Topics in the News: Faith-Based Organizations
Merrick Garland on Faith-Based Organizations: (Government Reform Mar 16, 2021)
Faithful administration of FOIA essential to our democracy
Garland began his remarks by emphasizing that "[t]he principles of open government and democratic accountability are at the heart of who we are as public servants and as Americans." He further stated that "[w]ithout accountability, democracy is impossible. And democratic accountability requires the kind of transparency that the FOIA makes possible. That's why faithful administration of the FOIA is essential [to] American democracy." Click for Merrick Garland on other issues. Source: 2021 Biden Administration: FOIA Awards
Cedric Richmond on Faith-Based Organizations: (Civil Rights Feb 3, 2021)
Expand religious institutions' protection from hate crimes
Richmond, speaking at the Jewish Federations of North America's virtual mission, said Biden plans to push for increases to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Richmond was a proponent of the program during his tenure in the House. Richmond added that the Biden administration is considering establishing a program within the Department of Justice to prevent attacks on faith-based organizations and increase sentences for individuals convicted of hate crimes at religious institutions. Click for Cedric Richmond on other issues. Source: Jewish Insider on Biden Cabinet
Joe Biden on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Jan 20, 2021)
Publicly open about his faith without imposing it on others
Unlike his predecessors, Biden's Catholicism fits into the twenty-first century, thanks to his easy going way of carrying his faith in public in a way that differentiates it from Kerry's reluctance to defend his faith on a public stage. It combines traditional devotion (regular attendance at Sunday Mass, the rosary that belonged to his son Beau in his pocket) with freedom of conscience as a public figure; it also combines American exceptionalism with respect for the international role of the Vatican.
"What I'm not prepared to do is propose a precise view that is borne out of my faith on other people," he said in a 2015 interview with the Jesuit Magazine America. A stutterer like Moses, Biden's speeches are often referenced to God, the bible, or the Pope but without sounding aggressive. During the election campaign, he often spoke of, "a battle for the soul of America." Click for Joe Biden on other issues. Source: Biden and Catholicism, by Massimo Faggioli, p. 50-51
Catholic doctrine taught me faith without works is dead
In a videotaped message that he prepared for the funeral of George Floyd, killed during a 2020 police arrest in Minneapolis that sparked a summer of deep unrest in the country, Biden said, "I grew up with Catholic social doctrine, which taught me that faith without works is dead, and you will know us by what we do." And in a Thanksgiving Day message, he offered words of comfort to a country struggling with the deadly pandemic, evoking the movements of mourning in his own life: "It takes your breath away. It's really hard to care. It's hard to give thanks. It's even hard to look forward. It's so hard; I understand." Click for Joe Biden on other issues. Source: Biden and Catholicism, by Massimo Faggioli, p.126
Mike Pence on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Oct 7, 2020)
Not fair to attack Amy Coney Barrett's faith
PENCE: Amy Coney Barrett will bring a lifetime of experience and a sizeable American family to the Supreme Court. We hope we don't see the kind of attacks on her Christian faith that we saw before. When Judge Barrett was being confirmed for the court of appeals, Dick Durbin expressed concern that the dogma of her faith was a concern. Senator, I know one of our judicial nominees you actually attacked, because they were a member of the Catholic Knights of Columbus.
HARRIS: Joe Biden and I are people of faith, and it's insulting to suggest that we would knock anyone for their faith, and in fact, Joe, if elected, will be only the second practicing Catholic as President of the United States. Click for Mike Pence on other issues. Source: 2020 Vice-Presidential Debate in Utah
Deval Patrick on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Feb 6, 2020)
I am a man of faith; my decisions are grounded in faith
Q: Did it surprise you that he Senator Romney [your predecessor as MA Governor] voted against the president, to remove him from office, claiming that he did so based on his faith?
PATRICK: I don't know him well. He's always been a gentleman to me. But on the point of faith, I mean, I am a man of faith. I have made decisions on the strength of my values, and many of my values are grounded in faith. In fact, it's one of my frustrations with Democrats, because sometimes we are really squishy about the language of faith, when, in fact, so much of what we are about has its roots in the lessons of faith. My reasons [for many policies as governor had] to do with faith, that we were taught--all major religions are taught--we will be judged by how we treat the least of these. And I believe that. So the notion that faith would bear on his decision or someone else's, particularly when it inspires generosity and fealty to truth and to justice, that seems exactly right to me. Click for Deval Patrick on other issues. Source: CNN N. H. Town Hall on eve of 2020 N. H. primary
Cory Booker on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Oct 10, 2019)
His faith taught love, so he fought his own homophobia
Q: In the 90's you wrote an article that detailed your journey to accept LGBTQ plus people as equals. It must have made people uncomfortable, can you talk about that?
