University of South Carolina Libraries
Congress eyes religious issues By Jim Abrams Associated Press WASHINGTON — Congress is get ting religion this year, led by those seek ing to save the nation'^ soul but resisted by others warning of constitutional perdition. In recent weeks, the House has passed legislation aimed at muzzling government interference with religious freedom, has voted to let states display the Ten Commandments in public schools, and has set aside federal mon ey so religious groups can help troubled teens. The House also has urged, unsuc cessfully, creation of a national day of prayer and fasting. Awaiting consideration in the House and Senate are constitutional amend ments on voluntary school prayer; pro posals to extend school vouchers to parochial schools and “charitable choice" bills that would permit religious groups to participate in all federally funded so cial service programs. Many of these issues appear regu larly on the congressional agenda. But several factors have combined to place greater emphasis than usual this ses sion on religious legislation: —The school shootings in Colorado and elsewhere. —GOP frustration with court rulings on state-church issues. —Even President Clinton's affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, which Janet Parshall of the conserva tive Family Research Council said gave the nation “a morals lesson for 14 months.” “What we are seeing now,” she said, “is a congressional awakening that our public is made up of people who are a holy and religious people.” “Our nation is sick and hurting,” Rep. Helen Chenoweth, R-Idaho, said last month in support of her national prayer day resolution. “If there ever is a time when we need almighty God, it is now.” From the opposite perspective, Bar ry Lynn of the Americans United for Separation of Church and State said it was “a trend in the wrong direction be cause Congress shouldn't be med dling with religion. When govern ment touches religion it tends to degrade it and trivialize it.” Last month, Pat Robertson, presi dent of the Christian Coalition, visited Senate GOP leaders and contended that pushing a religious and pro-family agen da would be crucial for a Republican victory in next year's elections. “In the last election 15 percent of the religious conservatives did not vote because essentially they were turned offby Congress waffling on key issues,” Robertson said in an interview with The Associated Press. “This Congress is getting the message and I am very pleased” Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., a lib eral suspicious of attempts to infuse re ligion in government, cautioned that not all the legislation was the same. He said measures such as that en dorsing the Ten Commandments clear ly are unconstitutional. “They are ob noxious and they are done for political reasons,” Nadler said. But he said there are serious if de batable arguments for charitable choice, an idea supported by Vice President A1 Gore. As for the bill to stop government interference in religious practices, Nadler said it was “absolutely neces sary.” Nadler said he voted against the re ligious liberty bill, which passed the House by a 306-118 margin, mainly be cause he wanted language ensuring re ligion would not be used to justify acts of discrimination. Charitable choice advocates won a victory when it became a part of the 1996 welfare reform bill, which al lows federal funding for religious groups delivering welfare services to the poor. Led by Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., sup porters this year hope to open all social service grants to faith-based groups. For Lynn, transfers of tax dollars to ministries raise “extremely serious church-state problems.” Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, dur ing the House debate on applying char itable choice to juvenile crime preven tion programs, warned that in five years, Baptists, Jews, Hindus and Muslims all will be arguing “over who got then proportional share of the almighty fed eral dollar.” LONG DISTANCE!/MW, P#GERS-$5.85/M0/ CAU 803-750-1279. IKT. 250 VISIT Mm.nkmiglacon ^RESTRICTIONS APPLY August Sale 20%-50% off Storewide at the une*pecteD .iqy Orthodox Christun Bookshop 94212 Hirdrn Street In Five points. Across Food Lion Incense •Ikons Beeswax Candles Censers • Crosses Cards* Books *CD s Telephone 803-779-4512 need Cxtra Cash Flow? Call*** tfli toll Call 803/748.8530 for an appointment! • Clerical • Administrative • Customer Service • Accounting • Graphic Design • Computers • Light Industrial • Warehouse • Manufacturing Voted Best of Columbia 97*98*99 Owned by Small Business Person of the Yedtr An Inc. 500 Company I- — Gooney Bird's Sports Grill GREAT EOOD GREAT TUN .....for the Entire Family!! 2250 Sunset Blvd. West Columbia -—-— Monday Night 20$ Wings _ Wednesday Night $7.99 Steak & Shrimp or Steak & Ribs Thursday Night $6.99 Fajita’s 20+ TVs Video Games Pool Tab|es Cooks, Servers & Hostesses Call to schedule your Interview: 796-1311 We want your feedback, ^ ’ A A /Maui Jim Amette X" ;; HUQE^ S. ^NGUSS; Anarchy - ?, SALEH! Gargoyle Vuamet Killer Loop Ray-Ban Bolle’ Sundoud Bucci Stussy Oakley* Costa Del Mar ‘Large selection of Oakley products available, but not discounted. Dorn Doon Carpet Cheat! EXAMPLE: 12x9 room = $63.72 . _ y Sq. Ft. COGDIlL Carpet Mill Otlet 3E OPEN MON-SAT 9 AM TO 01 ® www.cogdills.com • E-mail Address: flooringtgdills.com Where do )wont your ; college yearssad? In the ;; midst of the cits, are you struggling f< life with focus? Focuie college ministry of Sion Baptist Church, is he> help you f navigate ! currents i towards Real rhat comes from a Real Unship with a Real God. <k us out on the web, call Focus info line, or come us at 5250 Forest Drive jndays at 10:15 a.m. jsdays at 8:00 p.m. Frtieaningful * worship to onic Bible study, find ouV Focus is the college mit' for you!