Does this not violate the first amendment?

Question

On March 7, 2006 Bush passed an executive order 13397. Executive order means he bypasses congressional approval.

Executive Order 13397:
Responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security with Respect to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

Details can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/03/20060307-5.html

Here is just part of it:
"Section 1. Establishment of a Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the Department of Homeland Security."

The 1st Amendment states "....Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...."

Thomas Jefferson made it very clear that there was to be separation between church and state. You can read his thoughts on this at.
http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/churchstate.html

Anyone else think that creating a Faith-Based Center within the Homeland Security dept that receives public funds, is unconstitutional?

The Bushians, Bush Christians, try to justify combining church and state today in 2 ways:
1. Claim there is no such separation.
2. Claim cuz the forefathers were Christian that they wanted it this way.

So, let's examine what the forefathers were thinkin in their own words so u can stop falsely speaking 4 them:

Thomas Jefferson, one of our Christian forefathers stated on this topic: "...I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."
http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/churchstate.html

Emphasis on the last sentence in his quote, "thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."

I know you Bushians wont agree with bold truth and fact cuz you lack that ability and only want to believe what you want to be true.

Leogirl, I am sorry but you are brainless. I only 'included bit and pieces'? I gave you a link... you want me to paste the entire thing?

Bottom line is the government can not use tax dollars to pay for a faith-based initiative. Bush has been quoted that he knew congress would never pass them for that reason and that is why he does the executive order on all of them.

You Bushians would argue with Jesus himself. I feel sorry for all of you that can't face truth and facts. Oh and the best of all is when you pick and choose which forefathers you want to justify you claims to. LOL

Answer 1

"Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law."
Thomas Jefferson, letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, February 10, 1814. Jefferson wanted the wall of separation for fear of the church corrupting the government.
"The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries."
James Madison 1803. Madison wanted the wall for fear that the government would corrupt the churches. In fact his first veto as a President was of a law that gave money to a DC area church to care for the poor. It looks like both of their fears came true!
As for our country being founded on Christian values that is simply untrue. George Washington refused to say if he was a Christian. Thomas Jefferson and many other of the founding fathers were Deists, in fact that is where "Natures God" came from in The Declaration of Independence. Jefferson also took out all the miracles out of the bible and had it reprinted as Jeffersons Bible. Ben Franklin was likely an atheist as he left Massachusetts because of the religious persecution. It soured him on religion.
" As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion" Treaty of Tripoli 1797. This treaty was ratified by the full Senate. Then there is the fact that God in not in the Constitution. Thats because it was based on English Common Law, The Magna Carta and the Iroquois Confederation, not the bible or the 10 comandments.
And Bush's executive order has all the power of a law as long as he is in office. So by him signing Executive Order 13397 he is violating his oath of office in which he swears to " preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Answer 2

Well as you can plainly see, (well possibly, you can't) the First Amendment does not say the words "separation of church and state". It only says "shall make no law" an executive order is not a law. (I'll give you a Civic's leason) Law's have to be passed by both houses of Congress. An executive order can be rescended by the next President. And regarding Thomas Jefferson's comment about separation of church and state, the statement was found, I believe, in the 1930's in a letter he had written.
A letter, which means that's his opinion, not a law. So please stay off of the far left websites. They will screw up you mind even more so than it already is

Answer 3

Besides the very eloquent and accurate responses given by bothe Puter Edna and LeoGirl, you actually answered your own question. No matter what your interpretation of what Bush did in the above circumstance is, the fact remains that this is NOT an instance of Congress passing ANY law, let alone one "respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...."

Answer 4

The 14th replace describes the lack of States to make rules that conflict with the form and additionally says that rules ought to be observed till now rights are infringed upon. notice that it would not describe the forms of rules that could desire to be enacted with a view to try this. Nor does it say that the form has the superb say in what "privileges or immunities" are. Racial profiling is a fashion of arising the pattern length smaller once you're finding for human beings. that's a gadget. with the aid of itself, it would not violate the form. regardless of if, it rather is often utilized in considered one of those ham-surpassed way which finally leads to treating unquestionably everyone who suits the profile as directly suspect. that's the place I somewhat have a subject with it, the way it rather is utilized and interpreted with the aid of the human beings on the front strains.

Answer 5

When you only include bits of the information it appears that way, but when you read the actual data its a completely different story.
To simplify this, it was developed with FEMA to help them work with Faith based (no particular faith specified) organizations to help out during a crisis, such as we had with Katrina. This isn't developing any goverment religion. This did pass by not just the popular vote. Churches, Mosques, Synagogues etc...are all covered.

Sec. 2. Purpose of Center. The purpose of the Center shall be to coordinate agency efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the provision of social and community services.

Sec. 3. Responsibilities of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In carrying out the purpose set forth in section 2 of this order, the Center shall:

(a) conduct, in coordination with the WHOFBCI Director, a department-wide audit to identify all existing barriers to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the delivery of social and community services by the Department, including but not limited to regulations, rules, orders, procure-ment, and other internal policies and practices, and outreach activities that unlawfully discriminate against, or otherwise discourage or disadvantage the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in Federal programs;

(b) coordinate a comprehensive departmental effort to incorporate faith-based and other community organizations in Department programs and initiatives to the greatest extent possible;

Answer 6

You answered your own question and don't realize it. "Establishment of a Center for Faith-Based" not a specific organized religion. This program can still be separate from the(or any) church and support similar values.

Our entire country was founded on Christian values, do you think our founding fathers have violated the first amendment.

Answer 7

Yep - just another sneaky weasel try to impose christianity on the general public using their own money, regardless of their personal beliefs.

Answer 8

I agree with what Puter Edna said

Answer 9

yes, of course it does.... but he does it for the christian vote.... he uses his religion for political gain.... instead of salvation like a true christian!!!!!

Answer 10

you actually think executive order started with this president....thy name is naive!