Booker: I wanted to push people to understand the absurdities of homophobia, and became a campus activist on those issues, and so I wrote this article to challenge people about their homophobia. It started as a teenager that saw growing up, an environment that was hostile to my peers who my faith taught me to love no matter what. Click for Cory Booker on other issues. Source: CNN LGBT Town Hall 2020
Pete Buttigieg on Faith-Based Organizations: (Immigration Sep 12, 2019)
Values of faith and welcome should be cultivated
We have to engage the American majority around the opportunities for not just growth in small communities, but our values. Values of welcome, values of faith that all argue for us to manage this humanely and in a way that marries our values with our laws. Click for Pete Buttigieg on other issues. Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston
Howard Schultz on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Mar 13, 2019)
Science is real, and so is religion and faith
The center is the heart of America. Let's be clear about what that heart is:
America's heart is principled, it encompasses our core values, and it is our common ground.
America's heart is aspirational in its dreams, yet realistic in its plans. In America's heart, common sense and reason prevail.
America's heart does not favor partisan ideas; it opts for the best solutions, no matter where they come from.
America's heart also embraces objective truth,--yes, truth!--and our truth informs our problem solving.
In America's heart, science is real, and so is religion and faith.
In America's heart, all people are equal--no matter your gender, your race, your religion, your sexual orientation, or your station in life.
In America's heart, we stand as we always have, with our allies around the world.
America's heart is compassion and humanity. In America's heart is not "We the faction" or "We the tribe." It is, and always has been, and needs to be again, "We the People". Click for Howard Schultz on other issues. Source: 2020 Presidential Campaign website HowardSchultz.com
Stacey Abrams on Faith-Based Organizations: (Families & Children Feb 5, 2019)
Family values: faith, service, education & responsibility
Growing up, my family went back and forth between lower middle class and working poor. Yet, even when they came home weary and bone-tired, my parents found a way to show us all who we could be. My librarian mother taught us to love learning. My father, a shipyard worker, put in overtime and extra shifts; and they made sure we volunteered to help others. Later, they both became United Methodist ministers, an expression of the faith that guides us.
These were our family values--faith, service, education and responsibility.
Our power and strength as Americans lives in our hard work and our belief in more. My family understood firsthand that while success is not guaranteed, we live in a nation where opportunity is possible. But we do not succeed alone--in these United States, when times are tough, we can persevere because our friends and neighbors will come for us. Click for Stacey Abrams on other issues. Source: Democratic response to 2019 State of the Union speech
Xavier Becerra on Faith-Based Organizations: (Immigration Feb 5, 2019)
Parents put faith in US system when immigrating from Mexico
I am the son of working immigrants and the first in my family to walk through the doors of a university, and through the doors of opportunity.
My parents began their life together in the United States for the same reason that many people come to this country: to work hard and give their children a better life. Upon leaving Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, they brought with them their faith and not much else. They trusted in the promise of this country that all those who work hard and play by the rules, have earned the opportunity to get ahead.
I know I am the product of those who fought to open the doors of opportunity. The optimism--that characterizes the waves of immigrants who have come here-- runs through my blood. And if the state of our nation can be characterized as "strong," it is because people like my parents and yours--citizens or immigrants--built this country. Click for Xavier Becerra on other issues. Source: Democratic Spanish response to the 2019 State of the Union
Ron DeSantis on Faith-Based Organizations: (Families & Children Oct 9, 2018)
Protect faith-based noncooperation with gay marriage
Q: Support gay marriage?
Ron DeSantis (R): No. Cosponsored bill to protect individuals for faith-based noncooperation with gay marriage.
Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. While Tallahassee mayor invited same-sex couples to get married there when refused in other FL counties. Click for Ron DeSantis on other issues. Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Florida Governor race
Mike Pence on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Feb 22, 2018)
Faith in Trump & faith in God will heal America
I close today with faith. Faith in the boundless capacity of the American people. Faith in the President and the leaders they've elected to represent them. And what Billy Graham called "hope for the present and hope for the future." As we work to advance our cause, restore our country, let us also remember to claim that hope. Remembering those ancient words that if His people, who are called by His name, will humble themselves and pray, He'll hear from heaven, and He'll heal this land. Click for Mike Pence on other issues. Source: White House press release, "Remarks at CPAC 2018"
John Kasich on Faith-Based Organizations: (Crime Sep 24, 2017)
FactCheck: Catholic faith does NOT support death penalty
On "Meet the Press" on May 31, 2015, asked about religious objection to the death penalty, Kasich responded, "I think it's consistent with my Catholic faith." Is that true, that Catholic faith supports the death penalty?
No. Pope Francis, the world leader of the Catholic faith, said unambiguously in his address to the US Congress on Sept. 24, 2015, that "the golden rule reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development. This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred. Society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty."
Kasich can say he supports the death penalty, but he cannot accurately say that doing so is consistent with his Catholic faith. Click for John Kasich on other issues. Source: OnTheIssues Fact-Check: John Kasich on Meet the Press (2015)
Donald Trump on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Sep 9, 2016)
Our media culture often mocks and demeans people of faith
One of the greatest privileges of my journey has been the time I've spent with the evangelical community. And the support they gave me in those primaries was absolutely incredible, I have to tell you. All across the nation. A lot of people said: "I wonder if Donald will get the evangelicals." I got the evangelicals.
