Writing in today's Baltimore Sun, Interfaith Alliance head Welton Gaddy adds to the growing chorus of concern over the Faith-Based Initiative.
When the government gives money directly to religious institutions, those funds are mixed with other private funds into a single pot of money. Thus, it becomes impossible for a church to say whether the government's money is being used for a soup kitchen, which is permissible, or for missionary work, which is not allowed. And if the government needs to investigate waste, fraud, or abuse in a faith-based grant, it would have to investigate the internal affairs of that church. Government should not be in the business of sifting through a church's collection plates every Sunday.
