Mosque Money: New Controversy Erupts Over Proposed Tax Funding Of NYC Facility

[Adsos Letter]

SOURCE: The Wall of Separation The official blog of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
By Sandhya Bathija.

Just when the hubbub over the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque” seemed to be dying down, some new information has come to light.

Back in the summer, when the issue was making headlines, Americans United took a strong stance: The Islamic Community Center and Mosque, a project known as Park51, was being built with private dollars on private land. The religious group had complied with applicable laws and had every right to build the center; there was no reason for the government to get involved. ...

For the first time, the controversy over Park51 has become an actual church-state issue. While it’s true the center will be performing some social services and be open to the community, it still contains a mosque and is religious in nature. Taxpayer funds should never go to support the erection of any building used wholly or in part for religious activities.

More at: http://blog.au.org/2010/11/23/mosque-money-new-controversy-erupts-over-proposed-tax-funding-of-nyc-facility/
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I think we will be facing more of these issues if the social safety net is increasingly handed over to faith-based organizations (I'm not suggesting that this is happening in this case). I am certain there is a proper way to structure these organizations to ensure that no funds go to religious programs; although SoCalLib once pointed out to me that Federal funding can unintentionally (from the Government's perspective) replace funding for social services raised through the collection plate, which a religious body might then use for proselytizing.