There are no more decent, devoted, or selfless people than our Christians brothers and sisters here in the US. I've witnessed that incredible generosity all across this land. I saw it during my trip to Louisiana, where Christian volunteers raced to help their fellow citizens in need. It's that spirit of giving that we will need to rebuild Louisiana and to rebuild this country, which is in serious, serious trouble.
Yet, our media culture often mocks and demeans people of faith. And you understand that. All the time I hear from concerned parents how much harder it is for a Christian family to raise their children in today's media environment. Click for Donald Trump on other issues. Source: 11th Annual Value Voters Summit - 2016
Cory Booker on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Aug 2, 2016)
Pragmatic Democrat: support private/faith-based initiatives
Booker called his political philosophy "pragmatic Democratic," looking to government but also private and faith-based initiatives to address poverty. Departing further from the standard playbook for urban Democrats, Booker became an early champion of charter schools, arguing that the poorest children--like the richest--should be able to opt out of bad schools. He later took the even more unconventional step of embracing vouchers for private schools for the same reason.
Booker was a valuable asset for the almost universally white, rich, Republican voucher movement, which along with the charter movement introduced him to some of his major political donors. Click for Cory Booker on other issues. Source: The Prize, by Dale Russakoff, p. 11
John Hickenlooper on Faith-Based Organizations: (Welfare & Poverty May 24, 2016)
Involve businesses and faith org's to address homelessness
[In 2005 we initiated a program on homelessness that] we called "Denver's Road Home." We aligned the self-interests of restaurant, hotel, and other downtown retail operators, long frustrated by panhandlers hurting their businesses, alongside faith- based and social welfare organizations.
Part of this alignment of self-interests was possible because [we] made sure there were clear goals, and metrics to track our success. Sadly, the city had too often treated the indigent like criminals; our homeless citizens were arrested and imprisoned. That is incredibly expensive and solves nothing. The only way to come close to meaningful and enduring remedies was to provide our city's homeless not only with shelter, but also with wraparound services such as medical attention, counseling, and, where necessary, medications for addiction, and always job training. These individuals were almost always emotionally fragile, and desperately needed the structure and social support of a consistent workplace. Click for John Hickenlooper on other issues. Source: The Opposite of Woe, by John Hickenlooper, p.258-9
Gina Raimondo on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values May 4, 2016)
Your family and faith will always be there
People often ask me "What's the thing that you're most proud of?" and I always answer, "my two children." As you guys grow up, always remember that your family and your faith will sustain you no matter the challenges you may face. Tough times and good times come and go, but your family and faith will always be there. So, don't forget to begin and end each day with your prayers! Click for Gina Raimondo on other issues. Source: Time magazine on 2018 Rhode Island Gubernatorial race
Donald Trump on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Feb 29, 2016)
Agrees with Hillary on marijuana, campaign finance, trade
Hillary and Trump do agree on some, including:
Tax Reform: Both would increase income taxes on the wealthy, although Trump would lower corporate taxes and estate taxes.
Faith-based initiatives: Both support working with religious organizations for social services.
Drug War: Both cautiously support state-based medical marijuana while postponing other aspects.
Campaign Finance Reform: Both would reform the current finance system, although Hillary supports public financing (while Trump avoids the issue by self-financing).
Free Trade: Both would reform our current trade deals, although for different goals: Hillary for better labor and environmental standards; Trump for a better overall deal.
The bottom line: If you prefer a polar opposite to Hillary, Trump should not be your chosen candidate. And if you prefer someone who will dismantle forever the Bush legacy, Hillary should not be your chosen candidate. Neither is the extremist their opponents make them out to be. Click for Donald Trump on other issues. Source: Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton On The Issues, by J. Gordon
Ted Cruz on Faith-Based Organizations: (Families & Children Feb 25, 2016)
Hispanic values: faith, family & patriotism
The values in our [Hispanic] community are faith, family, patriotism. I campaigned the same here in Houston or Dallas as I did in the Rio Grande Valley, defending conservative principles, telling my father's story of coming to America with $100 dollars in his underwear, not speaking English, washing dishes, having hopes and dreams for the American dream. Click for Ted Cruz on other issues. Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Hillary Clinton on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Jan 30, 2016)
Disagrees with Bernie on crime, drugs & foreign intervention
Where do Hillary and Bernie disagree on the issues? This list comprises legitimate differences on issues, not just differences of fervency or recency:
Faith: Hillary would work with faith-based organizations on many fronts; Bernie focuses on church-state separation.
Crime: Hillary supports the death penalty; Bernie focuses on "Black Lives Matter."
Drugs: Hillary supports medical marijuana legalization; Bernie supports more than that, and considers the War on Drugs to be a major source of systemic racism. Hillary started using the term "systemic racism" in response to Bernie's use of the term.
