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Should churches get FEMA assistance after natural disasters ?
invite response
2017 Sep 9, 2:17am 1,765 views 4 comments
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1
Dan8267
2017 Sep 9, 2:24am
Dan8267
2017 Sep 9, 2:24am
anonymous says
Let their god take care of them. He's omnipotent, right? If the church is destroyed by a natural disaster, it's his will, right? Who is the state to interfere with a god's will?
Should churches get FEMA assistance after natural disasters ?
Let their god take care of them. He's omnipotent, right? If the church is destroyed by a natural disaster, it's his will, right? Who is the state to interfere with a god's will?
3
FNWGMOBDVZXDNW
2017 Sep 9, 7:40am
FNWGMOBDVZXDNW
2017 Sep 9, 7:40am
Dan8267 says
The lawsuit mentions grants for rebuilding their buildings. Trump's tweet is for reimbursement for food and other items that they distribute to the needy, not for funds to rebuild their structures.
If the church is asking for reimbursement for goods it distributes, it is asking the government to privatize FEMA operations by getting FEMA to contract out their job to the churches. That seems ridiculous to me. If the church wants to help distribute FEMA goods, then they should offer to donate their space to FEMA. What the churches really want is for the government so pay for a bunch of supplies, give those supplies to the church, and then let the church distribute the supplies and get the 'credit' from the people receiving aid. What a giant con. If the church gets away with this, the local bible politicians can keep on railing against big government while pretending that the disaster relief that their constituents received was not the same big government that they are railing against.
? If the church is destroyed by a natural disaster, it's his will, right?
The lawsuit mentions grants for rebuilding their buildings. Trump's tweet is for reimbursement for food and other items that they distribute to the needy, not for funds to rebuild their structures.
If the church is asking for reimbursement for goods it distributes, it is asking the government to privatize FEMA operations by getting FEMA to contract out their job to the churches. That seems ridiculous to me. If the church wants to help distribute FEMA goods, then they should offer to donate their space to FEMA. What the churches really want is for the government so pay for a bunch of supplies, give those supplies to the church, and then let the church distribute the supplies and get the 'credit' from the people receiving aid. What a giant con. If the church gets away with this, the local bible politicians can keep on railing against big government while pretending that the disaster relief that their constituents received was not the same big government that they are railing against.
4
steverbeaver
2017 Sep 9, 12:22pm
steverbeaver
2017 Sep 9, 12:22pm
So to clarify my earlier comment, to rebuild their tax-exempt grounds = NO. To serve as operation center for FEMA relief = YES. I am seeing articles saying that it pertains to services provided.
Four days after Texas churches sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for barring them from relief funding, the President took their side.
Donald Trump tweeted Friday night:
"Churches in Texas should be entitled to reimbursement from FEMA Relief Funds for helping victims of Hurricane Harvey (just like others)".
Becket, the religious liberty legal group representing the damaged churches, applauded his remark, saying, “It's great that the President sees that FEMA's policy of treating churches worse than every other nonprofit is wrong.”
Jack Graham, a Trump adviser and Dallas pastor, applauded the President, but indicated some hesitancy around the case. “Christians and churches give & serve willingly but very thoughtful of the President to desire to support our work,” he tweeted.
Several have suggested that churches offer services out of a sense of charity, not to be compensated. “Yes, there are church and state issues here, but here's another question: What church would ask for federal money to do the Lord's work?” wrote John Fea, Messiah College history professor. He went on to say that churches should use their own resources to care for the needy and turn to FEMA if they run out.
Trump visited the Houston area a week ago, making stops at a shelter and a Pentecostal congregation, First Church of Pearland, where volunteers were gathered.
The three churches suing FEMA are hoping to hear a decision by the end of the month.
More: http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2017/september/texas-churches-flooded-by-hurricane-harvey-sue-fema-houston.html
#FEMA #Church #State #SlipperySlopes