| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"RobH" |
| Date: |
07 Jun 2005 09:13:56 PM |
| Object: |
Judge offers Church or Jail |
Judge offers Church or Jail
Submitted by scienott on 6/2/2005 12:33:57 AM
A judge has been offering some drug & alcohol offenders the option of
attending worship services instead of going to jail or rehab - a
practice some say violates the separation of church and state.
Judge Michael Caperton, 50, a devout Christian, said his goal is to
'help people and their families'. "I don't think there's a church-state
issue, because it's not mandatory and I say worship services instead of
church," he said.
Alternative sentencing is popular across the country - ordering vandals
to repaint a graffiti-covered wall, for example. But legal experts said
they didn't know of any other judges who give the option of attending
church.
David Friedman, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union of
Kentucky, said the option raises 'serious constitutional problems'. "The
judge is saying that those willing to go to worship services can avoid
jail in the same way that those who decline to go cannot. That strays
from government neutrality towards religion," Friedman said.
CBS http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/31/national/main698727.shtml
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| User: "Dale" |
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| Title: Re: Judge offers Church or Jail |
07 Jun 2005 10:48:21 PM |
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"RobH" <Rob@aol.com> wrote in message
news:Xns966ED80D52490Rob@24.93.43.119...
Judge offers Church or Jail
Submitted by scienott on 6/2/2005 12:33:57 AM
A judge has been offering some drug & alcohol offenders the option of
attending worship services instead of going to jail or rehab - a
practice some say violates the separation of church and state.
Judge Michael Caperton, 50, a devout Christian, said his goal is to
'help people and their families'. "I don't think there's a church-state
issue, because it's not mandatory and I say worship services instead of
church," he said.
Alternative sentencing is popular across the country - ordering vandals
to repaint a graffiti-covered wall, for example. But legal experts said
they didn't know of any other judges who give the option of attending
church.
David Friedman, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union of
Kentucky, said the option raises 'serious constitutional problems'. "The
judge is saying that those willing to go to worship services can avoid
jail in the same way that those who decline to go cannot. That strays
from government neutrality towards religion," Friedman said.
CBS http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/31/national/main698727.shtml
This is ridiculous. The ACLU shouldn't be involved in this, the State
attorney general should be. This is a windfall for drug and/or alcohol
offenders regardless of whether they are theists or atheists. If they had
any brains they would be telling the ACLU to take a hike.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Judge offers Church or Jail |
09 Jun 2005 07:21:03 PM |
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If you were a criminal sociopath facing a long jail term, and the judge
said that you could avoid jail by attending 6 months of religious
services, what would you do?
Gimme that Old Time Religion!
Allah Akbar!
I'll take 5 Bibles, 3 Q'urans, and throw in a couple of Bhagavad Gitas
for good measure. I'll pose on the courthouse steps holding the book
of your choice.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Judge offers Church or Jail |
07 Jun 2005 10:19:30 PM |
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Judge offers Church or Jail
Submitted by scienott on 6/2/2005 12:33:57 AM
A judge has been offering some drug & alcohol offenders the option of
attending worship services instead of going to jail or rehab - a
practice some say violates the separation of church and state.
Judge Michael Caperton, 50, a devout Christian, said his goal is to
'help people and their families'. "I don't think there's a church-state
issue, because it's not mandatory and I say worship services instead of
church," he said.
Alternative sentencing is popular across the country - ordering vandals
to repaint a graffiti-covered wall, for example. But legal experts said
they didn't know of any other judges who give the option of attending
church.
David Friedman, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union of
Kentucky, said the option raises 'serious constitutional problems'.
"The
judge is saying that those willing to go to worship services can avoid
jail in the same way that those who decline to go cannot. That strays
from government neutrality towards religion," Friedman said.
CBS
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/31/national/main698727.shtml
How about being required to go to school until you've attained a
high-school diploma? (Whatever happened to reform schools, anyway?).
Being drug tested? Making restitution for your crimes?
If clutching a bible or q'uran to avoid prison is all it takes, we'll
be surrounded by criminals.
Maybe we already are.
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