Foreign intervention: Hillary is interventionist while Bernie would stay out of many hotspots. This is the strongest difference between the two candidates: Hillary is much more hawkish than Bernie (but still dovish compared to Republicans).
Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues. Source: Bernie vs. Hillary On The Issues, by Jesse Gordon
John Kasich on Faith-Based Organizations: (Families & Children Aug 6, 2015)
Nothing is more important to me than faith, family & friends
My father was a mailman. His father was a coal miner. My mother's mother could barely speak English. And their son today stands on this podium not only as the governor, but a candidate for president of the United States.
You know, I've had a lot of elections. But my elections are really not about campaigns. I tell my people that these are about a movement. And a movement to do what? To restore common sense. A movement to do things like provide economic growth. And a movement not to let anybody be behind.
You know, today the country is divided. We've got to unite our country again, because we're stronger when we are united and we are weaker when we are divided.
And we've got to listen to other people's voices, respect them. Because of how we respect human rights, because that we are a good force in the world, the Lord wants America to be strong. He wants America to succeed. And he wants America to lead. And nothing is more important to me than my family, my faith, and my friends. Click for John Kasich on other issues. Source: Fox News/Facebook Top Ten First Tier debate transcript
John Kasich on Faith-Based Organizations: (Welfare & Poverty Mar 7, 2015)
Matthew 25 commands us to aid the less fortunate
Kasich has a message for the haters who have spent the past year or so sniping that he is insufficiently conservative: Bring it. "It's really odd, that the conservative movement--a big chunk of which is faith-based--seems to have never read Matthew 25."
For those in need of a New Testament refresher: In Matthew 25, Jesus admonishes his followers to aid the less fortunate. Kasich has cited the passage repeatedly of late in defending his ObamaCare-fueled Medicaid expansion--an act of Republican apostasy that prompted widespread dismay among his party brethren.
He gets back on track: "With this whole spiritual element, let's get away from the judgment side of it. I think it's actually what the Pope's trying to do. The Pope's saying, 'Why don't we get into the feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and helping the imprisoned and helping the lonely? That's what we're commanded to do. To me, this is a gift that I've been able to feel this way." Click for John Kasich on other issues. Source: National Journal 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Mike Pence on Faith-Based Organizations: (Welfare & Poverty Jul 16, 2013)
Faith-based community gives us hope for new opportunities
While other states are struggling just to make ends meet, Indiana has made important investments in education and infrastructure and still ended the year with a surplus. But we still face many challenges as a state. We welcomed the recent news that the unemployment rate statewide dropped, but despite our positive trajectory, the people of Indiana feel strongly that our economy's growth is not matching the hopes, aspirations and dreams of our people. That's where some of today's honorees come in.
Where would we be without our faith-based community and the leaders who give us hope and inspire us even as we roll up our sleeves and do the work we need to build businesses and provide new opportunities and help the hurting in our communities? Click for Mike Pence on other issues. Source: Speech at Indiana Black Expo Governor's Reception
Rand Paul on Faith-Based Organizations: (Immigration Jun 12, 2013)
Latinos support GOP stances of faith and family values
Republicans need to become parents of a new future with Latino voters or we will need to resign ourselves to permanent minority status. The Republican Party has insisted for years that we stand for freedom and family values. I am most proud of my party when it stands for both. The vast majority of Latino voters agree with us on these issues but Republicans have pushed them away with harsh rhetoric over immigration.
In our zeal for border control, Republicans have been losing both the respect and votes of a group of people who already identify with our belief in family, faith, and conservative values. Hispanics should be a natural and sizable part of the Republican base. That they have steadily drifted away from the GOP in each election says more about Republicans than it does about Hispanics. Defense of the unborn and defense of traditional marriage are Republican issues that should resonate with Latinos but have been obscured by the misperception that Republicans are hostile to immigrants. Click for Rand Paul on other issues. Source: 2012 official Senate press release, "Hispanics natural GOP"
Mike Bloomberg on Faith-Based Organizations: (Education Apr 1, 2013)
Creationism boggles the mind, two centuries after Darwin
On Faith-Based Science: "It boggles the mind that nearly two centuries after Darwin, and 80 years after John Scopes was put on trial, this country is still debating the validity of evolution."
Today, we are seeing hundreds of years of scientific discovery being challenged by people who simply disregard facts that don't happen to agree with their agendas. Some call it "pseudo-science," others call it "faith-based science," but when you notice where this negligence tends to take place, you might as well call it "political science."
