-Caveat Lector-
from: AMERICAN ATHEISTS
subject: AANEWS for July 19, 1999
A M E R I C A N A T H E I S T S
#613 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 7/19/99
http://www.atheists.org
ftp.atheists.org/pub/atheists/
http://www.americanatheist.org
---------------------------------------------
A Service of AMERICAN ATHEISTS
"Leading The Way For Atheist Civil Rights
And The Separation Of State and Church"
----------------------------------------------
In This Issue...
* Religious group loses public funding -- for now
* Team discriminates, but wants taxpayers to build stadium
* TheistWatch: eating utensil is tool of the devil
* Resources
* About this list...
HELMS INTERVENES IN FUNDING FOR LOCAL RELIGIOUS GROUP
The "blessings" are not free, nor do they seem to be for everyone. If
you happen to be homeless and head to the local shelter operated by
Operation Blessing, there's a price to be paid in order receive social
services.
The Fayetteville, North Carolina religious group linked to
televangelist Pat Robertson has lost a $50,000 federal grant following
word that it grilled clients on their religious beliefs. According to
the News & Observer paper and other sources, the charity which assists
residents in finding housing or paying utility bills, asked those
filling out applications forms a battery of intimate questions. These
included: What is your religious background? If you were to die
tonight, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? Do
you consider yourself to be saved?
According to Thanena Wilson, director of Cumberland County (NC)
Community Development, those questions are prohibited by legal
guidelines meant to protect the separation of church and state."The
mere presence of religious question," she told Fayetteville media,
"whether written or verbal, would be considered a violation of federal
regulations." As a result, Operation Blessing has lost its $50,000
grant; several people depending the funding for rent and other
expenses are now without that assistance.
Other faith-based groups in the region, though, operate similar social
services and do appear to obey the explicit regulations. They include
the Salvation Army, New Beginnings and the Cumberland Interfaith
Hospitality Network. Client forms from these groups do not ask
applicants about their religious beliefs, and there are no direct
religious references of any kind.
The director of the Operation Blessing program was advised in May that
funding would be terminated unless the group stopped listing the
questions on its aid application forms. Director Charles Ritchie then
reportedly offered to strike the religious queries from the
questionnaire, but insisted that Operation Blessing workers would
continue to grill clients orally. "It is my understanding that we
could not promote any religious beliefs at all," he told the News.
"We could not speak to anyone when they asked. We had to absolutely
refrain from any religious activity..." Ritchie expressed
frustration, asking why the government was "so strident on keeping the
homeless free from religious intrusion..."
Oversight Problems?
The Operation Blessing controversy raises serious questions about the
government's oversight of faith-based groups, and whether or not
certain sectarian organizations abuse their public funding by
promoting religious beliefs and activities. Some critics charge that
even with guidelines, there is an inherent "excessive entanglement"
when tax monies are used by churches or other religious groups for any
purpose, including the operation of "secular" social programs. There
are also concerns about how effective any regulations are. The News
noted that Operation Blessing used the same application form with the
questions when it first received its $50,000 grant, and that an
unidentified officer from the federal agency "gave the group a clean
report only last March."
Jesse Helms To The Rescue?
Already, the case has attracted the interest of Sen. Jesse Helms of
North Carolina. Helms has written to Andrew Cuomo, secretary of the
federal Departing of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), defending
the faith-based program. "I am convinced," Helms argued, "that the
decision affecting Operation Blessing is based on an overreaching
interpretation of federal regulations and, in all candor, an attempt
to exclude this group because of its religious ties."
Those "ties," though are substantial.
* The Fayetteville group received donations from private individuals
and groups, as well as underwriting from Pat Robertson's Christian
Broadcasting Network, which in turn operates an international charity
under the name of Operation Blessing. Whether or not the Fayetteville
operation is a corporate subsidiary of Robertson's high-profile
organization, though, remains unclear.
* A "huge cross" and painted sign reading "There is hope in Jesus"
decorate the offices of Operation Blessing on Ramsey Street in
Fayetteville. The News reported: "No one seeking aid there could
mistake the message..."
