Obama Says Churches Do More

President Barack Obama's attack on religious liberty resulted in a reversal and a statement that one typically hears only from free-market economic realists. Obama explained that religious charity may do more than government programs to benefit society:

"My first job in Chicago was working with Catholic parishes in poor neighborhoods, and my salary was funded by a grant from an arm of the Catholic Church. And I saw that local churches often did more good for a community than a government program ever could ..."

We hope Obama experienced a change of heart in the midst of intense conflict, but we also know better. It's an election year, and he was in a political quagmire.

But in his effort to cool things down, he spoke truth. Religious charities do far more than governments to aid and comfort the poor all over the world.

Stanford University's Hoover Institution found that even the world's largest secular charities obtain a majority of their contributions from religious donors.

The report, "Religious Faith and Charitable Giving," states: "While 68 percent of the total population gives (and 51 percent volunteers) to nonreligious causes each year, religious people are 10 points more likely to give to these causes than secularists (71 percent to 61 percent) and 21 points more likely to volunteer (60 percent to 39 percent) ...

"It seems fair to say that religion engenders charity in general — including non-religious charity."

Every aspect of the research shows that most of the world's charity, even when channeled through secular organizations, emanates from religious people.

It is frightening to imagine a world devoid of obscure food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, missionaries and AIDS hospices that are inspired, funded and staffed by religious volunteers.

Then remember that the world's largest secular charities get most of their funding from religious donors.

Hopefully, believers will continue to share God's gifts with those who haven't the strength or talent to produce and compete sufficiently to survive in dignity, safety and comfort — and in that way continue to prove Obama correct.

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