Commit a crime? Go to church or go to jail.

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tl;dr: An Alabama town city judge is giving criminals a choice: fines and jail or a year in church.
No participating churches are mosques or synagogues. Atheist? Too bad, compromise your religion (inb4ATHEISM ISN'T A RELIGION)
Religious leaders got together and realized crimes are the result of poor family and moral values.

 

This is interesting- although my first thought was "It's like gonig to church is a punishment D:" but then I thought more along the terms of Community service. It does depend on the crime, since some criminals can be dangerous and so they shouldn't be let into the world unsupervised. I think it's a good thing in some cases as people will repent, maybe not everyone but a high percentage will- given they go to the right church. However, I also think this is sort of bais, atheism doesn't concern me it's more the Muslims or Hindu's or Jews who disagree with the teachings of Christianity- it's more a punishment then. People shouldn't be forced to go to church though, it gives them a negative image of it and when they don't have to go, they won't and they will stay away from it. And if they are already a Christian then it won't do much will it- well it may make them realise their sins and repent becomnig a better citizen.

I don't really know what to think of this idea.

 

This argument will not help them. You should be good because someone loves you? You should be good because you will feel pain if you do not? Neither of these support personal morality or ethics. Behavioral conditioning encourages self-debasement and instills a dependency on a certain fact or institution in order to make moral or ethically consistent choices. If you take away either the school, the jail or the church, the people will revert back to criminality. What kind of morals are they, then? This reminds me of A Clockwork Orange and its message regarding morality. Results are not the best ones possible if they are not self-sustaining, and you cannot fix a problem with band-aids. A human being becomes a machine if you take individual philosophy out of the equation. Are machines what we need?

Ethical philosophy cannot be gained from either a jail or a church, only obedience or brainwashed black and white mentalities can. The choice should not be between two evils. Imprisoning people in a library would be better for them than either of these, no matter what kind of church it was.

 

That would qualify as proselytism, and the ratio of Christians is the same in and out of prison. Epic fail.

 

What a load of bullshit.

A church is as well equiped to rehabilitate criminals as much I'm equipped enough to handle the budget deficit of Greece. Spiritual enlightment hasn't stopped people from comitting crimes in the past what's the chance it'll bloody well work putting people into a church?
I can't believe this is allowed in law pratice...

 

Stupidity. Pure stupidity. In my opinion, politics and religion should not have anything to do with eachother.
I agree with my Proctologist here, I can't believe this is allowed in law practice.

 

Maybe you can see why they go hand in hand in this example.

'Praise the State, for he is king; his love endures forever.'

 

Gee i didn't know church was that bad XD
All kidding aside, i think it could work, MAYBE. Some people it will, but some people would have something wrong with them mentally and would more than likely be unchanged. It could also be somewhat dangerous if not done correctly. People might die in the church they're sent to, and if there are guards there with guns and an itchy trigger finger i don't think they're going to be paying much attention to what's being talked about.

 

I'm pretty much whatever on this.

Depends on what the person did. Minor crimes, maybe committed by misguided youth? Understood rational--though religion shouldn't be forced on anyone. Major crimes are a different story to me, and yes I do believe there's a difference regarding the severity of a crime. I do not and have not really ever believed a jail is an effective way to 'change' someone, if that is the goal. This doesn't sound any better.​

 

I think the question here is whether or not just changing their actions is good enough. If they are put in a church, they are not more likely to develop a personal morality even if in the end they start following the rules. Turning them into unthinking machines is inhumane, and going to church willingly is one thing, but being forced into one in order to purposefully brainwash your morality is another.

 

I thought it was a choice? I mean, lol, Church or Jail? Isn't much of a choice, but it's not like you're not being given a decision in the matter.

They aren't going to sit down and reform you, so it's convenient for them that way.

 

Statistically, people are less likely to die, develop diseases or get raped in a church, so the choice would be an obvious one. Not many people would choose prison over a church, even if they hated the church. That does not make it good for the individual, it just herds them in another way.

 

I believe that this is a good idea, PROVIDED that the church is actually a good place full of good people who have a heart for the community and aren't quick to judge. Also, it really depends on the crime. The way I see it, the crime is probably of the alcahol or drugs nature, and they are offering church as a rehabilitation. I don't live in Alabama, but in my place of residence, we've had several cases of someone being sent to my church or another church-like place as a part of rehab. We had one guy that would come every Sunday evening because he was told "either Church or AA." We also had an aqquaintence that was told "either you go to jail, or this God based Rehab center. (I'm not including the name of said center for privacy purposes). I agree, if the crime is one like "this dude shot a man," then the man should go to jail. Nobody in a church would feel comfortable with a heavily guarded murderer sitting in the front row, but if it's for rehab purposes, I see no reason why they shouldn't be given the choice. Anyway, that's just my two cents on the matter.

 

I said it was convenience. So there you have it. Regardless of which, we still need to see which kind of church it is and how they would deal with the situation. If said churches had rehabilitation centers or some form of reform program, then perhaps it may be acceptable as long as it doesn't lean over to religion.

What I don't understand is why they'd offer the choice if it's unconstitutional? I can understand the want to teach values. But it somewhat overlaps with freedom of religion.

 

Yes, it does, and it is probably the most obvious violation of it in existence. But then, they are giving you a choice, of course. Problem is, what if you are of a different religion (all apply)? Are you going to deny your own in order to avoid pain and suffering? That is what this choice will do to people, make them choose Christianity over their own suffering. Many other religions will feel tainted just by entering the establishment of an opposing religion and will see it as a mark of shame on the heads of those who submit under the threat of pain.

 

Hmm . . . if I had to choose between going to church and going to jail . . . there's the good chance I would choose going to jail. I wouldn't like anyone trying to push their god on me because I did something that was against morality, or maybe more specifially theirs. Say I commited a crime against Christianity, obviously, I did that for a reason, I wouldn't wanna go to a Christian church so that they can try and 'fix' the very thing I rejected. That just makes no sense to me.

Don't argue with me, I won't reply back. kthxbai.

 

I don't think it would serve a point, I mean he have division of church and state and this is clearly crossing it. If given the choice I'd choose jail. Forcing someone's religion on anyone and trying to brainwash them isn't helping matters. But the state doesn't care so long as they're pacified and they gain another cog in the machine.

 

what all of you are saying is besides the point. the thing is, it is either church, or jail. in my opinion, most people in that situation would choose the church. more freedom, and every other reason they have for do that. but them going to the church is not 'forcing religion' on those people. they don't have to listen, which makes it absolutely pointless. but i am mixed in this. the fact that many of them won't pay attention vs. a lot of people who, in other circumstances, would never step foot into a church of any kind. it will only help them as much as they will let it.

 

Let me point you to an earlier argument of mine.

This will make people choose between violating their religion and pain. Effectively threatening people if they do not go to a Christian church. It will turn into that very quickly. There are those who do not care, and there are those who do. Which ones are being treated unfairly?

 

but the funniest part is the fact that the Christian churches are the most persecuted. to be honest, if it was the other way around, meaning that it was the Christian church left out, this wouldn't be such an issue. nobody would care. sorry if this is a little off topic, but think of it that way. and that will probably change soon anyways with all of the people who pose the same argument as you do Makaze.