"It's scary in this country, it's probably because of our bad educational system, but the percentage of people that believe in Creationalism is really scary for a country that's going to have to compete in the world where science and medicine require a better understanding." Click for Mike Bloomberg on other issues. Source: Quotation cited during 2013 campaign on WikiQuote.org
Barack Obama on Faith-Based Organizations: (Budget & Economy Feb 12, 2013)
Uphold full faith & credit of US; keep government open
I realize that tax reform and entitlement reform won't be easy. The politics will be hard for both sides. None of us will get 100 percent of what we want. But the alternative will cost us jobs, hurt our economy, and visit hardship on millions of hardworking Americans. So let's set party interests aside, and work to pass a budget that replaces reckless cuts with smart savings and wise investments in our future. And let's do it without the brinksmanship that stresses consumers and scares off investors. The greatest nation on Earth cannot keep conducting its business by drifting from one manufactured crisis to the next. Let's agree, right here, right now, to keep the people's government open, pay our bills on time, and always uphold the full faith and credit of the United States of America. The American people have worked too hard, for too long, rebuilding from one crisis to see their elected officials cause another. Click for Barack Obama on other issues. Source: 2013 State of the Union Address
Deval Patrick on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Apr 12, 2011)
Faith is less about what you say & more about how you live
My mother did not care much for church. But my grandmother was a child of the South, and for her church on Sunday was a must. The Cosmopolitan Community Church was just a block away.
I have so many blessings in my own life, so many improbable gifts, that I am long past questioning whether there is an invisible hand at work in my life. To me, God is real, but my years at Cosmopolitan, and the experience of those old ladies in hats, emphasized that faith is less about what you say you believe and more about how you live. I came to see those old ladies as embodiments of the faith we were taught. They showed me how to welcome and embrace all the people who walked into our church and into our lives, from whatever station. They meant "embrace" literally--a hug, a tactile expression of oneness and support. Click for Deval Patrick on other issues. Source: A Reason to Believe, by Gov. Deval Patrick, p.144-147
John Kasich on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Jun 15, 2010)
Biblical manifesto: old law is gone; have faith in God
[My pastor] broke it down for us with a neat little checklist, culled from Romans, chapter 12:
Dedicate yourself to clean and active Christian living
Have your values, goals, and interests adjusted to the will of God, rather than to what society promotes
Exhibit humility, produced by faith
Use your abilities in a gracious manner for the good of all
Develop a strong distaste within yourself for whatever you know to be wrong, and hold tenaciously to whatever you know to be right and good
Care deeply about the welfare of others
Serve God
Hang in there in unpleasant, difficult times
Be generous and friendly
Be good to persons who treat you badly
Identify with other people's circumstances
Be humble, and associate with humble people
Don't retaliate
Be agreeable, not argumentative.
I look at Romans, and it's like a manifesto. It says the old law is gone. It says that Christ is the sacrifice for all time and for those who have faith in God. Click for John Kasich on other issues. Source: Every Other Monday, by John Kasich, p.136&146
Learned faith via pastor dying of cancer
My pastor was dying of cancer. I was in my late 20s. His name was Father Joseph Farina, and he happened to be in Columbus, so he came to visit me. He was in great pain. I asked him if he was taking any medication to ease his suffering, and he said he was not. He said, "This is the trial God has placed before me."
His faith made a big impression, because it was the first time I'd seen such conviction on full display. I'd heard about this type of thing. I'd read about it. And here it was, in all its splendor & glory. Here was this man, with a great mind, finding peace and comfort and surety in knowing that his pain was merely a trial he was meant to endure. And knowing full well that he would endure it. It opened my eyes, and the scales fell from them. It was shocking. Amazing. And ultimately transformative.
Still, that kind of faith was elusive to me then. I drifted away from religion as a young adult. Then I looked up one day, and there was a huge hole in my life where God & religion had been Click for John Kasich on other issues. Source: Every Other Monday, by John Kasich, p. 29
Living life of faith can be a liberating thing
Faith. It's at the core of every discussion we have in the Bible study group. But what does it really mean? Where does it get us in the end? We talk all the time about men of great faith, men like Moses and Abraham, Paul and the Apostles. We want to know what these stories mean, what it meant in biblical times to live a life of faith, and what it means today.
Lately, what we've come up with is this: when you live a life of faith, it can be a liberating thing. Faith is a freeing principle. We tend to think of these memorable, transformative characters in the Bible as having special powers, but we don't really know that. We just know that they were men and women of great faith. And we also know this: faith enables you to hold on loosely without letting go.
Faith reminds us that the first innings of this ball game will be played out here on earth, but we'll finish the game in the next life. We can go at it with some perspective, knowing that the whole game doesn't play out here. Click for John Kasich on other issues. Source: Every Other Monday, by John Kasich, p.126-127
John Kasich on Faith-Based Organizations: (Technology Jun 15, 2010)
Faith matters, but so does building up expertise
[In the Bible], David was a shepherd, and that's not as easy job. This back-breaking, painstaking work prepared himself for his fight against Goliath.
