# So much for SOCAS

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-socas/65745>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 17, 2001, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-socas/65745 "2001-05-17T18:32:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-socas/65745/1 "2001-05-17T18:32:13Z")

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Bush’s faith-based initiatives program is now favoring “faith based organizations” over secular ones.

[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2001/05/17/national0320EDT0446.DTL](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2001/05/17/national0320EDT0446.DTL)  
One wonders what constitutes a real religion under this plan. What if your religion isn’t based on the Christian concept of faith?

-Ben

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**Author:** ![december](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@december](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/december)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-socas/65745/2 "2001-05-17T20:00:39Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Ben \*  
> \*\*  
> Bush’s faith-based initiatives program is now favoring “faith based organizations” over secular ones.  
> -Ben \*\*

Uh, actually the cite says that secular orgs are currently favored, and that Bush wants equality.

> [@](#):
>
> Bush, in promoting his “faith-based initiative,” has consistently stressed the idea of equal competition. “When people of faith provide social services, we will not discriminate against them,”

I don’t like government support for faith-based organizations or for secular ones, either. Both approaches tend to result in politicians using our money to pay off their supporters.

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**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-socas/65745/3 "2001-05-17T21:25:49Z")

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**hijack**

Ben, how did you link that article, I can never get SF Gate or Chronicle items to link? Or is it that you can’t url it?

Thanks…Now back to your previous discussion

**byejack**

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**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2001, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-socas/65745/4 "2001-05-17T22:08:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by december \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by Ben \*  
> > \*\*  
> > Bush’s faith-based initiatives program is now favoring “faith based organizations” over secular ones.  
> > -Ben
> 
> Uh, actually the cite says that secular orgs are currently favored, and that Bush wants equality.
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Bush, in promoting his “faith-based initiative,” has consistently stressed the idea of equal competition. “When people of faith provide social services, we will not discriminate against them,”

Did you see the second paragraph in that article?

> [@](#):
>
> Federal grants to prevent HIV and drug abuse are being offered only to religious groups, in what opponents say is the first-ever set-aside for religion.

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**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2001, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-socas/65745/5 "2001-05-18T13:25:45Z")

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Last paragraph of the article:

> [@](#):
>
> “For so long there’s been so much discrimination against faith-based organizations,” said Connie Marshner of the Free Congress Foundation. “I’d say it’s a leveling of the field.”

Affirmative Action for religion?!

God help us.