Katrina Relief organizations openly using government funds to win converts

[Ian David]

"Some religious organizations are openly using the hurricane relief efforts to win new converts," Americans United's Barry Lynn said.

Bill Berkowitz
WorkingForChange
12.15.05

FEMA finds faith
Storm relief funds earmarked for faith groups

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"After FEMA's ineptitude in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, it's distressing to see the Bush administration making even more blunders," the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, pointed out. "Before you turn over millions of taxpayer dollars to churches, there must be strict accountability and safeguards to protect the civil and religious liberty rights of those who need help."

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"In the name of 'leveling the playing field' for faith-based programs in Texas à Bush passed laws relaxing regulations over these programs, including fully exempting faith-based drug treatment centers and children's homes from state licensing and oversight," Samantha Smoot, the then-executive director of the Texas Freedom Network, pointed out in August 2001.

Gov. Bush "explicitly directed that office to 'eliminate unnecessary legislative, regulatory and other bureaucratic barriers that impede effective faith-based and other community efforts to solve social problems,'" Smoot said.

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"Some religious organizations are openly using the hurricane relief efforts to win new converts," Americans United's Barry Lynn said. "If these groups can't separate their evangelism from their relief work, they should not be eligible for public funding. People displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita should not be subjected to unwanted, high-pressure religious coercion as the price of getting help from their own government."


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