EUGENE, Ore. - The American Civil Liberties Union has asked federal and state officials to investigate whether public money has been used for religious purposes in an abstinence-only sex education program based in Oregon.

The group cites a contract signed by the Northern Hills Pregnancy Care Center of Spearfish, S.D., that stipulates that those who present the "Stop and Think" program in schools will "possess an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ" and "attend a Bible believing church or fellowship."

The Lane Pregnancy Support Center, based in Eugene, has offered its abstinence program to schools in Lane County and made it available through centers in other Oregon cities. Its Web site lists centers in Massachusetts, Louisiana, Montana and South Dakota as "Stop and Think" locations.

"Both the federal and Oregon constitutions are violated when a direct grant of government dollars funds specifically religious activities," said Jann Carson, associate director of the ACLU of Oregon, in a letter to the state Department of Human Services. A similar letter went to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Dr. Brick Lantz, president of the Lane Pregnancy Support Center's board, told the Eugene Register-Guard that he is unclear how or why the language was in the South Dakota contract. He said he does not believe that any such requirement is made of presenters in Eugene or elsewhere in Oregon.

Lantz said presenters are specifically prohibited from talking about religion or God in their classroom talks, although students understand the program's value-based nature "without us mentioning any of those things."

In its letter to the state, the ACLU said the Eugene center has received $37,500 annually in federal funds administered by the state, through last year, to support the "Stop and Think" program.