Religion and Government

I have been wondering. Are the faith based initiative is design to provide social service through the use the infrastructures and grass root connection of those generally religious organizations, or doing so by converting people into the practice of the specific religious practice in order to achieve the social service goal?

Generally, the first seem to be more acceptable and logically consistent with the goal of a government program. In that case, the organizations in those program isn't that much different from their secular counter part. From my impression, that the “faith base initiative” is more like an attempt for equalization of federal supports between secular and religious social service.

Although personally I think there shouldn't be an distinction if all the religious organizations do is providing social service. In that sense, why are those organizations, which receives tax payers money, are allow to discriminate hiring base on the religious and in some cases sexual orientations? And why would those difference in religious ideology matter if they are providing social service, which is a larger goal as a context for a social institution?

Personally, as an atheist , I think having different group that service in different demography is fine, even religious organizations. However, the conducts of those organization should be hold to a certain standards. Because they are receiving funding from a government that base on people of all walks of life, religious or secular, therefore, their practice should reflect that.

Jam it back in, in the dark.