As News Hits was going to press Monday, the Associated Press was reporting that George W. Bush used his visit to Detroit to assure the U.S. Conference of Mayors that he was open to “minor” changes to make his controversial faith-based initiative more palatable.
The Prez, it seems, wants to drop a big ol’ envelope filled with federal funds into the collection plate so that churches can provide more social services in addition to saving souls.
And that bit in the Constitution about separating church from state — well, the hell with that.
Here at News Hits, our faith that sanity will eventually prevail was being sorely tested. Then, like a shaft of golden light piecing pitch-black storm clouds, we received a faxed statement from the Rev. Wendell N. Gibbs Jr., bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan.
Referring to Bush’s proposal, Gibbs declared: “I find this concept to be offensive and bordering on evil. The church does not serve the whims of the government. The church is here to remind the government where it is falling short in its responsibility to care for its people. The church does not need a job, we already have a well-defined one.”
Hallelujah!
News Hits is edited by Curt Guyette, the Metro Times news editor. Call 313-202-8004 or e-mail [email protected]
