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Faith-based bill holdup, part 421
Political wrangling has held up Bush's faith-based initiative in Congress for years. As the bill was stripped down, and one of its main points (leveling the playing field and allowing religious organizations to compete for government social service contracts without compromising their religious identity) was abandoned, many conservatives urged support. "Half a loaf is better than none," they said (several slices ago). Finally, this year, both the House and Senate passed nearly identical bills that, while not doing much about government grants, would encourage greater individual giving to charity.

"These provisions will have a very positive effect, so loud huzzahs!" said Stanley Carlson-Thies, fellow at the Center for Public Justice. "The faith-based initiative has always been about increasing private support for charities. But it has never been only about increasing private support."

Hold those huzzahs. The bills are nearly identical, but not fully so. The Senate bill has several riders attached, including tax breaks for Alaskan whaling captains and people who sell land for conservation purposes, and a tax exemption for blood-collecting organizations. The Washington Times today says that "at least 34 groups, including Americans for Tax Reform, the American Conservative Union and the American Association of Christian Schools" are complaining about the riders, saying they favor conservation organizations over faith-based social services.

Settling such differences in bills are usually the work of a conference committee, but Minority Whip Harry Reid (D-Nv.), is refusing to let the bill go to the committee. "Conferences haven't worked very well in this Congress," he said Friday.

If this were a real "half a loaf," it'd be pretty moldy by now.

Prominent D.C. clergyman faces off against church on sex accusations
After two women accused Edwon D. Brown, pastor of D.C.'s Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, of sexual misconduct, the deacon board voted to suspend him until the end of the year (maintaining his $90,000 a year salary). But on Sunday, reports The Washington Post, Brown refused to recognize the board's decision.

"I'm still the pastor," he told the packed congregation. "No one is going to remove me."

Not even the police, it seems. They were called in by deacon board chairman Morris Lucas, and one officer even approached the pulpit to ask Brown, who is accused of an extramarital affair by one woman and of harassment by another, to step down. He didn't, and went on with the service.

Brown's pulpit is larger than just the one at Mt. Sinai. He's also the chairman of the mayor's Interfaith Council.

General William G. Boykin Controversy

• General apologizes for talk of God, war | An Army general who has stirred a storm of criticism by framing U.S. battles against Islamic militants in religious terms said yesterday that he was "not anti-Islam or any other religion" and apologized to "those who have been offended by my statements." (Washington Post)
  
  
• General apologizes for remarks on Islam, says he's no 'zealot' | Official said comments likening the war on terrorism to Islam fighting Christianity were misconstrued (Los Angeles Times)
  
  
• U.S.: Comments raise specter of religious clash within terror war | Since 11 September 2001, U.S. President George W. Bush has insisted the war against terrorism is not a struggle between Judeo-Christian society and the Islamic world. Yet, one of his top defense officials has cast the war in just those terms. (Radio Free Europe)
  
  

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October (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47