Nobody knew how prepared he was. In fact, David didn't know it himself, but he had faith. When he showed up, everybody laughed. They underestimated him. And the Saul insisted that David wear his armor, but he couldn't move swiftly or freely beneath the weight of it. David stood his ground and said, "Let me do my thing." And he did. He slew Goliath. He showed no fear. He was ready, because he'd put in the hours. It's like what Malcolm Gladwell writes in his great book "Outsiders". He says everybody who is an expert has to put in ten thousand hours building up his or her expertise. Well, David did just that. He put in his time, and God blessed his work, and it brought about a great change. He was not without flaws, of course, but he was a man after God's heart, if you will. Click for John Kasich on other issues. Source: Every Other Monday, by John Kasich, p.128-129
Hillary Clinton on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Aug 27, 2008)
Have faith in God, in our country, and in each other
We are Americans. We�re not big on quitting. But remember, before we can keep going, we have to get going by electing Barack Obama president. We don�t have a moment to lose or a vote to spare. Nothing less than the fate of our nation and the future of our children hang in the balance. I want you to think about your children and grandchildren come election day. And think about the choices your parents and grandparents made that had such a big impact on your life and on the life of our nation. We�ve got to ensure that the choice we make in this election honors the sacrifices of all who came before us, and will fill the lives of our children with possibility and hope. That is our duty, to build that bright future, and to teach our children that in America there is no chasm too deep, no barrier too great--and no ceiling too high--for all who work hard, never back down, always keep going, have faith in God, in our country, and in each other. Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues. Source: Speech at 2008 Democratic National Convention
Barack Obama on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Apr 16, 2008)
I am a person of faith; and I reach out to people of faith
CLINTON: [about Obama�s comment that people in small towns get bitter and they cling to guns & religion]: I think that is a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of faith in times that are good and times that are bad. And I similarly don�t think that people cling to their traditions, like hunting and guns, when they are frustrated with the government. I just don�t believe that�s how people live their lives.
OBAMA: Hillary has been saying I�m elitist, out of touch, condescending. Let me be absolutely clear. It would be pretty hard for me to be condescending towards people of faith, since I�m a person of faith and have done more than most other campaigns in reaching out specifically to people of faith, and have written about how Democrats make an error when they don�t show up and speak directly to people�s faith. The same is true with respect to gun owners. I have large numbers of sportsmen and gun owners in my home state, and they have supported me precisely because I have listened to them. Click for Barack Obama on other issues. Source: 2008 Philadelphia primary debate, on eve of PA primary
Hillary Clinton on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Apr 16, 2008)
Faith is not just something to cling to in hard times
Q: [to Obama]: You said people in small towns get bitter, and they cling to guns & religion. Now, you�ve said you misspoke?
OBAMA: I meant: People are going through very difficult times right now. When people feel like Washington�s not listening to them, then politically they end up focusing on those things that are constant, like religion. They end up being much more concerned about votes around things like guns, where traditions have been passed on.
CLINTON: I am the granddaughter of a factory worker from the Scranton lace mills, who was also very active in the Court Street Methodist Church. I don�t believe that my grandfather clung to religion when Washington is not listening to them. I think that is a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of faith in times that are good and times that are bad. And I similarly don�t think that people cling to their traditions, like hunting and guns, when they are frustrated with the government. I just don�t believe that�s how people live their lives. Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues. Source: 2008 Philadelphia primary debate, on eve of PA primary
Barack Obama on Faith-Based Organizations: (Education Apr 13, 2008)
Evolution & science aren�t incompatible with Christian faith
Q: If one of your daughters asked you, �Daddy, did God really create the world in 6 days?� What would you say?
A: What I believe is that God created the universe, and that the 6 days in the Bible may not be 6 days as we understand it. My belief is that the story that the Bible tells about God creating this magnificent Earth, that is fundamentally true. Now whether it happened exactly as we might understand it reading the text of the Bible, that I don�t presume to know. But one last point--I do believe in evolution. I don�t think that is incompatible with Christian faith. Just as I don�t think science generally is incompatible with Christian faith. There are those who suggest that if you have a scientific bent of mind, then somehow you should reject religion. And I fundamentally disagree with that. In fact, the more I learn about the world, the more I know about science, the more I�m amazed about the mystery of this planet and this universe. And it strengthens my faith as opposed to weakens it. Click for Barack Obama on other issues. Source: 2008 Democratic Compassion Forum at Messiah College
Faith sustains us in bitter times; faith isn�t bitterness
Q: You have written of how faith sustained you in bitter times, as have many people of faith.
A: I believe people are people of faith because it is part of their whole being; it is what gives them meaning in life, through good times and bad times. It is there as a spur, an anchor, to center one in the storms, but also to guide one forward in the day-to-day living that is part of everyone�s journey.
Q: You have been extremely critical of Senator Obama�s recent comments in which he argued that som economically hard-pressed Americans have �gotten bitter and cling to guns or religion.�
A: Well, he will have to speak for himself. Those comments do seem elitist, out of touch and, frankly, patronizing. That has nothing to do with him being a good man or a man of faith. We had two very good men and men of faith run for president in 2000 and 2004. But large segments of the electorate concluded that they did not really understand or relate to or frankly respect their ways of life. Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues. Source: 2008 Democratic Compassion Forum at Messiah College
Barack Obama on Faith-Based Organizations: (Welfare & Poverty Apr 13, 2008)
Cut poverty in half in 10 years, with faith-based help
Q: In the faith community, we want a new commitment around a measurable goal, something like cutting poverty in half in 10 years. Would you commit to such a goal?