* Charles Ritchie serves as both pastor of Hope Fellowship Church and
director of Operation Blessing. He also has organized events at the
Fayetteville City Hall in support of National Day of Prayer. A story
in the Fayetteville paper noted Ritchie's involvement with NDOP and
Operation Blessing, and reported that he told the prayer gathering,
"Everyone lest join in prayer for national repentance and national
revival."
Public Funding Of Faith-Based Social Programs:
The New Rage?
Critics say that the Operation Blessing case may be just a glimpse of
a much larger problem involving public funding of religious groups
with minimal government oversight and supervision. Some "religious"
charities now depend on tax money for the bulk of their operations.
Last year, for instance, National Catholic Charities received over 60%
of its operating budget from public sources; this did not include a
10% - 12% administrative overhead cost. Religious groups which
receive such money are prohibited from blending a faith-based message
into their outreach, but that rule may be hard to enforce
consistently.
And support is building to lessen restrictions on faith-based groups,
especially those that include religious belief as an integral part of
their outreach. As part of a flurry of religion-based bills which
included giving states authority to display the Ten Commandments on
public property, Congress weakened requirements for churches and other
sects competing for public service contracts. President Clinton
signed the Welfare Reform Act which also helps faith-based groups
enter the lucrative social service market; meanwhile, ther bills like
the American Community Renewal Act would demolish any state-church
guidelines which now exist. Even Vice President Gore has hopped on
the bandwagon and recently called for a "New Partnership" between
faith groups and government to solve social problems. Drug czar Barry
McCaffrey also is using his White House level post to promote a "Faith
Partnership" to combat substance abuse.
All of this, warn separationists, threatens to result in public
funding of religious groups and faith-based social outreaches. Some
churches are wary, of course, concerned that with government funding
inevitably come government controls. Others see the public treasury
as a new lease on life, a way of reversing years of declining
membership and interest thanks to a new patron -- the taxpayers.
**
TEAM OFFICIALS WHO DISCRIMINATE SOUGHT GOVERNMENT FUNDS
FOR NEW BASEBALL STADIUM
Carl Silverman, a First Amendment activist, argues that he was the
victim of discrimination by a Maryland baseball team which refused to
give him an admission discount to one of its games because he did not
produce a church bulletin. Silverman filed a complaint with the
Maryland Commission on Human Rights, arguing that the Hagerstown Suns
team -- a Class A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays -- are a "public
accommodation," and thus may not discriminate on the basis of
religion. The team has responded by suggesting that it has the right
to establish discount policies, even if they do include the "Church
Bulletin" promotion that gives a discount to anyone showing up at the
gate with a bulletin from a church.
Silverman's complaint is now in the hands of a trial judge who
recently heard testimony, and is expected to rule on the matter
sometime before October.
But AANEWS has learned that while the Hagerstown Suns consider
themselves a private organization akin to the Boy Scouts or a
business, team management has attempted to win political support for
construction of a new ballpark paid for with public funds. According
to the May 24, 1999 issue of the Hagerstown Herald-Mail newspaper,
team officials hosted a trip by local officials to Altoona,
Pennsylvania, which boasts a new $12 million public stadium. The
purpose, according to the paper, was to "make a point about
Hagerstown's need for a new ballpark."
The group included a County Commissioner, Hagerstown City Council
member, the athletic director of a local community college, and the
regional coordinator of the County Economic Development Commission.
Others joining in are identified as Suns General Managers David
Blenckstone, "whose father owns the team," and a representative from
the local visitor-convention bureau.
According to the news story, Mr. Blenckstone said he was "a little
disappointed" that elected officials have not come out in support of a
new public stadium for the Suns. "The point was to get those who
haven't come out for a new stadium to go on the trip, Blenckstone
said."
The story adds that the new Altoona stadium is home to the Curve, a
Class AA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates; the $12 million
construction tab was paid for with $10.8 million in state funds,
$500,000 from the county treasury, and only $700,000 from the owner of
the team. It adds that a similar facility in Hagerstown could cost
about $11 million.
The use of tax monies for such a venue would add further weight to
Silverman's argument that the Suns are, indeed, a "public
accommodation" and thus may not discriminate on the basis of religious
belief or affiliation. The Municipal Stadium where the Suns currently
play was a public project when it was built in 1931; but the
construction of a new stadium at taxpayer expense could expose the
blatant discriminatory practices of a team which offers special
treatment for those who happen to visit a church.
