Judge sentences offenders to attend church
A Kentucky 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.
Ref. https://edition.cnn.com/2005/LAW/05/31/chur...e.ap/index.html
I find this a bit troubling, I must admit. However, judges have long offered troubled young adults the option of enlisting in the military or going to jail. This one is less risky.
How long must the attend. If they must just attend a few meetings, it is similar to having to go to a few AA meetings, but...not really.
I think it really isn't a practice that should be allowed.
International Level: Diplomat / Political Participation: 320 32%
We completely agree on this judgement. Going to church isn't reform. Unless someone truly wants to change, church will do nothing for them. Church is a place for those of like mind to meet and fellowship, it is not a reform session. Although I believe that believe in God can reform someone, I don't find church to be the same as God.
In one of my areas in the mission field a judge ordered a very drunken indian to go to church one time a week if he wanted to stay out of jail and the church had to have 3 meetings a day. Now this perhaps shouldn't have been done but it helped him to at least get an idea of being rehabilitated and the community thinking about helping the man and he was helped by not having to undergo the behind the bars thing. So I support the thought of making a prisoner go to church, or doing some other things that make them think, but for the continual law breaker then the regular jail should be used, depending how bad the crime is.
International Level: New Activist / Political Participation: 15 1.5%