"Confrontational evangelism" funded b...

by DanTheMan 6 Replies latest jw friends

  • DanTheMan
    DanTheMan

    "Confrontational evangelism" funded by taxpayers?

    When President George Bush gave his State of the Union address Tuesday it was reported ("Bush Touts Religion-Based Drug Treatment," Associated Press, January 29, 2003 by Laura Meckler) that Henry Lozano of Teen Challenge in California, was sitting with the first lady throughout the presentation.

    Bush pushed the idea of funding faith-based drug rehab programs with federal money.

    But would it be appropriate to include Teen Challenge within such a scheme?

    According to Teen Challenge literature its entire approach can be summarized as "Basic Confrontational Evangelism." And the organization has stated specifically, "The only cure for . . . drug abuse, is Jesus Christ."

    The Teen Challenge program is essentially religious training and indoctrination.

    There is nothing wrong with including faith as a meaningful component when confronting drug abuse. And such approaches can be successful.

    But should federal money be used to pay for a sectarian cure? This would certainly seem to set a troubling precedent.

    Before televangelist Pat Robertson received $500,000 for a pet program through Bush faith-based funding, he pointedly objected to the president's project.

    Robertson previously said such grants would be like opening "Pandora's Box." And that once opened would not easily be shut.

    How can the federal government decide which theologically based cures should be funded?

    Would Scientology's Narconon drug rehab receive federal money? What about Krishna? They might have a substance abuse solution based upon chanting? Maybe the Raelians have some special cure coming from outer space?

    Will the government now be in the business of judging which religion works best?
    [Posted by Rick Ross at 8:55 AM] [Link] Ready or not, here comes religious fascism America!

  • A Paduan
    A Paduan

    Please try and keep exports orderly and timely - we're still dealing with jwism

  • DanTheMan
    DanTheMan

    Any other comments? Anybody? Anybody?

    Definitely seems like a "Pandora's Box" is being opened up here. As much as Pat Robertson totally gives me the willies, he was right on that point. But now that he's cashing in he's probably not so critical.

    I can see a day coming where it may be very difficult to get along in America if you haven't "accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior(tm)".

    But, I'm paranoid, I'll admit that...

  • Francois
    Francois

    Dan, right now this very minute, it's very hard to get along with an entire segment of the political base in this country unless you accept Karl Marx and Josef Engles as economic visionaries. How could having to accept Jesus Christ be any worse?

    Frankly, I despise the democrat party and its thinly veiled Marxist horseshit agenda and Daschle and Gephardt, the dynamic duo of democrat Marxism, along with it. It is as dangerous here as it was in pre-revolutionary Russia. Think twice before you vote, ever again, for a democrat candidate.

    francois

  • DanTheMan
    DanTheMan

    Francois,

    I don't have the "fine-tuned" political views that you have. But, I will say this -

    Liberalism left unchecked = Communism

    Conservativism left unchecked = Fascism

    I think that liberalism & conservativism are part of the great checks and balances system that has saved this country from being ruled by a singular ideology (which always ends up being destructive regardless of whether it is left or right)

    I think that the current state of affairs is taking us precariously close to our country being run by persons who have a singular, 'true believer' ideology. Surely you must see the danger in that happening.

    Conservativism and Liberalism are like two bottomless pits. You can always go further with them. I once knew a fundy Baptist preacher who makes your average conservative look like the biggest knee-jerkin', bedwettin', tax & spendin' neo-marxist liberal you ever met.

    Edited by - dantheman on 5 February 2003 7:40:55

  • gumby
    gumby

    I can see a day coming where it may be very difficult to get along in America if you haven't "accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior(tm)".

    Really? When?

    So far they have progressed the other way. No prayer in school, no attire with Christian slogans, no passing out Christian literature, fighting for the right not to say the pledge because it has the word God in it. I see no reform to sway all to christ .

    Gumby

  • DanTheMan
    DanTheMan

    gumby,

    I wonder if the German people of the 1920's had any notion that in just a few short years the political fringe movement known as the National Socialists would become a destructive totalist regime.

    I have an intense fear of Big Brother totalitarianism. And I think that if such a thing happens in the U.S., it will come from the right.

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