According to the American Civil Liberties Union, civil rights in the religious sector are protected by the First Amendment. "Religious freedom is a fundamental human right that is guaranteed by the First Amendment's Free Exercise and Establishment clauses. It encompasses not only the right to believe (or not to believe), but also the right to express and to manifest religious beliefs. These rights are fundamental and should not be subject to political process and majority votes" (www.aclu.org).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is very clear about how, as citizens and people of faith, we are to express and manifest our religious beliefs: "Social Service is giving direct aid to someone in need. It usually involves performing one or more of the corporal works of mercy. That is, giving alms to the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick or imprisoned, taking care of orphans and widows, visiting the shut-ins etc. Another name for it is charity"(http://www.ecatholic2000.com/sj/socjust.shtml#Some).

Any legislation which restricts the rights of religious beliefs and ways of manifesting those beliefs is a direct violation of religious freedom. Consider all the religions which would eventually be affected by this regulation:

"With growing demand for assurance about the integrity of American Muslim charities, Muslim Advocates has unveiled the first three American Muslim charities to receive accreditation through a recently-launched program. Islamic Networks Group (ING), UMMA Community Clinic, and Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) are the first three non-profit organizations to successfully complete the Muslim Charities Accreditation Program (MCAP), just in time for Ramadan, a holy month when Muslims focus on charitable giving" http://www.muslimadvocates.org/bbb/v2first_american_muslim_charit.html.