A: I absolutely will make that commitment. I make that commitment with humility because we�ve got a lot of work to do economically in this country to bring about a more just and fair economy. It starts with recognizing the wages for average families have gone down during the most recent economic expansion. That�s never happened before. We�ve got to shore up the mortgage market. We�re going to have to change our tax code. It is a moral imperative to provide health care to every single American. And invest in early childhood education. Many of these can be part of faith-based initiatives I want to keep the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives open, but I want to make sure that its mission is clear. Faith-based initiatives should be targeted specifically at the issue of poverty and how to lift people up. Click for Barack Obama on other issues. Source: 2008 Democratic Compassion Forum at Messiah College
Hillary Clinton on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Feb 21, 2008)
Called by my faith & upbringing to serve others at young age
I resolved at a very young age that I�d been blessed and called by my faith and by my upbringing to do what I could to give others the same opportunities and blessings that I took for granted. That�s what gets me up in the morning. That�s what motivates me in this campaign. I am honored to be here with Obama. I am absolutely honored. Whatever happens, we�re going to be fine. We have strong support from our families & our friends. I hope that we�ll be able to say the same thing about the American people. Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues. Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin
Hillary Clinton on Faith-Based Organizations: (Welfare & Poverty Dec 1, 2007)
Partner with faith based community in empowerment zones
Q: What leadership would you take to ensure that young people and Latino and Black communities not only have access to capital but to ensure that economic development is more inclusive of black and brown youth?
A: In New York City we have seen the transformation of Harlem from a combination of government action creating an empowerment zone, the private sector coming in to take advantage of that and an explosion of entrepreneurial dynamism. We�ve also seen the faith based community like Abyssinians & others that have been partners with it and of course we�ve seen a lot of hip hop participants and leaders taking advantage of that. So we need this partnership. We need this partnership between the public and private sector and the not-for-profit and faith-based sector. And we need to make sure that young people have a particular stake in what we are going to present. That�s what I�ve worked on in NYC and in upstate NY and I intend to put that to work when I�m president. Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues. Source: 2007 Iowa Brown & Black Presidential Forum
Joe Biden on Faith-Based Organizations: (Welfare & Poverty Oct 25, 2007)
No faith-based initiative; it ain�t broke, so don�t fix it
Biden expressed reservations about President Bush�s faith-based initiative in 2001, commenting, �They say if it ain�t broke, don�t fix it, and I�m not sure we�re not going to break something that�s already fixed.� In 2004, Biden co-sponsored the Second Chance Act; the bill, which still hasn�t passed in the Senate, would, among other things, provide $15 million in federal grants to community and faith-based groups that help former prison inmates. Click for Joe Biden on other issues. Source: The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life
Mike Gravel on Faith-Based Organizations: (Welfare & Poverty Oct 25, 2007)
No position on faith-based initiatives
Gravel has not taken a position on faith-based initiatives, according to campaign press secretary Alex Colvin Click for Mike Gravel on other issues. Source: The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life
Barack Obama on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Sep 13, 2007)
Reach out to faith community;faith has role in public square
Q: We�ve heard a lot of talk about Democrats courting the Christian evangelical vote. But there are no commandments saying do not rape, do not torture, or do not commit incest.
A: Yes, there are some inconsistencies and hypocrisy of people who mix religion and politics sometimes. I have said it�s important for Democrats to reach out to the faith community, and the reason is because 90% of Americans believe in God. It�s a source of values. It�s a source of their moral compass. And I know it�s a source of strength for me and my family. I think it�s important for us not to presume that faith has no part in the public square. Look at Martin Luther King, the abolitionists, the suffragettes. We have a long history of reform movements being grounded in that sense often religiously expressed that we have to extend beyond ourselves and our individual immediate self-interests to think about something larger. Click for Barack Obama on other issues. Source: Huffington Post Mash-Up: 2007 Democratic on-line debate
Barack Obama on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Aug 26, 2007)
Active in the Trinity faith community
Obama has been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ, a Protestant Church in Chicago, for over 20 years. He, his wife Michelle & his daughters are active in the Trinity faith community.
Obama�s faith shapes his values, as it does for millions of Americans. As he said in a recent speech on faith and politics:
Our values should express themselves not just through our churches or synagogues, temples or mosques; they should express themselves through our government. Because whether it�s poverty or racism, the uninsured or the unemployed, war or peace, the challenges we face today are not simply technical problems in search of the perfect ten-point plan. They are moral problems, rooted in both societal indifference and individual callousness--in the imperfections of man. And so long as we�re not doing everything in our personal and collective power to solve them, we know the conscience of our nation cannot rest.
Click for Barack Obama on other issues. Source: 2008 Presidential campaign website, BarackObama.com �Flyers�
Barack Obama on Faith-Based Organizations: (Welfare & Poverty Aug 26, 2007)
Engages people of faith on all aspects of his public service
Obama has a record of engaging people of faith on all aspects of his public service. His first job out of college was bringing churches together to help address the poorest Chicago neighborhoods� pressing problems. After Hurricane Katrina, Obama united relief organizations and churches to discuss rebuilding the Gulf Coast. Obama also passed legislation that saved tithing from bankruptcy courts.
