Missouri has a large and active pagan community, even in the small towns. I mod the Missouri Pagans Yahoo group (established back when I lived in Rolla) and there's always some activity or community effort happening. It peeves me to no end that "faith-based" only applies if you're the "right" faith.
The other half of the faith-based aid --- since the lion's share is going to go to Christian charities simply because there are more Christians in the country than other faiths --- is that the primary focus of helping people is going to include telling them that their real reward will be in Heaven and that any tribulations they face in life are simply God's way of testing them. It's a mindset I saw a lot back in the days when I was Christian and it bugged me back then too. If I'm destitute, telling me things will get better after I die is all well and good, but job training would be perhaps be more effective in making me no longer poor.
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Date: 2005-05-17 05:16 pm (UTC)The other half of the faith-based aid --- since the lion's share is going to go to Christian charities simply because there are more Christians in the country than other faiths --- is that the primary focus of helping people is going to include telling them that their real reward will be in Heaven and that any tribulations they face in life are simply God's way of testing them. It's a mindset I saw a lot back in the days when I was Christian and it bugged me back then too. If I'm destitute, telling me things will get better after I die is all well and good, but job training would be perhaps be more effective in making me no longer poor.