Funny how Obama didn't bring this up in the primary.

You weren't paying attention. This from January '08

You wrote in “The Audacity of Hope” about the role that faith and faith-based programs could play in confronting social ills. Isn’t your view on that similar to George W. Bush’s?

No, I don’t think so, because I am much more concerned with maintaining the line between church and state. And I believe that, for the most part, we can facilitate the excellent work that’s done by faith-based institutions when it comes to substance abuse treatment or prison ministries…. I think much of this work can be done in a way that doesn’t conflict with church and state. I think George Bush is less concerned about that.

My general criteria is that if a congregation or a church or synagogue or a mosque or a temple wants to provide social services and use government funds, then they should be able to structure it in a way that all people are able to access those services and that we’re not seeing government dollars used to proselytize.

That, by the way, is a view based not just on my concern about the state or the apparatus of the state being captured by a particular religious faith, but it’s also because I want the church protected from the state. And I don’t think that we promote the incredible richness of our religious life and our religious institutions when the government starts getting too deeply entangled in their business. That’s part of the reason why you don’t have as rich a set of religious institutions and faith life in Europe. Part of that has to do with the fact that, traditionally, it was an extension of the state. And so there is less experimentation, less vitality, less responsiveness to the yearnings of people. It became a rigid institution that no longer served people’s needs. Religious freedom in this country, I think, is precisely what makes religion so vital.

As much as I am for a firm separation of church and state, there are social programs provided by these religious organizations that cross all religious boundaries. A good example is the Jewish Community Center which receives funding from the NYS Department of Aging to subsidize adult day care progams etc - something I take full advantage of for my mom. My mom is Catholic and has a Muslim last name, so sufficed to say there is no discrimination on whom they provide the services to. So long as they are not permitted to proselytize, I am all for funding to religious and community organizations to do the real social services work that the gov't either can't do effectively or has no interest in trying.

Thanks for the comments. Yes, I did know Obama was heading in this direction previously but the level of detail provided.

I could substantiate my points more, but am in a very busy period of life that leaves no time for blogging. Alas!

I'm pretty sure some of the faith-based abuses have been chronicled right here in the TPM media empire. I will try to remember to post links in time.