Why does god need money for faith healing?

The Minnesota Independent ran an interesting story a few days ago. It seems everybody’s favorite Minnesota politician, Michelle Bachmann, has been instrumental in steering $2.4 million in tax money to her favorite charity, Minnesota Teen Challenge. The money, $2,388,947 to be more accurate, is to support “evangelical” drug treatment programs.

Since I’ve ragged on Michelle a good bit I’ll leave her alone for now and dwell on the facility that received the taxpayer’s money. Here is how Alex Luchenitser, senior litigation counsel for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, sees the program.

“Teen Challenge is a program that should not be receiving state money,” he said. “It requires people who participate to convert to Christianity.”

If that is correct, then I fail to see how state support of the facility is legal. Minnesota has a growing atheist community who pay state taxes. I feel certain there are also a goodly portion of the population who have religious beliefs other than Christianity. To require tax money be spent on Christian conversion violates the Establishment Clause.

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