Written by Don ByrdSenator Mary Landrieu last week proposed the “Freedom to Pray Act,” a bill that “would prohibit the federal government from withholding or revoking funds to programs whose participants engage in voluntary religious activities.” The proposal is in response to a dispute over a youth program administered by the Bossier Parrish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana. The program involves some element of prayer and oath to God and had been funded in part by a Department of Justice grant, administered through the state’s Commission on Law Enforcement.
Written by Don ByrdDespite its clear dangers to church-state separation, a bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that would authorize FEMA funds to repair houses of worship following natural disasters. The issue has been a contentious one in the months following Hurricane Sandy. The Baptist Joint Committee has been throughout a leading voice of principle, arguing that current FEMA restrictions should be maintained. Aid to churches necessarily entangles public money with religion improperly.
Written by Don ByrdDespite opposition from civil and religious liberty groups including the Baptist Joint Committee, the U.S. House last month approved a bill that allows public funding of churches through FEMA grants following natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy. Today, a NYTimes editorial makes the case against the bill and urges the Senate not to pass it on to the President.
