President Bush wants the government to work with religious groups on social issues. REUTERS
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DALLAS, Texas. The U.S. Constitution says that church and government don't mix. That's why President Bush's White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives has been so controversial among separation of church and state groups. Now, criticism from religious conservatives has led the Bush administration to delay parts of the plan.
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Religious conservatives like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell say they're afraid that government regulations will harm churches. They also worry that they'll object to the religious groups that benefit from the program.
But John J. Dilulio Jr., who heads the group, says that religious groups will be able to separate their secular work from their spiritual work.
Dilulio says the program "welcomes godly people back into the public square while respecting…our constitutional traditions," and that non-religious programs are still available as an alternative.
Under the program, religious groups would receive taxpayer money to build programs dealing with alcoholism, homelessness, drug abuse, and other problems. But the program only allows the government to fund community efforts and not religious services. Those community activities can have faith-based values but cannot preach about religion.
The administration says it will re-examine the program so that it will become less objectionable.
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