Taking the batteries out of social projects

In his Telegraph piece entitled "God help needy Christian charities", Charles Moore today highlights how Christian-inspired social work gets a raw deal from councils and quangos. He points to how a potential foster mother and grants for two voluntary projects that helped people of any faith or none, have been knocked back purely on the grounds of them being Christian.

Christian faith is the driving force for many social projects, but as Charles says:

"None of this means that Christians cannot serve people of other beliefs, or people whose actions they think are sinful. In fact, the whole of Christian charity is based on the idea that we are all sinful and that you should show particular consideration to those – prostitutes, drug addicts, drunks, prisoners etc – broken down by a sinful world. But it does mean that if the public authorities start demanding Christians' assent to anti-religious doctrines, they cannot give it. And that means that such catechising, if rigorously applied, will prevent Christians from doing the benevolent public work that the Government itself welcomes."

Tim, Joseph Loconte and I discussed this very issue on 18 Doughty Street recently. Of course, one of the biggest tests of David Cameron's rhetoric about the voluntary society was the recent issue over Catholic adoption agencies, although I'm not sure we need to debate that again here!   

Although the vast majority of faith-based social work is Christian this isn't just about championing Christian charities over others - they just need to have a level playing field:

"Another oddity is that "faith groups" of other religions – most notably Islam – seem to attract much less persecution from government and local councils than does Christianity. This is because such groups have been encouraged under the banner of helping ethnic minorities, whereas Christians in Britain, at least outside London, are predominantly white and Anglo-Saxon. Ethnicity gives you a free pass. Many of these charities of other faiths are excellent, but few cater for the general population in the way that Christian ones do. In that sense, they are less "diverse" than Christian charities."

I'd attribute some of this phenomenon to what Americans like to call "self-loathing liberalism", in which the majority culture and religion is constantly apologised for. Whatever the reasons behind it, it is a crunch issue that lies at the heart of the now-fashionable political agenda of social responsibility.

Deputy Editor

Comments

[Mercy Man]

I worked for social services for several years where the lefty civil servants were utterly terrified of somehow 'offending' tiny minority groups. If they lived in the real world they'd see that these groups aren't as incredibly thinskinned and in need of patronising as they thought!!

[TomTom]

The repositories of Cultural Marxism expose themselves by their attitude towards Christian associations...

[Denis Cooper]

If Christians are worried about financing their "charities" they should appeal for voluntary donations. That's what "charity" is about, not compelling everybody to donate through the tax system. They should cut themselves loose from the apron strings of the state, regain their independence of action, and then argue that the same should also apply to all other "charities", and that taxes should be reduced by whatever amount was being handed over to "charities".

[ukfirst]

The 'faith communities' must now be waking up to the evidence that despite being courted by NuLabour, we are all now in a stridently secular EU state. The prospect of influence and state funding of churches has gone away.

Let's hope they think for themselves, say what they think, and organise themselves independently. I'm an atheist but we need different voices and honest points of view.

[TomTom]

They should cut themselves loose from the apron strings of the state, regain their independence of action, and then argue that the same should also apply to all other "charities"

That Denis is exactly what the aim of the Left is.

To have a State Monopoly on Education, Adoption, Social Work, and "Charity"...with the Churches driven to the periphery.

I should remind you that Churches pay VAT, Income Tax, NIC, Rates, Council Tax. The only effect of "charitable status" is that those who donate can claim back the tax paid on their donation.

We could pursue this further and declare that no private company should be allowed to deduct the cost of wages, or of administrative costs, or of selling costs against Corporation Tax but should pay tax on Gross Margin.

The State could impose a monoploy on education and prohibit private schools, private hospitals, private care homes, and insist on a State Monopoly on all aspects whether sports clubs or schools.

That is why these actions are taken against Christian organisations Denis.

BTW. The cost of subsidising contributions to Private Pension Schemes is far higher than any Charitable Tax Relief.

If tax-deductibility of Pension Contributions wee abolished - the £15 billion could raise the State Pension considerably. It seems ridiculous that the taxpayer subsidises a few fat cats like Lord Browne to walk away with a £72 million pension pot and Chris Gent with £20 million

[HW]

They should cut themselves loose from the apron strings of the state, regain their independence of action

I agree. Howeve, I also fear that in order for charities to prosper we have to encourage a culture of charitable giving and participation on the part of those with the most valuable skills.

I am all in favour of a secular state, the US is a secular state, and religion thrives there. In the words of Ronny Reagan, Church and State weren't separated to protect the State from the Church, they were separated to protect the Church from the State.

[Denis Cooper]

No, TomTom, you've not got that right. Christian charities allowed themselves to become arms of the State, and now the State is chopping them off. He who pays the piper calls the tune, and he can also decide when the music shall stop.

[TomTom]

No Denis you forget that prior to The Reformation The Church and The State was ONE. The whole basis of Charitable Giving is Trust Law. Trusts were created for Crusaders going off to fight in The Holy Land. This is the legal basis of Christies and of Private Pensions.

Charitable Status today means little more than reclaiming the tax from donations so it is paid from Gross and not Taxed Income; and allowing people to avoid Inheritance Tax by bequeathing part of their Estate to Charitites.

There is little else to it. We could go the US route an EXEMPT Churches and Mosques from ALL Taxation.

The system is simple Adoption of Children is regulated by Statute and has been since 1927. Therefore ONLY The State can be involved in Adoption.

The role of the Churches in Education was usurped by the Conservatives in the 1902 Education Act which set up Board Schools - the 1944 Education Act attempted to persuade the Church Schools to work with The State Schools.

If you pursue this goal of separation you will destroy the Conservative Party as new Christian Parties emerge and Project Cameron will come apart at the seams.

Remember it is not the Anglican Church you are speaking of - that will probably disintegrate next year - but the role of Islam building a separate and parallel society outside the British State and funded by Saudi Arabia.

Maybe we should cede Bradford and Bury and Oldham and Birmingham as Muslim statelets with Sharia Law and totally independent of the British State ?

[Denis Cooper]

I don't think it can understand that, let alone reply to it! :-)

[Denis Cooper]

(But I'm certainly not in favour of setting up Islamic statelets within the UK.)

[FreeSpeaker]

Yet another religion bore post on GodHome.com! Where's ConservativeHome anybody?!