Go to Jail or Go to Church

[Trynn]

This is scary. No, what's scarier is that there are people who DON'T see that this is a really really bad idea.

[mirele]

As I thought, the ACLU is all over this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ ... story.html

Basically, you can't sentence someone to go to church.

[clibbyjo]

Awww, I am an ordained minister(for realz, I got my ordination on-line at the Universal Life Church http://www.themonastery.org/?destination=ordination ) I was thinking of going down and signing up my "church" .

[pomology]

"You show me somebody who falls in love with Jesus, and I’ll show you a person who won’t be a problem to society but that will be an influence and a help to those around them."

A quote from the article mirele posted.

Assuming this was true (and for the record, I think it is complete bullshit) I don't see how forcing somebody to attend church weekly is going to make somebody "fall in love with Jesus."

Haven't these morons ever heard the expression you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink it? Believe me, it's true. We can give my dog a bowl of water when we're on a road trip on a hot day and we can beg her to drink it, but we cannot force her. Just because you can put people in an environment that is potentially beneficial to them (and while I think church et al. can be good for some people I also think they can be incredibly harmful to people--obviously it depends on the person, but again, assuming it was the case...) doesn't mean that they will take advantage of it.

[Swamptribe]

Basically, what they are telling people is 'convert to Christianity, or go to jail'. Look up what Churches are in the town on a map. They are all Christian. The nearest Synagogue is in Mobile. Same for a Mosque. Would love to see the list of churches that are signed up for this debacle.

[GolightlyGrrl]

Morals and "good people" aren't always found in church pews.

So true!

[Kitty]

Basically, what they are telling people is 'convert to Christianity, or go to jail'. Look up what Churches are in the town on a map. They are all Christian. The nearest Synagogue is in Mobile. Same for a Mosque. Would love to see the list of churches that are signed up for this debacle.

Likely all conservative.

[Mommy22alyns]

Duh, 'cause if you go to church, you're automatically good! :doh:

[Swamptribe]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/26/je ... ving-time/

CNN is covering it. Interesting. The comments are also very disturbing. It worries me that so many don't realize what a bad idea this is. Did these maroons not even consider what this is going to cost them in legal fees?

[mystweaver]

Even if this were a good, constitutional idea (dramatic eyeroll and sigh here), do they really want to send the message that punishment = jail = church?

[Swamptribe]

The law is now 'on hold'. Big surprise there.

http://blog.al.com/live/2011/09/jesus_j ... delay.html

Faith-based sentencing program delayed as Bay Minette weighs legal issues

Published: Monday, September 26, 2011, 7:25 PM Updated: Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 10:23 AM

Kim Lanier, Press-Register By Kim Lanier, Press-Register

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jesus-jail-sentencing-alabama-mike-rowland.jpgView full sizeBay Minette Police Chief Mike Rowland, shown standing in front of the Abundant Life Christian Center on Friday, Sept. 23, 2011, is heading up the program starting Tuesday called "Restore Our Community" that gives non-violent offenders the option to attend church or do jail time and pay fines. (Connie Baggett/Press-Register)

BAY MINETTE, Alabama -- Implementation of a church-based alternative sentencing plan in Bay Minette that has drawn national attention will be delayed for several weeks while lawyers give it another once-over to make sure there are no legal issues, according to the Police Chief Michael Rowland.

On Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama sent a letter to city leaders demanding an immediate end to the program that they say "flagrantly" violates the state and U.S. constitutions regarding separation of church and state. The letter also requested public records on the program’s development and creation.

"It’s good to hear they are delaying implementation," said Alabama ACLU executive director Olivia Turner.

Chief still believes the program will start in October

Originally slated to begin today, the faith-based "Restore Our Community" program, the brain-child of area church leaders, offers first-time, nonviolent offenders appearing in Bay Minette Municipal Court the option of attending the house of worship of their choice each week for a year instead of receiving jail time or other punishments.

"We are just simply running it back through for final legal review and a final stamp of approval by the city attorney," Rowland said. "If he gives us that, then we’re going to move forward with it on the next court day, which will be Oct. 11. And I believe that’s going to happen," he said.

The announcement of the program garnered attention from supporters, detractors and national media. The chief said he fielded calls and messages Monday from various national media, including ABC’s "Good Morning America."

Rowland said that because no one will be forced to take part in the program, he believes there is no violation of the tenet separating church and government and is confident it can be begin next month.

Rowland said he appreciates critiques from ACLU, others

Rowland said input from ACLU, the Freedom from Religion Foundation and other agencies has been helpful.

"We appreciate them coming forward with it because it gives us the opportunity to see their side of it and to address the issues that they have concern with," he said. "I believe we’ve already addressed the issues."

The alternative program will not be offered to all defendants. The judge will make that determination, Rowland said, calling the ROC program another sentencing option in the judge’s arsenal. Offenders who try the program and find it’s not working for them can go back before the judge for a different sentence, according to Rowland.

He credited area churches for ROC. "This is their idea. I just put it together and pitched it," he said.

So far, 56 churches have expressed support, said Rowland, and 40 of those have submitted inventories of all their community resources, such as parenting, counseling and educational programs.

He said he considers the alternative sentencing plan to be a crime intervention program that can help some people rehabilitate themselves by exposing them to these organizations’ resources and giving them alternatives to crime.

The public has expressed "overwhelming" support, Rowland said. "It kind of starts to show there’s a change in the nation as far as their philosophy about what we need to do about people who commit crimes," he said.

[Childless]

I would say that I want the option to go to church, but I want to go to a Satanic church because that's my belief system and it's unconstitutional to infringe upon my right to practice my religion. I wonder how well that would go over? :lol:

[HowRude]

This is not harsh at all and I don't think its punishment, plus what would constitute as church in the eyes of the law?

[TaylorMaid]

Absolute bullshit. *sigh* I am in Alabama. Who wants to rescue us? Just look for the 4 liberal, Atheists....I'm pretty sure we're they only ones here.

Koala- you aren't alone!

http://www.secularal.org/node/32