So much for freedom of religion:wave:Judge's Offer: Church Or Jail
(AP) A judge has been offering some drug and 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.
District 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.
Caperton has offered the option about 50 times to repeat drug and alcohol offenders. It is unclear what effect the sentence has had.
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," Friedman said. "That strays from government neutrality towards religion."
Judge's Offer: Church Or Jail
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Some judges just love to force their religion upon others. It’s like that Judge Moore guy who wanted to put a monument to the 10 Commandments in his Court. The guy is clearly violating the separation between church and state… but in a country where the president does it all the time this is no surprise at all.
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I'm guessing you would choose jail, wouldn't you? :evil:Boltzmann said:
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You are starting to make me wonder if Cid Highwind smokes pot :lol:Boltzmann said:
Being a refugee does not sound too good. Maybe I’d just go to Rio de Janeiro and buy the pot at the first available corner 
(Speaking of drugs in Rio, I remember what I saw on TV some two years ago, about drug dealers who accepted weed or coke orders by phone and delivered them at your home :lol: )
(Speaking of drugs in Rio, I remember what I saw on TV some two years ago, about drug dealers who accepted weed or coke orders by phone and delivered them at your home :lol: )
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I wouldn't really have a problem as long as it doesn't have to be Christian worship service i.e. if the person was Jewish or Bhuddist.
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Considering that the focus of Christian services is Jesus, there is a vast difference. It's not like saying 'you can have Chewits or Opal Fruits'. It's more like ssaying 'You can have a Milkybar or a packet of Crisps'. Both are snackfood, but they are very different.
The fact is that this stuff really violates the rights of atheists. They're forced to "worship" something, but atheists do not "worship" anything. A lot of Budhists are atheists for all practical purposes as well (they have secular morals, and they perform no "worship services").
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Nope, never tried and I don't feel the need to smoke at allblueshogun96 said:
To have the ability to do it legally, doesn't mean I will try it.
But you can always ask Eface
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other than possible violations of seperation of church and state.. lets face it, the criminal justice system DOESN'T help criminals at all. in fact most often makes them worse. Religion, on the other hand, might turn a person into another fruitball religous nut usually rehibilitates them... or to say he's less likely to kill someone i guess.
Religion doesn’t necessarily make anyone a better (or worse) person. And this judge is enforcing his view that religion is the right path, even though no one should be forced to choose between it and jail.
But yes, the current penal system doesn’t rehabilitate anyone; it has many flaws. But sending people to the Church is not going to make it any better.
But yes, the current penal system doesn’t rehabilitate anyone; it has many flaws. But sending people to the Church is not going to make it any better.
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