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	<title>Comments on: Obama: The Real Deal?</title>
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	<description>Life On The World Of The Cross</description>
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		<title>By: Bluenose</title>
		<link>http://www.urantiansojourn.com/2008/07/obama-the-real-deal/#comment-377</link>
		<dc:creator>Bluenose</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:35:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.urantiansojourn.com/2008/07/05/18/06/00/category%/obama-the-real-deal/#comment-377</guid>
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Yes-- Unity, not uniformity.

From the text of Obama&#039;s speech:
“Now, make no mistake, as someone who used to teach constitutional law, I believe deeply in the separation of church and state, but I don’t believe this partnership will endanger that idea – so long as we follow a few basic principles. First, if you get a federal grant, you can’t use that grant money to proselytize to the people you help and you can’t discriminate against them – or against the people you hire – on the basis of their religion. Second, federal dollars that go directly to churches, temples, and mosques can only be used on secular programs. And we’ll also ensure that taxpayer dollars only go to those programs that actually work.”
Obama has identified the pre-Bush safeguards and strengthens them; not abandon them.

By all appearances, Obama’s vision is consistent with what Bush’s plan would have been, if Bush cared about constitutional law, the interests of taxpayers, the rights of families in need, and the integrity of religious institutions. From Obama’s speech:

“You see, while these groups are often made up of folks who’ve come together around a common faith, they’re usually working to help people of all faiths or of no faith at all. And they’re particularly well-placed to offer help. As I’ve said many times, I believe that change comes not from the top-down, but from the bottom-up, and few are closer to the people than our churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques.

“That’s why Washington needs to draw on them. The fact is, the challenges we face today – from saving our planet to ending poverty – are simply too big for government to solve alone. We need all hands on deck.

“I’m not saying that faith-based groups are an alternative to government or secular nonprofits. And I’m not saying that they’re somehow better at lifting people up. What I’m saying is that we all have to work together – Christian and Jew, Hindu and Muslim; believer and non-believer alike – to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”

That&#039;s unity— the unity of Americans; the unity of planetary citizens;  not uniformity;  the straight-jacket of fascism.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Yes&#8211; Unity, not uniformity.</p>
<p>From the text of Obama&#8217;s speech:<br />
“Now, make no mistake, as someone who used to teach constitutional law, I believe deeply in the separation of church and state, but I don’t believe this partnership will endanger that idea – so long as we follow a few basic principles. First, if you get a federal grant, you can’t use that grant money to proselytize to the people you help and you can’t discriminate against them – or against the people you hire – on the basis of their religion. Second, federal dollars that go directly to churches, temples, and mosques can only be used on secular programs. And we’ll also ensure that taxpayer dollars only go to those programs that actually work.”<br />
Obama has identified the pre-Bush safeguards and strengthens them; not abandon them.</p>
<p>By all appearances, Obama’s vision is consistent with what Bush’s plan would have been, if Bush cared about constitutional law, the interests of taxpayers, the rights of families in need, and the integrity of religious institutions. From Obama’s speech:</p>
<p>“You see, while these groups are often made up of folks who’ve come together around a common faith, they’re usually working to help people of all faiths or of no faith at all. And they’re particularly well-placed to offer help. As I’ve said many times, I believe that change comes not from the top-down, but from the bottom-up, and few are closer to the people than our churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques.</p>
<p>“That’s why Washington needs to draw on them. The fact is, the challenges we face today – from saving our planet to ending poverty – are simply too big for government to solve alone. We need all hands on deck.</p>
<p>“I’m not saying that faith-based groups are an alternative to government or secular nonprofits. And I’m not saying that they’re somehow better at lifting people up. What I’m saying is that we all have to work together – Christian and Jew, Hindu and Muslim; believer and non-believer alike – to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”</p>
<p>That&#8217;s unity— the unity of Americans; the unity of planetary citizens;  not uniformity;  the straight-jacket of fascism.</p>
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