In June of 2006, Obama delivered what a Washington Post columnist called perhaps the most important speech on religion and politics in 40 years. Speaking before an evangelical audience, Senator Obama candidly discussed his own Christian faith and the need for a deeper, more substantive conversation about the role of faith in American life.
In December of 2006, Obama joined Pastor Rick Warren to discuss moral leadership and Global AIDS. And in June of 2007, Obama challenged Americans to come together around a �Politics of Conscience� to move our nation forward. Click for Barack Obama on other issues. Source: 2008 Presidential campaign website, BarackObama.com �Flyers�
I believe in prayer; I�m dependent on my faith
Q: Do you believe that, through the power of prayer, disasters like Hurricane Katrina could have been prevented or lessened?
A: I don�t pretend to understand the wisdom and the power of God. I do believe in prayer. And I have relied on prayer consistently throughout my life. I like to say that, if I had not been a praying person before I got to the White House, after having been there for just a few days I would�ve become one. So I am very dependent on my faith, & prayer is a big part of that Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues. Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate on �This Week�
Hillary Clinton on Faith-Based Organizations: (Principles & Values Jul 18, 2007)
Endured Monicagate through faith and inward spirituality
[In 1968, with regards to revelations of Bill�s affair with Monica Lewinsky,] the strange press release from the first lady�s office referred to her husband in a political as well as a personal way, saying that she �is committed to her marriage and believes in this president and loves him very much.�
Nonetheless, she turned inward. Her press secretary stated, �Clearly this is not the best day in Mrs. Clinton�s life. This is a time she relies on her strong religious faith.� Hillary elaborated, announcing, �I�m not sure I would have gotten through it without my faith.�
There were in fact spiritual sources that Hillary tapped at this time, taking guidance from certain ministers. One such was civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues. Source: God and Hillary Clinton, by Paul Kengor, p.168-170
Barack Obama on Faith-Based Organizations: (Abortion Oct 1, 2006)
Extend presumption of good faith to abortion protesters
[An abortion protester at a campaign event] handed me a pamphlet. �Mr. Obama, I know you�re a Christian, with a family of your own. So how can you support murdering babies?�
I told him I understood his position but had to disagree with it. I explained my belief that few women made the decision to terminate a pregnancy casually; that any pregnant woman felt the full force of the moral issues involved when making that decision; that I feared a ban on abortion would force women to seek unsafe abortions, as they had once done in this country. I suggested that perhaps we could agree on ways to reduce the number of women who felt the need to have abortions in the first place.
�I will pray for you,� the protester said. �I pray that you have a change of heart.� Neither my mind nor my heart changed that day, nor did they in the days to come. But that night, before I went to bed, I said a prayer of my own-that I might extend the same presumption of good faith to others that had been extended to me. Click for Barack Obama on other issues. Source: The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, p.197-8
Hillary Clinton on Faith-Based Organizations: (Abortion Nov 1, 2003)
Advocates birth control but OK with faith-based disagreement
Mother Teresa had just delivered a speech against abortion, and she wanted to talk to me. Mother Teresa was unerringly direct. She disagreed with my views on a woman's right to choose and told me so. Over the years, she sent me dozens of notes & messages with the same gentle entreaty. Mother Teresa never lectured or scolded me; her admonitions were always loving & heartfelt. I had the greatest respect for her opposition to abortion, but I believe that it is dangerous to give any state the power to enforce criminal penalties against women & doctors. I consider that a slippery slope to state control in China & Communist Romania. I also disagreed with her opposition--and that of the Catholic Church--to birth control. However, I support the right of people of faith to speak out against abortion and try to dissuade women, without coercion or criminalization, from choosing abortion instead of adoption. Mother Teresa and I found much common ground in many other areas including the importance of adoption. Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues. Source: Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, p.417-418
Mark Sanford on Faith-Based Organizations: (Welfare & Poverty Nov 1, 2002)
Redirect welfare funding to faith-based organizations
Indicate which principles you support regarding welfare.
Increase employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
Redirect welfare funding to faith-based and community-based private organizations.
Click for Mark Sanford on other issues. Source: 2002 S.C. Gubernatorial National Political Awareness Test
John Kasich on Faith-Based Organizations: (Government Reform May 17, 1999)
Allow faith-based institutions to address social ills
The government must stop bearing down on faith-based institutions because these groups are often solving our society�s toughest problems. Take for example, an organization founded by two homeless men to help homeless people get off the streets, introduce them to Jesus and get them working. [When the program] began accepting government money, a founder said: �Now we can�t have God in it--Now that government is involved, there�s all that paperwork and all the rules.� Click for John Kasich on other issues. Source: Columbus (OH) Urban League Speech, May 17, 1999
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