When George W was running for president, I produced a tv show on his visit to a faith-based organization and how his administration was going to empower the faith communities to take care of all of American's social crises. It didn't work then, and it won't work now! 1/

2/ there are many issues when engaging the faith community. There are wonderful ministries, but most Christain organizations place evangelism as the top priority. They are not working to help a person restore their lives, they mostly only care about winning them to Jesus.

3/ I lived in a church-run program for 7 F'n years, not because I enjoyed 2 forced bible studies a day plus mandatory church services, it was either religious programming or homelessness. The church did NOTHING to help people get their life back unless they went into ministry.

4/ I often wonder what my life would be like now if the church helped me get my life back after the first year, or the 2nd year, or even the 5th years. There was no path out, so on the 7th years, I made my own, which sent me on a path to Christain broadcasting, which was madness!

5/ most churches also do not collaborate well with governments, nonprofits, and other churches. They want to do their own thing, and they are worried they will lose tithing members if they get too friendly with other organizations.

6/ Today I watched parts of a @USICHgov live stream with @SecretaryCarson and others a few I happen to know. Haven of Hope was there, and that's a prison with windows. I have visited thousands of shelters, and Haven for Hope is the worst place I have ever visited. The reason is..

7/ Marbut's model which is based on outdated Christian beliefs is all about reward and punishment. The building was nice, but how they treated homeless people was horrible. Just horrible! Hearing @SecretaryCarson say the same shit George W share is scary AF.

8/ the good is I got a new understanding of what the underlying issue is. I know that I know the homeless sector is going to again throw research - the same research at this trying to reason with people to change, but that too hasn't worked in the past and it's not gonna work now

9/ faith-based orgs are threatened by housing solutions because it challenges their religious programming model, and their fundraising is based on saving the lost, those dirty stinking heathen homeless people. They need Jesus, dammit, and that's what they sell to donors!

10/ added to that, rescue missions call homeless people transients, and even Marbut calls them prospects. Reinforced for decades is a belief that the cause of homelessness is a character flaw, and discipline with forced religious programming is the solution.

11/ this is why Marbut, @SecretaryCarson, and now @USICHgov ignores research. The paradigms they hold onto are rooted in religious programming. Stats, facts, and spreadsheets won't ever make a dent in years of religious programming. We've proved time and again housing first works

12/ but support for housing first keeps dying or keeps getting harder to gain support. The issue is this is not a battle about housing or homelessness, but really fucked up religious beliefs people hold onto.