One reason faith based initiatives corrupt government and religion

From the ACLU in Michigan:

"July 20, 2004 - Press ReleaseDETROIT – The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan asked the Michigan Supreme Court today to hear a case of a Catholic man who was criminally punished for not completing a Pentacostal drug rehabilitation program. His request to be transferred to another program was denied and he was sentenced to six months in jail and boot camp."

The whole article goes on to explain how a judge sentenced this man to a drug program that was totally faith based. It offered no secular therapy and described the man's religion as "witchcraft". Faith based initiatives are a bit like the drug war: they corrupt both parties. In the instance of the drug war, users and dealers are made to be criminals while the state is corrupted as they carry out both illegal acts under the guise of catching criminals as well as bribes as criminals will use them to get their products into the country. Faith based initiatives corrupt the government (in this case, in the form of a judge) as well as the religion. Pat Robertson actually made the latter argument, pointing out that no money from government comes without strings attached and it would only be a matter of time before the government steps in and demands that religious organizations receiving such funds would be required to meet government work rules and secular laws.

Thanks to Archie, for bringing this to my attention.