Bush Defends Faith-Based Initiatives in the 'City of Angels'

"The hope and healing of faith-based services are an integral part of working together to make America a more hopeful place for all," said President Bush during the White House Conference of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Bush stressed on the effectiveness of supporting faith-based organizations for the well-being of society saying “the government can hand out money ... but [the] government can't put hope in a person's heart, or a sense of purpose in a person's life."

Bush said he is inspired by the community leaders who remind him that the "true strength of the country" is the fact that there are "decent, honorable citizens who would like to love their neighbor just like they'd like to be loved themselves."

"It is essential for those of us in government to recognize the vital work that faith-based programs are able to do," Bush said.

President Bush cited the works of several operators of faith-based programs who were feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, and helping others to overcome drug and alcohol addiction.

He told stories of real-life successes, individuals whose lives were changed by the programs he mentioned.
Bush said, "It's hard to be a faith-based program if you can't practice your faith”

President Bush outlined the rules that regulate the program. “You can't use federal money to proselytize. We want to make sure the church and the states stay separate. But you can use federal money to help a person quit drinking. You can use federal money to help a person find housing. You can't, if you're a faith-based organization, say, only Methodists allowed. You know, you can say, all drunks are welcome. But you can't pick and choose a person's religion. In other words, there are some certain guidelines necessary to make sure that we don't violate the rules of church and state.”

The conference was to bring together social service organizations and explore ways of better serving the needs of Americans in their communities. The conferences also help organizations learn how to apply for funding.