**
THEISTWATCH SHORT SHOTS
The Republican Party "has become an angry, narrow-minded, intolerant
and uncaring majority, incapable of governing at all, much less from
the center, and tone-deaf to the concerns of a vast majority of
Americans." So declares Rep. Michael Forbes of New York, in
announcing his switch of party affiliation from the GOP to the
Democrats. It's not certain yet, but Forbes defection could signal a
revolt within Republican ranks of those who are wary of the direction
of the party. Forbes, in a statement to the press, said that the GOP
is now "a captive of extremists," adding that "over the past 4 - 1/2
years (it) has been defined through the actions of its extremists in
the House of Representatives."
All of this may be true -- in fact, it IS true given the shoddy record
of the GOP -- but it needs to be pointed out that Rep. Forbes is no
moderate, or friend of state-church separation. He remains
unabashedly opposed to abortion rights for women, citing his
membership in the Roman Catholic Church. Forbes also voted in favor
of Rep. Helen Chenoweth's wretched congressional resolution calling
for a day of "Prayer, fasting and humiliation before God," as well as
an amendment to the Juvenile Justice Crime Bill which gives states the
authority to order the display of the Ten Commandments in public
school classrooms and other government venues. We note that he did,
however, cast a "No" vote on the Religious Liberty Protection Act
(RLPA).
Forbes may be less at home in Democratic ranks that he thinks. He
supported the GOP "Contract With America" in 1995, and signed on with
the Christian Coalition's "Contract With the American Family." He
strayed from party ranks on a few legislative items such as
environmental protection and raising the minimum wage. Unfortunately,
though, when it comes to telling Americans when and how to pray, or
giving special rights to religious groups thanks to the RLPA, Rep.
Forbes -- Democrat or Republican -- remains one of those extremists in
the Congress at odds with the separation of church and state.
**
Are religious extremists boycotting Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell,
Panda Express and other fast food operations over an eating utensil?
A posting on the T2K discussion forum, a list which tracks apocalyptic
sects and movements edgy over the approach of the new millennium,
declares that "Sporks Are The Eating Utensils of Satan!"
"Brothers and Sisters in CHRIST JESUS, I am glad to be able to reveal
yet another plot in SATAN'S web of lies, deceit, and filth! Many of
us have seen them, but few have ever questioned their real purpose:
the spork. It's a spoon with tines like a fork. Harmless, you might
say. WRONG! Sporks are yet another tool in SATAN'S war on the
GOD-FEARING followers of our lord Jesus!
"Think about this: A fork is obviously masculine and a spoon is
obviously feminine. Both serve a purpose. But a spork is a
combination of the two.
"Genesis 2:7 tells us that GOD created man. Genesis 2:22 tell us that
GOD created woman. However, the wicked spork mocks almighty GOD and
CHRIST JESUS by representing a perverted combination of both the male
and female!""
The posting end by warning readers, "Anyone who would stick a tool of
Satan in their mouth would stick ANYTHING IN THERE! One might as well
chew a handful of dirt or drink a glass of raw sewage!"
We would dismiss this as crankery and a hoax had it not appeared on a
reputable scholarly list, and been relayed by an authoritative source
-- Dr. Ted Daniels at the Millennium Watch Institute. Daniels pleads
with fellow list-participants, "Honest, I didn't make this up." He
also included bits of a previous post which stated, "I understand that
the well-known Chihuahua dog in the Taco Bell commercials is actually
a female, yet is posing as a male. Taco Bell is also a major
distributor (sic) of 'sporks.' "
It may deserve note that fast food vendors seem to attract more than
their fair share of wild stories and unverified claims. During the
1970s and 1980s, for instance, the McDonald's hamburger chain had to
actually enlist the help of Rev. Jerry Falwell in trying to stamp out
an epidemic of false claims that it contributed money to the Church of
Satan. A similar charged was leveled against the giant Procter &
Gamble firm; it's logo, recently altered, depicted a crescent moon and
stars which some charged was a Satanic symbol.
So, is "spork" phobia for real? Are you hesitating? In light of
previous claims, it may just be that some folks out there consider
this plastic eating utensil a device of the devil.
**
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