HHS Suspends Funding For Religious Abstinence Program

A federally funded abstinence program, the Silver Ring Thing, has had its funding suspended because tax money is being used by it for religious activities. According to yesterday's Washington Post, the Department of Health and Human Services ordered the program to file a corrective action plan in order to qualify for a grant this year. Teenagers in the program sign a covenant "before God Almighty" to remain virgins ; they earn a silver ring with a Biblical verse on it reminding them to "keep clear of sexual sin." The suspension follows the filing of a lawsuit by the ACLU charging HHS with using tax funds to promote Christianity through this program. (See prior posting.) An attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund representing the challenged group says that its religious teachings are kept separate from government-funded activities.