Gov. Bush encouraging religious groups to provide government services

[Judi Lynn]

Gov. Bush encouraging religious groups to provide government services

By Mark Hollis
Tallahassee Bureau
Posted February 9 2004

Second of two parts.

TALLAHASSEE -- Jeb Bush is bringing down the wall between church and state.

Religious groups in Florida, especially conservative Christian organizations, are caring for foster children, overseeing adoptions, teaching students from elementary school through college and rehabilitating inmates.

Encouraging religious institutions to provide public services is a policy that "now permeates life in our state," says the governor, a converted and devout Catholic who has never been shy about embracing a conservative Christian social agenda.

In his first inaugural address five years ago he pledged that state government would pursue a "moral and spiritual awakening."

That's a view alarming to church-state separatists and civil libertarians, and the debate about the appropriate roles of governments and religion in Florida has intensified since the December debut of Lawtey Correctional Institution in North Florida, where inmates agree to make religious instruction a part of their confinement. It's the first such prison in the country.
(snip/...)

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-ffaith09feb09,0,1402963.story?coll=sfla-news-florida

[prodigal_green]

1. kind of like the Saudis?

Isn't this what the Saudis do in poor Muslim countries? They open Madrassas (sp?) that teach nothing but the Koran and parents send their kids there because at least they can get fed and clothed.

I wonder if Mel Gibson is pitching in?

[Robb]

2. Breaking: Jeb Bush very upset to discover

...that the Salvation Army could not be deployed to Iraq. Further, the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan had neither horses nor suits of armor.

Developing....

[ima_sinnic]

3. UGH I hate that man with a passion

I can't wait to get out of this stinking state. Within the next 6 months, please god, please please please . . .

[sweetladybug]

4. ima_sinnic, I'm one of the lucky ones who lived in FL and I got out

I came back to TN in October 2003. And you can bet I was kicking my heels up the day I cross the state line and left the state of FL. GOOD LUCK AND I HOPE YOU GET OUT OF FL SOON!
RE-ELECT A DEMOCRAT 2004!!!!

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. What proof is there that religious organizations

have the capacity to do any of these things?

Now, these organizations are funded by donations and the bulk of the work is done by volunteers. Whatever they do is done modestly and from the heart. He is talking about a massive re engineering of the social services network, where enormous resources, responsibility and organization would be somehow transferred to people who have no experience, money or infrastructure to do the work.

This is a dangerous and basically evil plan to destroy the social framework of this country. A plan like this will emerge in every state where the citizens believe that they can get a free ride by not paying a reasonable share of taxes.