Alabama criminals sentenced to time in church
The separation between church and state has narrowed a bit in Alabama, where judges are now sentencing criminals to time behind bars or in a church pew.
Freedom of religion inspires great works of satire.
WKRG in Mobile reports city judges in nearby Bay Minette began giving non-violent criminals that fateful choice this week.
“Operation Restore Our Community,” which could be called “Operation We Lock Up More People Than We Can Afford,” will save the town of 8,000 a lot of cash, if offenders choose to get right with Jesus (or Allah).
Lawbreakers get to pick the church of their choice, but must check in with the pastor once a week for a year to get off the legal hook.
Bay Minette Police Chief Mike Rowland told WKRG it costs his department about $75 per inmate per day to feed, house and delouse criminals.
So far, 56 churches in North Baldwin County are participating. I bet none are Wiccan.
Rowland says the program doesn’t violate separation of church and state issues, but must not have run across any scorned atheists or ACLU lawyers, who are already considering a legal assault.
“This policy is blatantly unconstitutional,” said Olivia Turner, executive director for the ACLU of Alabama in an article in the Mobile Press-Register. ”It violates one basic tenet of the Constitution, namely that government can’t force participation in religious activity.”
Those planning to jaywalk in Alabama may want to go ahead and Google ”Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster” locations near Mobile.
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25 comments Add your comment
Wednesday Reads: Get the vote out of MTV, Crimes and Punishment…of the Jesus Kind « Sky Dancing
September 28th, 2011
6:05 am
[...] or Jesus. Here is an article, with commentary, on Operation “ROC” written by George Mathis: Alabama criminals sentenced to time in church | News To Me with George Mathis The separation between church and state has narrowed a bit in Alabama, where judges are now [...]
Chris
September 28th, 2011
12:17 pm
Your argument with the basis of Santa Claus is fairly inappropriate. Santa claus is an imaginary friend we all grow out of; Christianity (insert your faith/religion here) is one only some of us grow out of by questioning it’s truth just like a child questions Santa; the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny. You cannot say Santa doesn’t exist because we can prove it. I’m sure there are millions of children out there that would argue in his favor. Just like there are millions out there that want to impose their imaginary friends on free thinkers like myself. I was raised Christian, the only thing that makes me a sinner is my outright denial that any god, let alone a doctored up Christian version of a pagan god, does not exist literally based on historical fact. So you see you’re not savig me from my sins, you’re asking me to lead a life of delusion, ignorance and bigotry. In some ways, even atheists are less of sinners than you are.
Chris
September 28th, 2011
12:20 pm
So I have to go to jail because I don’t have faith in an imaginary friend? That doesn’t sound like much of an option to me. Maybe instead of promoting ignorance we work to educate criminals and bring them to reason? Rather than delusion?
Christy
September 29th, 2011
7:40 pm
All of you are idiots…read the article AGAIN…it is an OPTION…jail or church. That is not government forcing anyone to church. It is giving you the chance if you want it..otherwise, you go to jail. King of Englad was head of Church of England. This is choose if you want to go to church and then you get to choose the church. BIG HUGE difference from forced belief in one church that our constitution was protecting us from.
Stephen
October 7th, 2011
7:56 pm
Just when I thought that the judicial system couldn’t be any stupider. Surprise!