As if it wasn’t involved in people’s private lives enough, the federal government wants to regulate baptisms, requiring a special-use permit for ceremonies in public waters.

The policy was recently enforced by the National Park Service, which — spontaneity be damned — requires a 48-hour advance notice of baptisms, according to Todd Starnes at Fox News.

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But while the government cracks down on public expressions of the Christian faith, it seems to embrace public expressions of the Islamic faith – and often at taxpayer expense, like these instances cited by Starnes:

Universities across the nation are spending thousands of dollars to install foot baths so Muslim students can wash their feet before their five-times-a-day prayers.

The New York Times reported that the University of Michigan-Dearborn spent $25,000 to install the foot-washing stations in restrooms. The university defended the expenditure, claiming it was for health and safety measures, not religion.

A number of airports have spent public tax dollars to provide foot-washing basins for Muslim taxi drivers. One Arizona airport went so far as to provide prayer rugs.

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., sent an Aug. 21 letter to the Park Service demanding answers, saying:

“I am very troubled by any federal rule that requires churches to apply for a permit for the purpose of baptism, especially when these traditional activities have been done in the rivers and streams of this nation since its founding.

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