more comfortable mixing religion andpolitics than they were in the '60s, when the separation of churchand state was more in keeping with public opinion than it is today."US Representative Barney Frank is more cautious about allowingfaith-based organizations to have federal moneys: "Churches are nowsaying, 'It is precisely because we inculcate religion and make thembetter people that you should give us \[taxpayer\] money'...Myanswer to that is, you have a right to do that, but you don't have aright to have the government pay you to do that." Rabbi DavidSaperstien, director and counsel for the Religious Action Center ofReform Judaism, also sees a danger in giving faith organizationsfederal moneys: "Churches and synagogues and mosques will begin tocompete for limited funding available, and government will have tochoose which groups it thinks can do a better job...This will have anenormous divisive impact on the religious communities of America."



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Elections/Voting ](/news-stories/electionsvoting)
- [ Interfaith ](/religions/interfaith)
- [ Civic ](/tags/civic)
 
 

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