Georgia Constitution Party Questions Faith-Based Initiative Amendment

U.S. Newswire ^ | 1/16/2004 | Ricardo Davis

[Ricardo4CP]

1/16/04 12:39:00 AM

To: City and State desks, Political Reporter

Contact: Ricardo Davis of Constitution Party of Georgia 770-924-8546; ga@constitutionparty.com

ATLANTA, Jan. 16 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In a public statement the Constitution Party of Georgia (CPGa) raised concerns over the current efforts of Gov. Perdue to amend the Georgia Constitution to encourage state funding of church ministries involved in charitable works.

State Chairman Ricardo Davis of Woodstock stated that "Senate Resolution 560, the Faith-Based Initiative Amendment (FBIA), may undermine the ability of state-funded Christian ministries to communicate the life-changing message of the Gospel by limiting their Constitutionally-guaranteed right to free speech and exposing them to litigation from organizations antagonistic to the Gospel message."

Davis elaborated, "In the fall of 2002, two former employees and others including individuals affiliated with Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays and YouthPride sued the United Methodist Children's Home (UMCH) and the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR). The DHR later settled with the plaintiffs without consulting the UMCH, agreeing to create a new contract to be used with all childcare service providers in the state. In order to continue to receive state funding the UMCH would have to agree to no longer prefer Christians in staffing their facilities and were forbidden to require the children to go to church or participate in religious activities as a condition of residence. Afterwards the UMCH reached a separate settlement agreement with the plaintiffs noting that, 'Continuation of the lawsuit would have resulted in expenditure of substantial resources that otherwise would be used in ministry to children and families.'"

Georgia pastors and church leaders are rightly concerned. Pastor Jeff Vaughn of Faith Baptist Church of Columbus commented, "In spite of denials to the contrary, the state controls that which it funds. Is the Lord Jesus not able to provide for the needy through His church without state funding and restrictions? Jesus never addressed peoples physical needs without dealing with their spiritual needs as well, and churches and ministries should follow His example."

Davis added, "Gov. Perdue must address the serious questions that church leaders have in light of the UMCH lawsuit and the recent DHR settlement. Pastors and churches in Georgia should their withhold support of the FBIA and urge their legislators to do the same."

The CPGa advocates that state and federal governments protect our First Amendment rights and encourage charitable works by removing barriers to the support of churches and church ministries, such as allowing full tax-deductibility of all gifts given by individuals and corporations.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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[Ricardo4CP]

For more information on the Constitution Party's stand on welfare and charity, see http://www.constitutionparty.org/ustp-99p1.html#welfare.

[The_Eaglet]

Thank you, Ricardo!

Does the Georgia Constitution prohibit state laws "respecting an establishment of religion" the same way the U.S. Constitution does on the Congressional level?

[The_Eaglet]

Elections Board votes to study regulations for political ads-Campaign Finance Reform thread-day 37

[Ricardo4CP]

Georgia Constitution
Article I
Section I
Paragraph III. Freedom of conscience. Each person has the natural and inalienable right to worship God, each according to the dictates of that person's own conscience; and no human authority should, in any case, control or interfere with such right of conscience.
Paragraph IV. Religious opinions; freedom of religion. No inhabitant of this state shall be molested in person or property or be prohibited from holding any public office or trust on account of religious opinions; but the right of freedom of religion shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness or justify practices inconsistent with the peace and safety of the state.

Section II
Paragraph VII. Separation of church and state. No money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect, cult, or religious denomination or of any sectarian institution.

[The_Eaglet]

I pray that these usurpations of the supreme laws will be undone on both the state and federal levels.

[Ricardo4CP]

Because of the 14th ammendment [sic], it doesn't really make any difference...

Nathaniel, at the heart of Judge Myron Thompson's ruling against Roy Moore was the misapplication of the 14th Amendment through the questionable doctrine of incorporation that the advocates of a "living constitution" want us to accept.

Click here to stop judicial tyranny. -Ricardo

[Ricardo4CP]

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[The_Eaglet]

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