In Alabama you can now choose: Church or jail

[Zostrianos]

America gets closer to being a Christian theocracy:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/09/24/alabama-town-gives-offenders-a-choice-jesus-or-jail/

Given the choice between jail and church, which would you choose?
The small southern Alabama town of Bay Minette is giving non-violent offenders a chance to pick between lockup and the Lord.
Beginning next week, Operation ROC (Restore Our Community) will have a city judge offer those found guilty of misdemeanors the choice between working off their offenses in jail and paying a fine or attending the church of their choice every week for a year. WKRG-TV in Mobile, Ala., reported 56 churches in North Baldwin County are participating in the program.
(MORE: Inside the World's Most Humane Prison (http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1989083,00.html))
If offenders pick church, it doesn't necessarily guarantee eternal salvation, but they can check in each week with the pastor or the police department. If the program is completed successfully their case will be dropped.
Bay Minette Police Chief Mike Rowland says it costs his department about $75 a day to jail offenders, so the ROC program is cost-effective. "Longevity is the key," he explained in a television interview. "A 30-day drug program doesn't work. A 30-day alcohol program does not work. But long-term programs to do work, and we believe that's what'll happen here."
Rowland says that there is no separation of church and state boundary crossed here, but to be sure, NewsFeed called Notre Dame law professor Rick Garnett, an expert on constitutional law. He said it could look to a court that government is pushing the convicted into a religious option if there is not a secular choice as well.
"A lot of times in church-state cases, the lines aren't so crisp and clean," he told TIME. "This looks more like the kind of case where courts have been very cautious about pressuring people."

Apparently, if you're not Christian, too bad, you're getting locked up.

[Schizophrenia]

Wow, just what we need, to be the slave of a Wizard in the sky. I pick jail. Hell, gives me more time to read.

[Tablo]

Wow, first I've heard of this. I'm not religious, but I would probably choose church depending on my sentence. Fucked up that they are doing this, but it beats jail.

[Le Socialiste]

Another reason I'm glad not to be living in the Bible Belt.

[Property Is Robbery]

holy shit. Thats pretty cool. I'd just bring an mp3 plyer and concealable headphones :)

[Dzerzhinsky's Ghost]

Am I the only one who thinks this is absurdly awesome?

Seriously, listening to some sermons for a year or my freedom? I'm choosing church; free wine, free bread, single ladies, freedom, I'm there.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

The insanity just keeps getting more insane, and the reactionary more reactionary.:laugh:

[Le Socialiste]

Am I the only one who thinks this is absurdly awesome?

Seriously, listening to some sermons for a year or my freedom? I'm choosing church; free wine, free bread, single ladies, freedom, I'm there.

You must not have grown up in the church, then. Trust me, it's a living hell (:D). If the sermons aren't filled with xenophobic chest-thumping, the people who make up the congregation are. And most Christian denominations outside of Catholicism don't use wine - they use grape juice. And that bread? Wafers. Thin, crusty, tasteless wafers. And unless your church is located in a college town or has a sizable young adult presence (or if you merely favor single ladies 60+) you can kiss goodbye the chance of meeting any single women; men, maybe. I'd still choose church over prison, but there are times when I fail to see the difference.

[Lanky Wanker]

The sad thing is that I can't even decide which would be worse. I suppose going to church/being a Christian is like being in jail, only you get to go home after.

[Lanky Wanker]

And most Christian denominations outside of Catholicism don't use wine - they use grape juice. And that bread? Wafers. Thin, crusty, tasteless wafers.

I remember when they tied in the Sunday service with my 2nd cousin's christening; the "bread" wasn't even food, it was a piece of edible paper cut into a circle or something. The wine was crap, and if I wasn't there for my family I'd have chugged that shit right down and thrown the damn glass (well, metal glass, whatever they're called) at the priest. It was seriously one of the most boring experiences of my life, especially considering the fact that one woman read out the same story about 3 times...





NAH,
fuck that, I'm choosing jail.

[Pretty Flaco]

I'd take a pew once a week to a shitty cell every day.
who the fuck would actually choose prison?

[Dzerzhinsky's Ghost]

You must not have grown up in the church, then.

My experiences with Christianity are virtually non-existant. I've had sex with a nun and another time, after a long night of drinking managed to get a nice hot meal with a mate of mine. That's about it.


Trust me, it's a living hell (:D). If the sermons aren't filled with xenophobic chest-thumping, the people who make up the congregation are. And most Christian denominations outside of Catholicism don't use wine - they use grape juice. And that bread? Wafers. Thin, crusty, tasteless wafers. And unless your church is located in a college town or has a sizable young adult presence (or if you merely favor single ladies 60+) you can kiss goodbye the chance of meeting any single women; men, maybe. I'd still choose church over prison, but there are times when I fail to see the difference.

Fuck, well, I'd choose Catholic then (says you have a choice) and I mean, no real bread aside, still free wine and you can't tell me some nuns aren't sexually frustrated and thus wanting (what I meant by single ladies). Fuck it, I'd so choose church over jail. The actual law itself is absurd however I like the idea of circumventing the sham and mockery that is the capitalist judicial system.

[Property Is Robbery]

Its only an hour a week, two tops. Tune it out.

Also grape juice is awesome and wine at mass is cheap and shitty as hell.

[Dzerzhinsky's Ghost]

Also grape juice is awesome and wine at mass is cheap and shitty as hell.

As long as it's 10-13% per vol. it's all good for me.

[Aspiring Humanist]

Pretty fucked up that they wouldn't include mosques or synagogues but its a much better option than jail. If you honestly support the idea of someone being locked in prison especially a nonviolent offender you shouldnt be on this site

[Property Is Robbery]

As long as it's 10-13% per vol. it's all good for me.
They might not take kindly to someone who is being forced to attend and also chugs wine :p

[Dzerzhinsky's Ghost]

Pretty fucked up that they wouldn't include mosques or synagogues but its a much better option than jail. If you honestly support the idea of someone being locked in prison especially a nonviolent offender you shouldnt be on this site

The thought of not offering the offender an opportunity to go to a masjid did occur to me however we are talking about the state of Alabama; beggers can't be choosers.

[Veovis]

Psh, I'd just sit in the back pew and read Marx or play Pokémon. The idea of it is still repugnant, however.

[Kamil]

i cant believe this wasn't on the news:confused:

[Zostrianos]

i cant believe this wasn't on the news:confused:

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